Exploring existentialism, ego and unrequited love, Beyond Krapp is a dark comedy that follows Cormac, a dead man, as he overhears his own funeral from the void of purgatory. The writer and performer, Peter McCormick, was also recently named on the longlist for the David McLennan Award with A Play, A Pie, and A Pint, for which he is writing a new play about love and manipulation.
We spoke with him about the inspiration behind Beyond Krapp ahead of its world premiere at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
- What inspired you to create this show?
Fear. I read Krapp’s Last Tape by Samuel Beckett a few years back, and I have been haunted by it ever since. As well as all the friendships and joy that I have experienced in my twenties, I have also destroyed relationships and hurt people, and often been filled with doubt, pain and fear about my future and how my life will pan out. None of that is remotely remarkable – such experiences are universal and inevitable throughout life, but it was Krapp’s Last Tape that first forced me to confront these feelings. I started writing Beyond Krapp as a way of channelling the fear creatively, crafting something that acknowledged what so many people, especially young adults, feel as they attempt to forge their own sense of self in life. That it might all go wrong, that we will never find love, or worse, be too proud to accept love, is a fear worth expressing. But this play is also a celebration on love; a reminder of the need to recognise and appreciate all the goodness that is granted to us, and value of the love that comes our way.
- Can you tell us a bit about the character Cormac?
Cormac is the man who controls the room. His energy is infectious, his passion is inspiring, and he is immensely charming – you worry your mother and grandmother will love him even more than you do. He is self-deprecating and just the right amount camp, and he is unmistakably, unapologetically, uncompromisingly Irish. He speaks with lyrical narration that sweeps you into his stories and makes you weep with laughter and sorrow in equal measure. But he knows his power. His charm masks the shameless arrogance and manipulative tendency that led him to abandon his partner in pursuit of more ‘impressive’ women. Now stuck in Purgatory, he wrestles with his failures and fears, and the play invites us to discover if he can make peace with his flaws or be eternally damned by his hubris.
- How do you look after yourself when in a show with quite dark themes?
My writing mentor is the extraordinary Meghan Tyler – an exceptional playwright and even more exceptional person. They have guided my writing and taught me how to process and separate it from my own person. I also happen to see a therapist every so often, as well as having the most wonderful friends, so they are all fantastic at helping me to process my feelings as I go through this experience and help me to recognise if anything is ever at risk of breaking the boundary between me and my character.
- What is the message you want audiences to take away?
That love is a precious and most worthy pursuit. I want the audience to leave with their cheeks tingling and sensitive, their hearts full, and their eyes watery. I want them to consider themselves as fleeting, vulnerable creatures, and enjoy their day with their friends and family all the more because of it.
- What is one song you would use to describe your show
What’s Up by 4 Non Blondes. Like the song, Beyond Krapp is a gymnastic, emotional ballad of self-questioning and frustration, brought to you with raw passion and power.
Beyond Krapp is at the Pleasance Courtyard, Cellar, 31 July – 26 Aug (not 13 & 19), 13.45 (14.45). For tickets go to https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/beyond-krapp