A year after the establishment of the Islamic Republic in Iran, a theatrical troupe tries to stage the Shakespearean play, Othello. Behrouz, a writer and producer of plays, bravely pursues his goal in spite of severe Islamic censorship. His amateur group faces numerous and often laughable problems when the mollah from the Ministry of Islamic Culture and Guidance orders that the play be adapted to meet the requirements of Sharia Law. The actresses have to wear Islamic hijab and the sinful Shakespearean dialogue must be made more Islamic. At the end of the rehearsal the mollah decides to ban the play, ordering the arrest of the director and his troupe. Behrouz goes into hiding. He moves from one place to another, undergoing nightmarish experiences. His life in serious danger, clean-shaven and wearing an Islamic hijab, he escapes Iran. Despite the horrors of exile, he finally finds solace and a purpose in writing.