The Shrapnel Academy, named after Henry Shrapnel, inventor of the exploding cannonball, is the setting for a modern-day Victorian house party. The occasion is the yearly observance of Wellington Weekend, attended by a curious assortment of visitors who stay in rooms named for military notables and are waited upon by a number of equally unusual Third World servants. All the ingredients are here for a witty romp, and the romp Weldon delivers culminates in absolute ridiculousness.