BWW Reviews: KRAPP'S LAST TAPE, Studio Theatre, Sheffield, July 1, 2014

Sheffield Theatres, current UK Regional Theatre of the Year (The Stage Awards), pushes its own desire to lead with the best home grown talent as it presents British icon Richard Wilson in Krapp's Last Tape, a play that explores the past through a series of memories and tape recordings.

Written by Samuel Beckett, with direction from Polly Findlay, Krapp's Last Tape follows 69-year-old Krapp, drinking on his birthday, as he re-visits the demons of his past and discovers what was before and what is left now. The piece is played out through one 45-minute act, one continuing scene and a series of intense, on occasion humorous reflections into Krapp's former 39-year-old self.

Wilson, a veteran of the stage and current Associate Director of Sheffield Theatres, has directed several plays at The Studio Theatre in recent years; however, this is his first back as a performer.

Moving aimlessly around, clattering around his shed in search of old recordings, and even on occasion a banana, you become transfixed with Wilson and every small movement and gesture he delivers. With such a large proportion of the narrative set through Wilson's recordings, watching a person listen back to their previous self and reflect on their journey to the present could have fallen completely flat, but Wilson delivers a great performance regardless.

Alex Lowde's set design confines Krapp to a revolving rectangular shed, encapsulating all the ghosts of his past together whilst slowly rotating allowing the audience, situated in the round, to connect with the ever-changing parts of the piece and on differing occasions. Lowde's set design is accompanied beautifully by an understated, timid lighting design from Hansjorg Schmidt.

The use of stripped speaker cones surrounding Krapp and the shed, Dan Jones' sound design moves seamlessly between the heavy sighs and breathing of Krapp today and his former self in recording. With this, and his connection so deep to the tape player, it almost becomes a three-person piece.

The human ability to connect so instantly with words makes the role of dialogue-heavy theatre ever easier. However, when this is removed, words are replaced with actions and even the slightest touch can speak more than a thousand words. Although steeped in history and honesty, the lack of connection through its enclosed set design and heavy substance presents very little as an audience member to enjoy or connect with; and on occasion becomes slightly dull.

Breathing experience throughout, Wilson's continuing commitment to the piece is clear as the audience move further towards achieving their desire to connect with the piece; unfortunately this doesn't happen or comes almost too late for many that seemed switched off as they left the studio.

Krapp's Last Tape continues at The Studio, Crucible Theatre Sheffield, until the 19th.
Tickets available via: www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

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