Krapp,39

Off through the snow to the Tristan Bates in Seven Dials to see the launch of the Foxtrot Foundation, run by Drama St Mary's lecturer Chris White with the aim of progressing the way Samuel Beckett is taught in HE and FE institutions.

Chris and his co-director Julio Martino had brought over Michael Laurence's award winning off Broadway show Krapp, 39 to mark the event and celebrate. Despite the difficult travel conditions a good crowd turned up.

I'm unsure of Beckett, which of course is partly the point. His verbal games leave me in a bit of a void and although the incomprehensibility of the universe carries an awesome prospect I often struggle to find the theatricality. I suppose I'm not sure philosophy and theatre mix terribly well. I think play is essentially non intellectual and theatre is at its best when it's a bit stupid. I get the impression Beckett felt the same way about life. I hope Chris' work might help me see something else.

Tonight's work details Michael's experiment as a 39 year old Beckettian actor, in deciding to create his own derivative of Beckett's famous monologue by recording a tape in preparation for a second production on his 69th birthday in 2038. On one level the self reflection and introvertism makes for a slightly indulgent evening on another level the playful examination of reality, fiction, time and memory allows the audience to take a warping journey that questions the value of summation and posterity.

.