Krapp's Last Tape by Samuel Beckett, Gate Theatre
Date
2010Author
Lonergan, Patrick
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Recommended Citation
Lonergan, Patrick. (2010). Krapp's Last Tape by Samuel Beckett, Gate Theatre. Irish Theatre Magazine Online.
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Abstract
It took Samuel Beckett about three weeks to write Krapp’s Last Tape. During that time, the play went through seven
distinct stages which, according to the scholarship, involved a gradual stripping away of sentimentality: the text retained
some realistic qualities, but it also became more surreal and more comical. Perhaps as a result of that textual history,
actors playing the role of Krapp often try to avoid evoking too strong an emotional reaction from audiences: we might
sympathise with Krapp, but will usually find it difficult to relate to him – and we’ll rarely feel inclined to shed tears for
him.