'Zoo Story' packs a menagerie of meaning

Author: Melissa Marshall


Audio produced by Radio Arts Middlebury.

In one of the most harrowing performances since Julia Proctor's '06.5 portrayal of Morse in "One Flea Spare," Lilli Stein '11 thrust herself onto the blade of a knife in the final scenes of "The Zoo Story," to the shock and horror of the Hepburn Zoo audience. An ambitious undertaking by first time director Dawn Loveland '09, Edward Albee's dark drama in one act was aptly executed this past weekend with powerful performances by Stein and Elianna Kan '10.5, producing the desired, disturbing reverberations.

Originally written for two men, the 1958 play focuses on the interactions of Peter, an upper-middle class publisher, and the younger, seemingly mentally unbalanced Jerry who strikes up conversation with him during a sunny afternoon in Central Park. Through a series of exchanges of escalating intensity, the tension mounts to a climax, finally breaking when Jerry runs into Peter's exposed knife held ready in self-defense. After viciously accusing Peter of being "a vegetable," and failing to create a fulfilling relationship with the landlord's dog, Jerry appeals to the divine - the final line "myÖGod," leaving a particularly powerful imprint. In a bold move, however, Loveland provided a modern interpretation by casting women as Peter and Jerry, a decision she said allowed her to "explore what other places I could take the play."

"By casting females I could explore the more intricate parts of the play as well as alluding to a possible mother/daughter relationship," said Loveland. "Also, there is such amazing female talent on campus."

Despite more updated modes of thinking since the play was published, it was difficult not to wonder if the agonizing aspects of the work would have been better conveyed by the intended masculine counterparts. While Stein brought unparallel passion to the character of Jeri, it was easier to interpret her ardent emotionality as female histrionics and Kan's trauma at Jeri's dying frame sprawled on the park bench as typical, feminine queasiness towards violence - sentiments that would not be in the back of the audience's mind if the parts were inhabited by men. Still, Stein moved the audience to intrigue, pity, revulsion and self-reflection in turns while Kan's depiction of the middle-aged WASP Lora elicited laughs, even if her performance was occasionally contrived.

"I wanted the focus of everything to be on the actors and the acting," Loveland said in an interview.

The set and costumes certainly reflected the director's wishes. Both actors were dressed in modern, casual apparel designed by Emily Ovitt '08 and the set from the mind of Claire Groby '08 consisted of an emerald-painted park bench, a green circle representing the grass the only color separating it from the concrete floor.

The Hepburn Zoo proved an ideal space for a production that invaded our sense of privacy and questioned our comfort level. And, just as Jeri usurped Lora's regular park bench, forcing her to examine her bourgeoisie complacency, her character also wrested its way into the audience's psyche - her languished screams and wild undulations still echoed long after the lights were raised.

"I was fascinated by the whole journey - the very realistic beginning that escalates into something huge and fantastic," Loveland said. "I was drawn to the believability combined with the horrific ending."

While we may never know the symbolic significance of the park bench, the true extent and depth of human interaction or what happened to Jeri at the zoo, maybe a person does have to "go a very long distance out of his way to come back a short distance correctly." And even though the anecdotal structure of "The Zoo Story" bordered on absurdity from time to time, able directing and strong acting delivered a sharp, sometimes painful, look at our efforts "to make contact with our own species."

Radio Arts Middlebury producer Colin Foss '10 talks to director Dawn Loveland about the hauntingly exciting story behind her production. To hear a complete interview, go to http://www.middleburycampus.com.