The village

2026-05-02

There is a village. Every evening, all the members of this village gather in the village square. They set up a stage and arrange chairs for the audience. When the arrangements are complete, the villagers welcome the audience as they trickle in one by one, but there is no audience.

There is no audience.

Every member of this village has a part in the performance. They all play a role; no one is left out. When the play ends and the curtain falls, the villagers step forward to the cheers and applause of the audience. They all bow and wave. The head villager calls out:

“THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING! IT IS ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO ENTERTAIN.”

He shouts to the audience, and the audience cheers even louder, but there is no audience.

There is no audience.

The audience leaves, and the villagers dismantle the stage, moving everything to one side.

The following evening, the same event is repeated. And the next, and the next. The villagers age and die. New villagers are born to take their place. Every villager acts. Every villager plays a role.