The main word of the play is play. The conflict is born from the fact that grown-up people are engaged in play—childish, carefree games that turn into no small pain, bitterness, and cruelty. The very way the actors exist onstage, the principle of how they communicate, underscores it: play, play, play…
The action of the play unfolds at oil fields in Western Siberia and in Moscow. With anxious care, the author shows how easily unconsidered actions by each person can seriously harm another person—including morally.