Act I: Prison Wall
The play begins with a group of women standing against a prison wall. An elderly woman is cradling her hand, while a young woman stands beside her with an arm around her shoulder. A sergeant and an officer enter the scene. The sergeant points to the young woman and asks for her name. She replies that they have already provided their names. This exchange repeats until the officer instructs the sergeant to ‘‘stop this s——.’’

The officer then addresses the young woman, inquiring if she has any complaints. She explains that the elderly woman has been bitten. When the officer asks the older woman who bit her, she slowly raises her hand but says nothing. The young woman clarifies that a Doberman pinscher bit her. The officer, ignoring her response, asks the elderly woman again who bit her hand. The elderly woman remains silent, staring at him. The young woman then rephrases her response, saying ‘‘a big dog.’’ The officer, now irritated, asks for the dog's name, insisting ‘‘every dog has a name’’ given by its parents. He asserts that dogs announce their names before biting. He warns that if the dog bit without stating its name, it will be shot. When met with silence once more, he demands ‘‘silence and attention.’’

The officer then calls the sergeant over and instructs him to take any complaints. When the sergeant asks again, the young woman states that they have been standing in the snow all day, while the guards have tormented them with dogs, one of which bit the elderly woman. The officer once more asks for the dog's name. The young woman looks at him and responds, ‘‘I don’t know his name.’’

The sergeant abruptly shifts the topic, telling the women, "your husbands, your sons, your fathers, these men you have been waiting to see, are s——houses" and "enemies of the State." The officer steps forward, identifying the women as "mountain people" and informing them that their language is forbidden and should be considered "dead." They are only permitted to speak "the language of the capital." He warns that they will be "badly punished" if they attempt to speak the mountain language. He reiterates that this is the law, stating their language is dead, and ends by asking if there are any questions. When a young woman responds that she does not speak the mountain language, the sergeant places his hand on her "bottom" and asks, "What language do you speak with your a——?" When the officer reminds the sergeant that the women have committed no crime, the sergeant retorts, "but you’re not saying they’re without sin?" The officer clarifies that this was not his point, and the sergeant concludes that the young woman is full of sin, saying, "she bounces with it."

The young woman then introduces herself by name and states that she has come to see her husband, asserting it is her right. When she presents her papers, the officer notes that neither she nor her husband is from the mountains and realizes she has been placed "in the wrong batch." The sergeant remarks, "she looks like a f—— intellectual to me."

Act II: Visitor’s Room
The scene begins with an elderly woman sitting next to a prisoner. When she speaks to him in a rural accent, the guard jabs her with a stick, insisting that the language is forbidden. The prisoner tries to explain to the guard that the woman does not know the language of the capital but is met with silence. When the elderly woman tells the prisoner that she...