To avoid getting stuck, reread «The Breakdown»

An iconic closed-door play by Swiss author Friedrich Dürrenmatt, *La Panne* depicts a trial that unfolds in reverse, in which the defendant bears the burden of proving his innocence. A warning against the excesses of a justice system that sees itself as the guardian of righteousness.

Behind the wheel of his gleaming luxury car, Alfredo Traps—a shrewd, ambition-driven sales representative—sees a glorious future unfolding before him as he drives at breakneck speed when, suddenly, his car breaks down in a rural village. Forced to spend the night there, he knocks on the door of Judge Wucht’s bourgeois villa. Not only does the judge offer him room and board, but he also invites him to join his guests in a curious role-playing game that is about to begin.

In their capacity as retired judicial officials, District Attorney Zorn, Attorney Kummer, a man named Pilet, and Judge Wucht himself enjoy reenacting the gr