Summary

The play begins with a man named Katurian sitting blindfolded in a police interrogation room. Tupolski, the lead detective on the murder case, and Ariel, a lower member on the police force of the unnamed totalitarian dictatorship in which all the action of the play takes place, enter the interrogation room and sit down across from Katurian. Tupolski has a file of papers with him. Tupolski introduces himself and Ariel and then asks why Katurian has left his blindfold on. He tells Katurian it looks stupid and then returns to his introductions.

Katurian begins by telling the detectives that he respects their work and is willing to help them however they might need it. The two detectives mock him and threaten to beat him. Ariel suggests that they skip to the torture and forget the interrogation, but Tupolski tells him that he is...