The setting is a working-class London flat in the early 1960s. This is the home of Max, the aging patriarch; his brother Sam; and Max’s two sons Lenny, a small-time pimp, and Joey, an aspiring boxer.
Initially, Lenny and Max discuss the paper and how Max wants to find scissors so that he can cut out a coupon for some clothing at a navy surplus store. Already, Lenny's unresponsiveness to Max's questions, as well as Max's rambling, snapping manner of speech, indicates that this is far from a normal family. The topic of conversation turns to horses, whereupon Max recalls how he used to be a big shot at Epsom (a racetrack) along with his friend Mac. Though he seems fond of the life he led, and particularly admiring of Mac, it is unclear whether his reminiscences are entirely truthful.
Max's brother Sam enters the room, having come from his job as a chauffeur. While Sam insists that he is one of the best in the business—with customers lining up to hire him because he knows when not to bother passengers with idle conversation—Max clearly does not think much of his brother's occupation, believing it to be far inferior to his own career as a butcher. Max goes on to say that Sam could bring a bride home to live with him at any time, but Sam is only able to respond meekly that he has no bride. The conflict between the brothers is heightened when Max says that someday Sam will have to move out when he can no longer pay rent, and the two also disagree about the character of Mac; Sam insists that Mac was uncouth and a loudmouth, prompting Max's animosity. Also introduced is Max's other son, Joey, who had been at a boxing training session.
That evening Teddy, the eldest son who had been away in America teaching philosophy for six years, arrives with his wife Ruth. They traveled to Italy and now stopped here so she could meet his family for the first time. No one is awake so they plan to go to bed. However, Ruth, an enigmatic woman over whom Teddy seems to fret, decides to go for a walk at night. Apprehensively, Teddy goes up to bed and Ruth heads outside.
Teddy comes back down for a moment and finds his brother Lenny. They exchange stilted pleasantries and Teddy returns to bed.
When Ruth comes back in she finds Lenny waiting for her. They briefly introduce themselves and Lenny tries to unsettle her with a story of wanting to kill a prostitute who tried to have her way with him even though he knew she was diseased and told her to leave him alone. Ruth shows little fear or concern over this story. When Lenny tries to take her glass away from her she unnerves him by telling him she will take him, and then that she will pour the drink down his throat. He is surprised and stammers out a question about whether she is making a proposal. She goes to bed without answering.
The next morning Teddy and Ruth come downstairs to see the family at breakfast. Max, indigent that he did not know they were there, spits out that Ruth is obviously a slut and a tart. Teddy corrects him, explaining that she is his wife. When Joey tells Teddy their father is an old man, Max hits his son. The force of the blow topples him and when Sam moves forward to help, Max hits him with his stick.
Silence ensues. Max asks if Ruth is a mother and she replies yes, that they have three kids. Max is pleased. He asks if Teddy is ready for his cuddle, and when Teddy says yes, he crows that Teddy still loves his dad.
Act Two begins with a note of cheerfulness, with the family sharing a meal some number of days later. Max delivers a monologue about his deceased wife Jessie, and how she would have loved to see everyone back together again. However, his mood quickly sours when his memory leads him to the story of a group of butchers that conned him out of an investment.
The family continues to sit and talk. Max criticizes Sam for not fighting in the war. He also asks about Teddy’s wedding and says he would have given him a good one and that he gives them his blessing. Ruth quietly says she is happy he is pleased with her but that she hadn’t been sure whether Teddy would have expected that. Max is confused and gruffly says she is so charming. She replies that she was different when she met Teddy.
Teddy begins to speak of how happy he is in America. Lenny tries to needle him with philosophical questions about revering unknown things vs. revering things that are known. Teddy stiffly says that is not his area of expertise. They debate the meaning of a table in terms of the object and what it signifies. Ruth weighs in, slowly calling attention to her leg as if it were a table leg, but telling them to acknowledge that her underwear is beneath it. Maybe observing something, she says, is more important than the words used to describe it.
There is an awkward silence which Teddy breaks by talking about how he moved to America. Joey prepares to leave for his workout and Max and Lenny accompany him. When they are gone Teddy turns to Ruth and says maybe they ought to go home. It is cleaner there, he notes, and perhaps their children miss them. She does not care to leave and wonders if he does not like his family as much as he thought he did. He tells her he will go pack and that she will be happy to go home; when they are back she can help him with his work.
After Teddy goes upstairs Lenny returns and sits with Ruth. She reminisces about how she used to be a model before she married Teddy. When Teddy comes downstairs ready to leave, Lenny asks Ruth if she might want a dance before they go. She assents. They dance and Lenny kisses her. She kisses back.
Joey and Max enter and Joey is stunned. He calls Ruth a tart and takes her over to the couch with him. They lie together and kiss; he is almost on top of her. Max turns to Teddy and asks if he is really going. He tells him Ruth is lovely and he wishes Teddy was not ashamed of his family.
Ruth demands a drink and the brothers bring her one. Someone asks about Teddy’s work and Max says frankly that no one has read it. Teddy sniffs that they would not understand it anyway. Ruth goes upstairs with Joey.
That evening Teddy sits near his luggage. Sam walks over to him and tells him he is his favorite and was his mother’s favorite too. He asks a few cryptic things about whether or not Teddy liked MacGregor. Lenny is infuriated at Teddy for stealing a cheese roll that he had previously prepared. Teddy declares that he stole it deliberately, much in the same way that he believes that his family has stolen Ruth from him. Joey then descends the stairs, claiming that despite being in bed with Ruth for two hours the two did not go all the way. Lenny is disgusted, saying that Ruth is a tease, but Joey states that it was neither of their faults, nor was he disappointed. Joey is unable to articulate that it seems like they both want something other than sex from a relationship. When Max hears about Joey and Ruth he is also disgusted. Meanwhile, Teddy seems resigned to his fate that he will have to leave Ruth behind with his family and return to his career in America.
After a few moments Max muses that perhaps it would be a good thing to have a woman in the house to cook and clean. He will ask her to stay, he decides, but Teddy counters that she is not well and ought to get home. Lenny, Max, and Joey continue to talk and ignore Teddy. They decide to donate money to pay for the things she needs like clothes. It seems like it will be expensive, but Lenny offers up the idea of Ruth getting a flat and taking a few customers and thus making some money. She will not work all night, and his clients are generally topnotch. Perhaps Teddy can even take business cards with him back to America and this can be an international operation. Teddy is quiet but wonders if she wouldn’t quickly get old. Max excitedly says not in this day and age.
Finally Ruth comes downstairs. she sits before the silent men and smiles. Teddy explains slowly that his family has invited her to stay as a guest of sorts. She replies that she might be too much trouble, but Max quickly assures her that is not the case.
When Teddy informs her she will have to earn her keep, she negotiates with the other men about getting her a three-room flat, money for clothes, a maid, and signing a contract that they all agree to.
Sam is the only one disconcerted by this talk and he suddenly bursts out that MacGregor had sex with Max’s wife Jessie in the back of his cab. This explosive revelation causes him to pass out and fall to the ground.
After it is determined that Sam is still living, the family prepares to say goodbye to Teddy. His father and brothers wish him farewell and Ruth simply tells him not to be a stranger. He departs.
After Teddy leaves, Ruth sits down and Joey puts his head in her lap. Lenny stands over them. Max becomes distressed. He asks Ruth multiple times if she thinks he is too old for her. He begins to wonder if she is not adaptable, not up to this. Perhaps she is using them. He begs her to kiss him and the curtain falls.
