Very clever almost "meta" episode for the fifth of the first season.
Jim (Reece Shearsmith) is the understudy for Tony (Steve Pemberton) in his performance of Macbeth in the West End. Jim's fiancé, Laura (Lyndsey Marshal) is also part of the company and tries to encourage Jim to push for the main role, especially when Tony undertakes a performance whilst very drunk - unusual as her has been sober for five years. Standing in his way are his own confidence issues, and the dismissive stage manager Felicity (Julia Davis).
I really enjoyed this episode with its conceit of the off-stage action mirroring the on-stage play, Jim seeing visions of blood and his ambitious girlfriend pushing him to success. The episode works by pointing towards an obvious revelation throughout, before twisting it at the last minute in another direction. The performances are strong, Rosie Cavaliero is great as Tony's put-upon dresser and Julia Davis, employing an Australian accent (of sorts), as the predatory lesbian Felicity is one of the highlights and probably the broadest and funniest character of the episode.
One of the better episodes of the show so far.