A play titled ‘The Zoo Story’ - based on a play of the same title written by American playwright Edward Albee - is being staged at the Entezami Theater of the Iranian Artist Forum in Tehran from February 4 to March 6.
The play has a linear narrative structure in which the story starts “at the beginning, goes through the middle, and ends at the end rather than the conventional method of presenting the characters’ different points of view,” said its director Moslem Khorasani. The linear action “helped thoroughly in the unity of time and place.”
The story is about an isolated young man who seeks relief in communication with others, but finally death relieves him, “symbolizing a capitalist society in which God is forgotten.” The play was first performed in one of Berlin’s theaters in 1985, and also was staged in many countries, including several times in Iran, Honaronline reported.
‘The Zoo Story’, originally titled ‘Peter and Jerry’, is a one-act play written in 1958 by Albee and completed in just three weeks. The play explores themes of isolation, loneliness, miscommunication as anathematization, social disparity and dehumanization which are comprehensible for all nations regardless of being written by an American playwright.
It is the story of Peter and Jerry, who meet on a park bench. Jerry is an isolated and disheartened man, desperate to have a meaningful conversation with another human being. He intrudes on Peter’s peaceful state by interrogating him and forcing him to listen to stories about his life, and the reason behind his visit to the zoo. Eventually, Peter has had enough of his strange companion and tries to leave, but Jerry challenges him to fight for his territory.
Language of art is a medium which is comprehensible everywhere. That’s why ‘The Zoo Story’ has a global appeal. Albee has been awarded more than 14 prizes including ‘Drama Desk Award and Vernon Rice Award’ in 1960 for this first published play of his, and nominated for more than 11 prizes as well.
