Act 1, Scene 1 Summary

This Czechoslovakian play tells the satirical story of a government bureaucrat struggling to preserve his professional and personal identity in the face of aggressive attempts to discredit him and undermine his authority. On a metaphoric level, the play functions as an indictment of communist/socialist thought and political governance.

Gross arrives in his office and begins his day's work. As he sorts his mail, one letter in particular gets his attention. He reads it aloud, a memorandum in a nonsense language, the meaning of which can't be understood either by the audience or by Gross. As he reads, Ballas and Pillar come in and watch, unnoticed. When he's finished, Gross realizes they're there and asks what they want. Referring all the time to the silent Pillar for confirmation of his every statement, Ballas asks where the incoming mail should be logged...