Saturday, May 08, 2010

Krapp's Last Tape

Last night, I went to see Krapp's Last Tape in the Gate Theatre, Dublin, with Michael Gambon in the title role. Woah.

From the opening, when Krapp's hand comes slowly up from underneath the desk to rub his head and scratch his hair (and I was sitting there thinking about how to convey the 'handness of hands' as he did so well), to the closing scene with Krapp sitting there, aghast, resigned, displaying all the gamut of emotion and none, simultaneously - I was truly spellbound in the second row. The one hour one-hander felt like fifteen minutes in the presence of someone very, very good at what they do.

Fintan O'Toole of the Irish Times must have been at it last night too - his review is far more eloquent than I ever could be, describing Gambon as 'an alchemist of the soul'. I know one thing he doesn't though: last night was really, really special - I saw tears in Michael Gambon's eyes as he took three curtain calls. That's what you get for sitting in the second row..

8 comments:

Dominic Rivron said...

I know of and about must admit to not knowing Krapp's Last Tape. I did see Godot a while ago: a fantastic amateur production. It had the sort of effect on me you describe here.

Liam Guilar said...

You lucky person you.
Closest I've ever been to a performance is a recording of Jim Norton doing It...though that's no bad thing in some ways.
Spooooooool indeed.

Kay Cooke said...

WOW! Michael Gambon! In the flesh! He is brilliant. You are so lucky! Thanks for this review Barbara. And no way - you are as eloquent as anyone else !

Anonymous said...

It's one of my favourite plays. I saw Pinter do it on TV and it was incredibly moving.

Unknown said...

I consider myself very, very lucky indeed Liam & Kay. Blessed even :)

Dominic, I saw Godot in 06, in the Gate too: Godot that was when I was finishing my lit degree and was studying Godot during that year - so that was in the name of 'research,' Lucky then too.

Colin, I can well understand why; it just says it all about humanity - right there in 50 mins.

Frances said...

I don't know this work but would like to see it after reading this. I saw Godot with McKellen and Stewart not knowing what to expect but I loved it.

Jennifer Matthews said...

I'm jealous! I was dying to see that performance myself. :)

Totalfeckineejit said...

Fugh! That makes me want to go! And I can't sand Becks.