Freeze frame

A scene on a square in Shiraz: The actors enter the frame with the box. They ascend a flight of sandstone stairs that leads to a mausoleum of a long dead poet. Turning towards the square where the audience is, they put down the box. Eyes shifting for a brief moment: they have no idea what they’re supposed to do, what activity to engage in, how to commence. The answer is supposed to come from the box. But there is nothing in the box, nothing just yet. Shifting is followed by freezing. Fixed gaze on a colonnade across; they stand there for a long time, the box between them. People are taking pictures with cell phones. Soldiers approach, one calls out: ‘Hello! I’m a soldier. Where you from?’ A young man offers to act as interpreter. But there are no words to translate. ‘I you interpret. Me professional interpret. You offering at your service. I would like to give my name. First name is... Surname is... My telephone, home, is....’ The two characters have no clue what to do. If Meysahm hadn’t called cut! -- they would have stayed there until the end of history.