It is a tragedy, set among low-lifes on the outskirts of Budapest. Dramatic Exchange describes it as "Widely considered to be the most important Hungarian play of the last 20 years". The odd title of the play refers in the first instance to the chicken heads that an old woman feeds to her cat. However, it can also be taken to refer more broadly to the obtuse behaviour of the main characters in the play. The play is an odd mixture of pathos and nihilism, written against the bleak background of Stalinist totalitarianism from which Hungary was emerging. As with much modern drama, there is no hero in the play. The only noble behaviour that one can find belongs to one of the characters in the past, when he was a child, but he is no longer as he was. The hint that what once existed might be achieved again is the only faint ray of hope in a very bleak view of the human condition.
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Cast
12 people
Hilda Gobbi
Vénasszony
Also in
The Treasure of Swamp Castle
Professor Hannibal
Zoltán Papp
Tanár
Also in
Cadfael
Éjszaka
Erika Bodnár
Nő
Known for
Autumn Almanac
White God
Vajda László
Apa
Also in
Pom Pom meséi
A falu jegyzője
Zoltán Varga
Srác
Also in
Meteo
A varázsló álma
Vilmos Vajdai
Haver
Also in
Meteo
Dumapárbaj
Dénes Ujlaki
Törzs
Also in
The Photographer of Mauthausen
The Hungarian Dressmaker
Károly Eperjes
Közeg
Known for
Colonel Redl
Mária Ronyecz
Előadónő
Also in
Diary for My Loves
Those Who Wear Glasses
Ágnes Zsíros
Csitri
Also in
Ördög vigye
Tükörgömb
Mari Csomós
Anya
Known for
Red Psalm
Krisztina Szalai
Bakfis
Also in
A revizor
Gábor Zsámbéki Director · György Spiró Writer Csörsz, Khell Production designer
First release October 17, 1986 · Produced in Hungary · Original title Csirkefej
Production
Hungary
Produced in
Languages
Original title
Csirkefej
Original language
Hungarian
Release dates
Hungary · October 17, 1986
Theatrical · színházi felvétel
No release date listed for United States.
More from Gábor Zsámbéki
Other films they directed, best known first.
