Krapp’s Last Power Point is an almost-one-man performance about technology gone out of control. George Krapp is a scientist giving a presentation on a new drug with miraculous benefits. His presentation is not exactly a slam dunk, however. The drug has controversial side effects, and the government has refused to grant approval for human trials. Krapp himself is reeling from the news that his wife has just left him for his younger colleague. To top it off, his Power Point presentation begins to develop a mind of its own. This volatile combination reaches an unexpected, chilling conclusion.
Like its namesake Krapp’s Last Tape by Samuel Beckett, the play is a darkly comic meditation on mortality. It addresses contemporary ethical dilemmas raised by biotechnology. It’s fast-paced, cerebral, and relentlessly topical – like a genetically modified Tom Stoppard.
And it features a truly top-notch Power Point presentation.
Performed at the Capital Fringe Festival, July2009
Five stars out of five from DC Theatre Scene.
Now available in 10 YouTube segments: