Peter Marinker, an 85-year-old actor best known for voice work in productions such as Labyrinth and Paddington in Peru, is preparing to perform Samuel Beckett's one-man play Krapp's Last Tape two years after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. The production, at London's Cockpit Theatre, is notable because it demonstrates that people living with dementia can still take part in demanding creative work, with director Dave Wybrow stressing the aim is not to hide Marinker's illness but to show collaboration remains possible after such a diagnosis.

Marinker's diagnosis followed an incident in 2023 when he had to be replaced mid-run while playing Gandalf in a stage version of Lord of the Rings, after which scans confirmed Alzheimer's. To support him, the production has built in safeguards including a stage manager on hand throughout, autocue screens around the theatre and an earpiece for prompting forgotten lines, with rehearsals under way since June. Marinker previously played the same role in 1983, and archive recordings from that production will be incorporated into the new staging; experts note that Alzheimer's often spares long-established skills and memories even as it disrupts the formation of new ones, helping explain why well-rehearsed performance can remain accessible.