‘Krapp's Last Tape’

Press, 21 July 1986, Page 8

‘Krapp's Last Tape’

“Krapp’s Last Tape” by Samuel Beckett, directed by Doug Clarke for the Rlccarton Players and “Wild Card,” written and directed by Barry Southam for Elmwood Players, presented at the 1986 Shell Festival of Community Drama. Organised by the New Zealand Theatre Federation, Canterbury District, at the State Trinity Centre, Saturday, July 19. Reviewed by John Farnsworth. For a festival of community drama, these three nights have received surprisingly little publicity. That is a considerable pity, because It has been a chance to sample something of the variety of amateur theatre performed in Canterbury.

This was the final evening, in which the last two of seven one-act plays were prsented. “Krapp’s Last Tape” is a solo piece which mostly revolves round Krapp’s

memories. These emerge as he plays a last tape, made some 30 years earlier, and which reveal the sense of loss and lack of purpose in his life.

As theatre of the absurd, this is a deceptively difficult piece, and one which the production fell foul of. Although Max Sullivan, as Krapp, captured something of the character’s poignancy, the performance generally seemed to flounder with the delicate nuances and rhythms of Beckett’s writing. The result was a sense of uncertainty and indirection which blurred the acute observational quality in the play.

“Wild Card” is another work from the prolific pen of the Christchurch playwright, Barry Southam. It tells the mournful tale of a newcomer to the city who falls in with two somewhat shady characters, and discovers that neither is quite what they seem.

The play’s chief virtue is a relaxed, naturalistic character, to which all the cast (Julie-Ann Jones, Julia Allen and David McKinnon) responded. The result was some sympathetic, well developed performances, with good interaction from all three players. Although there were some rough patches including the rapid transitions and a slightly miscued close, the production was sustained by some deft early characterisation, good dialogue and sound performances. As it transpired, neither of these two plays advanced to the next, stage. The regional winner was Elmwood Players’ production of "Ritual for Dolls” announced by the judge, Mary Logan, who also recommended The Rangi Ruru Girls’ School production of “The Reunion” as a junior entrant. The divisional final will be held at the Mill Theatre at the week-end.