Called to court on obscenity charges, a theatre troupe are forced to expose their neuroses and inner psychological torments.

Pretentious critic Cornelius is writing a biography on a famous cellist and to do some research he stays in the cellist's house for a few days. He doesn't manage to get an interview with the man, but by talking to all the women who live with him, he comes to learn a lot about the musician's private life none the less. Cornelius then decides to use this information to blackmail the cellist into performing a composition that he, Cornelius, has written.

An account of the events before and after a murder committed by a disturbed businessman in a strained marriage, and what led him to perform such a shocking act.