The focus of this book is twofold: first, Samuel Beckett's Endgame, its genesis and post-publication development, and second, the reception of his dramas in Hungary. There are, of course, overlaps between the two topics, for example, György Kurtág's Fin de partie opera, István Paál's first stage direction of Endgame in Hungary, or Gábor Zsámbéki's TV-recording of the play, which preceded the stage premiere. However, the real
bonding agent of the book is the dramaturgy and theatricality of Beckett's work, whether it be unpublished manuscript fragment, full length play or Beckett-staging in scope. This book intends to present Beckett-productions that were the first in one way or another, either the most productive Hungarian-language Beckett-director's oeuvre, a Hungarian premiere,
the first Godot-staging after 1989, the first Beckett shows in a theatre's entire programme since its foundation, or the very first Fin de partie opera.
All of these involved a certain amount of risk taking, just as one would expect from opening gambits in a game of chess. This is the first time that a selection of Hungarian Endgames and other Beckett-stagings has entered the international platform of Beckett scholarship, to engage in a broader dialogue with artists, scholars, and students around the globe.

Samuel Beckett's Endgame and Hungarian Opening Gambits

How many playwrights, novelists, philosophers, artists, composers, performers, filmmakers, and critical thinkers influenced Samuel Beckett ? And how profound has Beckett's impact been on creative artists worldwide, who have responded to the stimulus of his work using every available medium, from theatre and television, through opera and contemporary art, to the Internet and virtual reality ? This book approaches these questions under two broad headings : first, "Influencing Beckett," or the ongoing traces of how Beckett constructed his own work by drawing on artists and thinkers near and far, ancient and current ; second, "Beckett Influencing," or how his work has unfolded into the contemporary world across genre, across media, and as a source for others' artworks. The third section, "Practitioner Voices," concerns the implementation of such patterns of influence in theatrical practice. With contributions from eight countries, this volume emerges from the first Beckett conference to be held in Hungary. It captures the international, experimental, and collaborative spirit of the Samuel Beckett Working Group of the International Federation for Theatre Research.

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