Background Info of Endgame

• Written by Samuel Beckett- wrote the play after the World War II after fighting with the resistance. Endgame became his favorite play.

• Originally a French version in 1957 (translated in English in 1958 with several differences comparing to the original one)

• Title: end of game/ominous/end of life

• Theme: the meaning of life? Tension? Loneliness of the characters?

• Setting: post-apocalyptic

• Plot: 4 main characters (Hamm, Clov, Nagg and Nell)

• Hamm: blind/wheelchair/not able to stand/keep staying in the center of the play

• Clov: servant/son/always moving/can't sit down/completely different from Hamm

• Hamm's parents (Negg and Nell): absurd/don't move/live in trash can

• Theater style: 1. exaggerated language (less authentic) 2. black box 3. Using combination of comedy and tragedy to dig deeply in exploring the meaning of life. "Nothing is funnier than unhappiness".

• Cast: Reg E. Cathey, Lynn Cohen, Brian Dennehy, and Joe Grifasi.