Synopsis

A prison in an unspecified totalitarian state

A line of women, weary and tense, stand against the cold, imposing prison wall, their faces etched with worry and defiance. The play opens with an elderly woman cradling her injured hand, a young woman standing protectively beside her, as they confront a callous sergeant and an indifferent officer.

Set in a totalitarian state, Mountain Language explores the cruelty inflicted on a minority group whose native tongue has been banned. The prisoners and their families are forbidden from speaking their “mountain language,” a poignant symbol of their identity and heritage. The stark, oppressive setting amplifies the tension as the characters navigate the dehumanising rules enforced by the guards.

Pinter’s dialogue is both sparse and sharp, capturing the harsh realities of political oppression and the resilience of the human spirit. The young woman’s plea for her mother’s right to speak, the prisoner’s desperate attempts to communicate, and the chilling indifference of the guards all paint a vivid picture of a society where control over language equates to control over people.