no end to the end

avertisement inspired by nagg and nell in endgame

chess masters often study endgames in order to guarantee themselves victory once they maneuver their opponent into a certain position. beckett, an avid chess fan, saw the parallel between the chess endgame the final stages of life. he realized that death is the final outcome and that regardless of how a person plays the game, he or she will die.
as the light comes on we see a room, a totally enclosed space, a chamber. looked at carefully, this setting suddenly reveals itself to be the interior of a skull — a human skull

before him - two cans
in the center, Hamm’s chair [his throne]
behind him - two windows



thus the entire stage serves as a signifier for an aging mind

the imagery of chess is presented in the play through

Clov and Hamm who are red

and

Nagg and Nell who are white

if viewed without words, endgame is simply an endgame - a game of chess being 'performed'

a King and Pawn is No Match for a Queen