The Roman army in Germania is going through a miserable time. The soldiers suffer from diarrhea, cold, darkness and barbaric customs. Their morality is put to the test. Warus, Publus and Kwintilus are stuck amongst the swamps. The healer and herbs collector Kwintilus feeds his comrades with the berries he has found in the woods. The fruit is supposed to have replenishing impact. As a matter of fact, the berries act as a switch. Each time the characters reach for the berry, their situation changes entirely. Lost in their visions, they are not sure of their real position in the world. Warus is afraid of his subordinates plotting against him. His heart is being pulled out and dedicated to the Germanic deity Doran that is represented by the holy oak. When he awakes from his dream, Kwintilus and Publus are totally surprised by his revelations about their betrayal.
“The Governor” is a thoroughly engaging and thoughtful play about treason, or rather: a fright of treason. The author plays in an inventive manner with the visions and dreams of the Roman legionaries. Due to the forced isolation, all the apprehensions come out of the characters’ minds. As the ultimate truth does not exist here, the worst possible enemy of the warriors seems to be their own uncertainty.