The interior dialogue of the psyche and particularly that of playwright Samuel Beckett is explored in this play by Isosceles Productions, which is dramatically presented through a series of monologues. There are four central characters in the play who, in staging reflective of Beckett's own minimalism, reveal their professional concerns about the imminent curtain up on their own less than satisfactory production of Krapp's Last Tape and the personal motivations at the heart of their characters.

Such stripping away of conventional dialogue gives the actors the opportunity to lay bare their character's own psychological highs and lows and underpins each character's feeling of dislocation and isolation. However, rather than being truly revelatory, this approach actually exposes many of the profound questions they face, many of which centre on the perceived failings of their production of Beckett's play. The lack of direct interaction between the characters adds tension, menace and even humour to the production, as they struggle to resolve their personal and professional dilemmas and the audience struggles to resolve the many strands of the characterization and plot exposed in each monologue. Internal and external dichotomies are explored against the imminence of opening night and this looming deadline is underscored by the simple and effective use of a clock ticking remorselessly between scenes, and this theme of simplicity is echoed in the pared-down staging reflecting Beckett's own minimalist productions.

The audience is caught up in deeply personal revelations made by the characters – the anger of the director at the failure of the play, the pregnancy by a married member of the stage crew, the widowhood of the designer and Beckett's own frustrations. Dave Marsden gives a convincing portrayal of Beckett – his ego, his creativity and perception of his own mortality – and with all the characters the audience is drawn into the emotion of their situation, their ego, isolation, febrile fears and a whole gamut of human passion. All the characters, both the actors onstage and the characters referred to offstage, appear to be teetering on the edge of collapse and madness.

The unease and tension which underlines the play is resolved to some extent in the revelation of the flyman's suicide. However, rather than proving a neatly cathartic and dramatic ending to the drama, the revelation is understated, one character learning of the death in a letter from another. This ending provokes more questions: the definition of failure, what makes a play work, what makes a human being tick, what drives someone to suicide, what drives creativity and artistic direction. Consequently the play does not provide a neat exposé of Beckett, as the insights and revelations in the play only lead the audience to further intrigue. Overall this was great thought-provoking theatre which you feel will inform your next viewing of a Beckett play.