The play is based on the decade long research of Judit Durst, cultural anthropologist focusing on informal usury in the Hungarian villages. Usury is an informal and illegal way of money lending way – functioning outside the bank system – with diverse interest rates (from 20% even till 200% or above). It has more versions beside money lending, these ensure food, firewood, tobacco, clothing or other goods for the clients for financial interest. The people who have low and/or illegal income cannot get credit from the banks. For the financial needs of these people illegal usury gives answer everywhere in the world – as private individuals can’t give credit including any interest rate according to the legal regulations. In poor regions there are thousands of people who can only get financial credit from illegal money lending resources. According to the results of the research conducted by Durst there are so-called ‘correct’ usurers, who don’t expect higher interest rates than some of the financial institutions, meanwhile there are the so called ‘hot’ usurers, who count even extreme high interest rates, and who do aggressive actions against their clients in case they don’t pay back their credit according to the earlier made agreement.

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