written by Samuel Beckett
directed by Vicky Featherstone
starring Stephen ReaLandmark Productions
★★★★★ The Irish Times ★★★★ The Guardian ★★★★ Financial Times ★★★★ Irish Examiner ★★★★ Daily Mail ★★★★ Irish Mail on Sunday ★★★★ The Arts Review
Stephen Rea’s ‘triumph‘ (★★★★★ The Irish Times) of a performance has captivated audiences and wowed critics.
Following two sold-out runs in Ireland, Landmark made its Australian debut as part of the Adelaide Festival with Stephen Rea in Krapp’s Last Tape from 27 February – 8 March. The production will next tour to the Barbican in London from 30 April – 3 May and will also return to Dublin’s Pavilion Theatre for a limited run from 22 – 25 July – the only Irish performances this year.
★★★★ ‘Stephen Rea is hauntingly good in Beckett’s masterpiece’ – The Guardian
‘You’ll never spend a more rewarding 55 minutes in the theatre’ – Sunday Independent
In Beckett’s one-act play we meet Krapp, a man in his late sixties. Every year, on his birthday, Krapp records a new tape – a review of the year just gone. But on this occasion – his 69th birthday – he listens back to a tape he recorded years before.
Twelve years ago, Stephen Rea recorded the earlier tapes. He said:
I had no certainty that one day I might play Krapp, but I thought it a good idea to pre-record the early tapes so that the voice quality would differ significantly from that of the older character, should the opportunity ever arise to use it.
These are the tapes that are used in the current production.
Krapp’s Last Tape was the first production in Landmark’s 20th anniversary year. It played a sell-out run at Project Arts Centre in Jan/Feb 2024.
Cast
Krapp Stephen ReaCreative
Director Vicky FeatherstoneSet Designer Jamie VartanCostume Designer Katie DavenportLighting Designer Paul KeoganSound Designer Kevin GleesonAudio Director Stephen WrightPRODUCTION IMAGERY
