Krapp

Krapp is a surname of German origin. In cultural contexts, the name is most widely recognized as the name of the titular character in Samuel Beckett's one-act play Krapp's Last Tape.

Krapp's Last Tape centers on an elderly actor named Krapp who performs alone on a bare stage. He interacts with a reel-to-reel tape recorder, listening to recordings made by his younger self and reacting with memory, irony, and disappointment. The device of the tape allows Beckett to juxtapose past and present, revealing themes of aging, time, memory, and the elusiveness of identity. The play is typically presented as a concise, stark performance that emphasizes silence, sound effects, and the actor’s vocal delivery. It is regarded as a landmark work of the Theater of the Absurd and a key piece in Beckett’s late period.

Beyond Beckett’s play, Krapp as a surname appears in German-speaking contexts and may be encountered in historical records and biographical references. The name is not associated with a single dominant figure outside of its use as a surname or as the character in Beckett’s work.