To Bee Hive or Not …

He lies sprawled next to the beehive, his hat pulled down over his eyes. The children watch him silently. Then he lifts the hat slightly and peers at them with one eye. Wordlessly. He opens the beehive, brings out water and a washbasin, and slowly washes and shaves himself while the children look on. Nearly fifteen minutes pass before anything significant is said from the monologue at the heart of the piece, but gradually the children begin to comment on the washing and shaving. A monologue performance evolves into an intense dialogue performance.