Krapp’s Last Tape
Friday 10th — Saturday 11th May
10th – 11th May
Unity One
7:30pm & 3:00pm
Former beloved Artistic Director, Graeme Phillips returns to Unity as director of Krapp’s Last Tape
Krapp sits alone on his 69th birthday listening to a recording he made 30 years earlier. His younger self speaks to reveal an idealistic fool – but will time reveal the kind of fool he has become?
Almost 70 years since it was written, this one-act play is perhaps even more relevant in 2024, as we can all identify with its themes of isolation, reflection and loneliness – something we all experienced during the pandemic.
Arguably the greatest writer of the twentieth century, Samuel Beckett’s work includes Waiting for Godot, Endgame and Happy Days. Beckett’s tragically comic short drama is a must-see classic.
“Ten years on from directing Beckett’s masterpiece, I now want to bring my experience of living with Parkinson’s Disease to the text, drawing on my personal circumstances of living with short-term memory loss”. – Graeme Phillips
For 33 years, Graeme Phillips, MBE was Artistic Director of the Unity until his retirement in 2015. His vision grew the theatre’s reputation for bringing to the city the best small scale touring work nationally and internationally, as well as being the home for future generations of theatre makers.
Nick Birkinshaw, one of Liverpool’s most revered actors, revives his critically acclaimed performance.
“Nick Birkinshaw plays Krapp and his desperate mood swings to perfection” Liverpool Echo
“A piece of beautiful theatre… Outstanding… A stunning performance!” Sound & Vision
Krapp’s Last Tape is produced by Peter Ward, founder ofthat theatre group – a new company which creates theatre with and for people living in care homes, particularly those living with dementia. Graeme gratefully acknowledges generous financial support from Arts Council England and is delighted to be supported in kind by that theatre group and Unity Theatre as partner venue.Following the play, there will be a Q&A with producers of Krapp’s Last Tape – that theatre group, which creates theatre with and for people living in care homes. A health sector specialist will join Graeme, Nick and Peter on the panel, chaired by Elinor Randle, Unity’s Artistic Director. The Q&A will focus on the journey of reviving the play and advocate for what people can do, rather than what they can’t do when living with a neurological disease and in care.
