Review: KRAPP’S LAST TAPE at 21ten Theatre

KRAPP’S LAST TAPE, Samuel Beckett's meditation on time, memory, and regret, now running at 21ten Theatre starring Bruce Burkhartsmeier, is a masterful production that cuts straight to the bone. In the one-act monologue, which is supposedly one of Beckett’s most autobiographical works, Krapp marks his 69th birthday by listening to a tape he recorded about his life 30 years prior. Through Burkhartsmeier's unflinching performance, this simple act becomes a profound and painful exploration of the human condition.

The younger Krapp was optimistic, feeling like he was “on the crest of a wave.” The older one is lonely, isolated, and a disappointment to himself. He’s like Scrooge, but haunted by himself and without even the false promise of wealth to comfort him. He moves through his small world, eating bananas and drinking too much, his only company being his own taped voice reminding him of paths not taken.  

Especially in the tiny theatre space (extra seats have been added to fit roughly 40 audience members), watching Burkhartsmeier inhabit Krapp as he confronts the ghost of his past self feels almost invasive, as if you’ve stumbled into a place you’re not supposed to be and onto a private moment you’re not meant to witness.

As we begin a new year, this show serves not just as a shattering portrait of despair but also a call to action. Krapp’s annual ritual of recording and listening to tapes of his life is a powerful reminder that while we can’t escape time’s passage, we can choose how we face it.

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