[1] In 2023, the minimalist theatre company, Cesear's Forum, presented an abridged version of the play in combination with Eugene Ionesco's The Lesson at Playhouse Square, Cleveland, Ohio.
His plans are frustrated, however, by the appearance of a mysterious stranger, who introduces himself as a doctor, and begins to delve into the real dynamics of Daniele's marriage.
Although Daniele could easily wash his hands of the entire matter, his continuing conversations with the mysterious 'doctor' lead him to discover the sexual, ethical, and even spiritual dimensions of his bond to Nina.
When she is mysteriously wounded while trying to flee the town, Daniele helps her to the border, and confronts an invisible God, and challenges Him to justify Nina's suffering.
Although the play's plot, rife with deception, blackmail and murder, might seem the stuff of melodrama, Betti's primary interest is in the deepening understanding of human existence undergone by Daniele.