Pauline Fossil (Emma Watson) and her sisters Petrova (Yasmin Paige) and Posy (Lucy Boynton) are three young girls, orphaned and adopted by their befuddled Great Uncle Matthew (Richard Griffiths) and his niece Sylvia (Emilia Fox). Pauline yearns to act, while Petrova wants to become an pilot, and Posy hopes to be a ballerina. In 1930s London, money is tight for the girls and their guardians, and they open up their home to a trio eccentric boarders to help make ends meet. The story takes us into the world that the girls have created as they each struggle to find their individual place and talents. With the help of their dance teacher tenant, the girls attempt a career on the stage to help raise money. Through a series of wacky adventures, Pauline, Petrova, and Posy discover their own individual strengths and learn to balance their ambition and indivuality with the need to survive difficult times through working together.