In memoriam Enikő Börcsök

2021. 02. 11.

The company of Vígszínház is devastated by the news that on the 28^th of January, after a long and serious illness Enikő Börcsök, actress, bearer of Jászai Mari Award, Virtuous- and Outstanding Artist of the Republic of Hungary, has passed away.

Her death is an enormous loss not only for Vígszínház, but also for the whole Hungarian theatre and cultural community.

On the 11^th of February, on the day of the funeral, Vígszínház and eSzínház remembers Enikő Börcsök with an online streaming of the performance Quartet written by György Spiró. The whole income of this stream is offered to the Transplant Foundation for Renewed Lives, where Enikő Börcsök was a volunteer and curator. At the same time, Vígszínház held a closed memorial service for the unforgettable and irreplaceable actress.

The shining talent of Enikő Börcsök could be seen in numerous theatre and movie roles by the audience. Since 1994 she was a loyal member and lead actress of Vígszínház Budapest. In her legendary portrayals she showed her dramatic strengths, unique humor and her unquenchable love for playing and life. She was a true communal and team spirit, her exceptional personality, warm-hearted approach, helpfulness, open-mindedness, monumental energy and work ethic leaves an irreplaceable void in our lives.

With the passing of Enikő Börcsök, Vígszínház has lost one of its own.

Biography

Enikő Börcsök was born on the 28^th of January 1968. She was a student of the University of Theatre and Film Budapest from 1987 to 1991 in the class of László Marton. After her graduation until 1994 she played at the Csiky Gergely Theatre Kaposvár, since the autumn of 1994 she is a member of Vígszínház. Enikő Börcsök played in around hundred theatre performances and two dozen movies and TV-films. In the last years she proved her talent as a stage director and was a teacher and a head of class at the University of Theatre and Film Budapest. Since the year 2000 she is a board member of MASZK-National Actors Organization.

Enikő Börcsök is one of the most essential actor personalities of Hungarian theatre and acting.

Her extraordinary talent had been also shown in her successes at Vígszínház: as the Mouse in Cats’ Play by István Örkény, Marcsa in Mikey, the Magnete, her performance in Dobardan, Faust and The Sisiters-in-Law. The leading role in Iglic, Mrs. Tót in Tóték, the French princess of Love’s Labours Lost. Her memorable portrayals in The Maids as Claire, in The Good Person of Szechwan as Sen Te/Sui Ta, as Gonerill in King Lear, Varvara in Sommerfolk, Acda in The Caucasian Chalk Circle, Manuela in All About My Mother, the Angry Lady in One Kiss and Nothing Else and Barbara in August: Osage County. She sparkled as The Nurse in Romeo and Juliet and as Kate in The Taming of the Shrew in the comic scenes of Shakespeare. In the last years she portrayed the leading roles with her exceptional talent and humor in Hungarian and foreign contemporary dramas, such as: Carnage, Mikveh, The Suitcase Packers, The Sisters-in-Law, Winterreise, Sweet Rest and Care, Quartet, Encounter and Funland.

Her portrayals are known for intimate honesty, playful virtuosity and excellent sense of rhythm. We can find the dry sense of humor, the deep life experience and the eternal love for theatre and life of the actress in all of her roles. On the surface a strong, tough woman is shown, who carries excruciating secrets inside and only small gestures are guiding us, how fragile, uncertain and vulnerable a woman really can be.

Awards and Prizes

Jászai Mari Award (1998)
Virtuous Artist of the Republic of Hungary (2005)
Outstanding Artist of the Republic of Hungary (2018)
Ajtay Andor Prize  – Most Outstanding Performance of the Season (1997, 2000, 2002, 2009, 2015, 2016)
Varsányi Irén mourning ring (1998, 2000, 2005)
Ruttkai Éva mourning ring (1998, 2000, 2005)
Harsányi Zsolt Prize (2004)
Roboz Imre Art Memorial Prize (2007)
32^nd Hungarian Film Showcase, best female performance for ‘Passzport’ (2001)
V. POSZT: Best performance by an actress in a leading role in the play Scribe Adrienne (2005)
Happy Art Festival, Colombina Prize, best female performance (for the performance PRAH, Radnóti Theatre, Budapest, 2007)
IX. POSZT: Best performance by an actress in a supporting role in the play August: Osage County by Tracy Letts
Theatre Critics Award 2008/2009: Best female performance in a supporting role, August: Osage County by Tracy Letts (2009)
Budapest Award (2013)
Dubbing Voice of the Year (2014)
Eternal Member Company of Immortals (2015)
Prima Prize (2015)
Hungarian Film Critic Award: best female performance in a supporting role (Szerdai Gyerek, 2015)