The Cause of it All

In a modest rural hut during an autumn afternoon, the matriarch Akulína spins while her daughter‑in‑law Martha kneads bread and their young daughter Paráshka rocks a cradle. Martha frets over her husband Michael’s half‑day trip to town with his drinking companion Ignát, fearing another bout of drunken trouble. The atmosphere is a blend of everyday chores and simmering worry, setting up a vivid portrait of peasant life.

When the village elder’s assistant Tarás arrives with a weary tramp seeking shelter, the household’s hospitality is tested and gossip about men’s drinking habits erupts. Akulína’s practical generosity clashes with Martha’s exasperated complaints, highlighting the gendered expectations of work and vice. The first act offers a witty, earthy glimpse into family dynamics and the small crises that define rural community life.