Krapp’s Last Tapeand Embers - Krapp's Last Tape - Dramatic monologue and radio play

Sep 29, 2026

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Samuel Beckett’s Krapp’s Last Tape and Embers presents two short dramatic works focused on compression, repetition, and an unsettling personal vision. Krapp’s Last Tape centers on an elderly man in a stark future setting who records, searches, and revisits stored experiences through tape reels and ritual gestures, creating a rhythm of sighs, pauses, and self-interruption. Embers develops a similarly spare, late-life atmosphere through staged radio performance elements.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages40

Reading Time1 h 2 min

AccessFree to download

Krapp's Last Tape

Stage setting and character

Krapp’s actions with tapes and bananas

Ledger entry and tape spool selection

Krapp's Last Tape and Embers

Publication and production notes

First performances and broadcast debut

# Krapp's Last Tapeand Embers by SAMUEL BECKETT These two short dramatic works—one a monologue,the other a playfor radio specially written for theBBC—are further examples of theunique and terrifying quality of Mr.Beckett's personal vision.As in hisother short pieces—All that Fall andFrom an Abandoned Work—theirbrevity and compression seem toheighten and intensify the impactthey make.Mr.Beckett is an original;and his originality is stamped onevery line—and every stage direction—that he writes. 4s 6d MIDLOTHIANCOUNTY LIBRARIES | This Book is due to be returned to
the Library on:— | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | | | 了1AR
D | | | | 40181
WH | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Form 98. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | * WAITING FOR GODOTALL THAT FALLEND GAMEFROM AN ABANDONED WORK # KRAPP’S LAST TAPEandEMBERS 06969SAMUEL BECKETT822 FABER AND FABER24 Russell SquareLondon All applications for performing rights in Krapp's Last Tapeand Embers should be addressed toCurtis Brown Ltd.,13 King Street,London,W.C.2. Samuel BeckettKrapp's Last Tape 1958Embers 1959 The first performance in Great Britain of Krapp's Last Tape wasgiven at the Royal Court Theatre,Sloane Square,London,on28th October 1958.It was directed by Donald McWhinnie;andKrapp was played by Patrick Magee. Embers,a new play specially written for broadcasting,was firstperformed in the Third Programme on 24th June 1959.The castwas as follows: HenryJack MacGowranAdaKathleen MichaelAddieKathleen HelmePatrick MageePianist:Cicely HoyeProduced by Donald McWhinnie Digitized by the Internet Archivein 2022 with funding fromKahle/Austin Foundation https://archive.org/details/krappslasttapeem0000unse # KRAPP'S LAST TAPE * A late evening in the future.KRAPP's den. Front centre a small table,the two drawers of which open towardsthe audience. Sitting at the table,facing front,i.e.across from the drawers,awearish old man:KRAPP. Rusty black narrow trousers too shortfor him.Rusty black sleeve-less waistcoat,four capacious pockets.Heavy silver watch and chain.Grimy white shirt open at neck,no collar.Surprising pair of dirtywhite boots,size ten at least,very narrow and pointed. White face.Purple nose.Disordered grey hair.Unshaven. Very near-sighted(but unspectacled).Hard of hearing. Cracked voice.Distinctive intonation. Laborious walk. On the table a tape-recorder with microphone and a number ofcardboard boxes containing reels of recorded tapes Table and immediately adjacent area in strong white light.Restof stage in darkness. KRAPP remains amoment motionless,heaves agreat sigh,looks athis watch,fumbles in his pockets,takes out an envelope,puts it back,fumbles,takes out a small bunch of keys,raises it to his eyes,chooses a key,gets up and moves to front of table.He stoops,un-locks first drawer,peers into it,feels about inside it,takes out a reelof tape,peers at it,puts it back,locks drawer,unlocks second drawer,peers into it,feels about inside it,takes out a large banana,peers atit,locks drawer,puts keys back in his pocket.He turns,advances toedge of stage,halts,strokes banana,peels it,drops skin at his feet,puts end of banana in his mouth and remains motionless,staringvacuously before him.Finally he bites off the end,turns aside and9 # KRAPP’S LAST TAPE begins pacing to and fro at edge of stage,in the light,i.e.not morethan four or five paces either way,meditatively eating banana.Hetreads on skin,slips,nearly falls,recovers himself,stoops and peersat skin and finally pushes it,still stooping,with his foot over edge ofstage into pit.He resumes his pacing,finishes banana,returns totable,sits down,remains a moment motionless,heaves a great sigh,takes keys from his pockets,raises them to his eyes,chooses key,gets up and moves to front oftable,unlocks second drawer,takes outa second large banana,peers at it,locks drawer,puts back keys inhis

FAQs

What are Krapp’s Last Tape and Embers described as in the work’s opening material?

They are presented as two short dramatic works: one a monologue and the other a radio play specially written for the BBC.

Where does Krapp’s Last Tape take place, according to the stage direction?

It takes place in Krapp’s den, with a small table under strong white light and the rest of the stage in darkness.

How does Krapp use objects and recorded materials in Krapp’s Last Tape?

Krapp handles tape boxes and a tape-recorder, selects a key and retrieves tape reels, and consults an old ledger to locate an entry before loading a spool onto the machine.

Sep 29, 2026

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