Thirteen farm workers are locked in a barn to store the hay harvest. The work is due to be finished by six o'clock that evening, but it is clear from the outset that they won't meet their deadline. Some of the hay is damp and there are worries that the fermenting could start a fire. These fears are exacerbated when some of the workers start smoking. One of them, sent to check the pile for damp hay, is reported missing for an entire act. One of the young men finds time for a roll in the hay with one or two of the women in the barn, until he is stabbed to death by a jealous co-worker with a pitchfork. The worker reported missing then reappears, saying he has found a way out and leads the others to their escape while the hay, the barn and the theatre burn. The whole performance is punctuated with nine off-the-wall philosophical monologues and nine songs.

This is a work with all the ingredients of a naturalistic play that at first glance portrays the glory of the kolkhoz and bears the watchword of Soviet Realism. Far from it. This is a parody that takes us into a disturbing, absurd and comical world, highlighted by the realistic dialogues (common language, repetitions, misunderstandings, overlapping conversations) and unusual subjects of the 9 long monologues that punctuate the play and the 9 songs that follow.
There seems to be a continuous flow of energy throughout the work, while the dialogues, monologues and songs are wonderfully balanced. There is a definite rhetorical rhythm to the monologues, an abstract, musical feel to the dialogue and a moment of calm during the songs. Overall, the play has a real symphonic structure that effectively conveys the feeling of relentless development and a sense of urgency and necessity in the dramatic beat.