The inaugural Samuel Beckett Biennale will open this March with an AI-enabled production of the playwright's celebrated work Krapp's Last Tape at the Whale Theatre in Greystones, Co. Dublin.
Produced by Arts Over Borders, this new staging of Krapp's Last Tape will feature actor Malcolm Sinclair performing opposite an AI-generated version of his younger voice.
Beckett’s 1958 play is structured as a duologue for a single actor, with 69-year-old Krapp listening to recordings he made at age 39.
Created with special permission from the Beckett Estate, de-aging and pitch-shifting technology will recreate the younger Krapp’s voice using artificial intelligence, marking the first time the scripted 30-year tonal contrast will be realized through AI in performance.
Each one-hour performance will be followed by a discussion with Sinclair.
The performances coincide with the Spring Equinox, the date on which the younger Krapp recorded his tapes in the play.
Greystones was chosen as the venue for the performances due to its association with Beckett’s family; his mother lived there and both parents are buried in the town.
The Biennale have also announced a long-term programming plan extending to 2038. Actor Richard Dormer is scheduled to perform Krapp’s Last Tape on 11 November 2038, the actor's 69th birthday, incorporating recordings he made at age 39 in 2008. Those recordings, along with similar archives by Samuel West, will be used in future live performances of the play.
The Samuel Beckett Biennale will present site-specific productions across Ireland and Great Britain from April to December 2026, revisiting key works in locations connected to Beckett’s life and work.
Krapp's Last Tape will be performed at The Whale Theatre, Greystones on March 20th and 21st 2026 - find out more here
