Grain of Sand

A monodrama born as a thesis project. The thesis was written in the spring of 2020, during the pandemic, at home, on a family turkey farm in rural Hungary. It tells a story that addresses themes such as parental separation, independence, and personal growth in the search for one’s own path, while the family background is marked by trauma. The play was written during the coronavirus period, creating an exceptional situation: probably never before had final-year acting students had the opportunity to write with such focus while the entire world stood still. Although the project began as a thesis, Márk’s professors encouraged him to turn the text into a theatrical work, highlighting its unique value. This thesis adapted for the stage is an experiment—a kind of “theatre-thesis”—in which a map of 26 years of memories unfolds before those willing to dedicate an hour of their own lives to journey through them. The work has also been transformed into a group activity for students, designed to help them reflect on the themes explored. This activity includes a conversation before and after the performance, during which the audience can ask questions and engage in dialogue with the artist.