The Zoo Story, July 21-23, The Dungeon. Presented by Maisie Owens and Tom Rodgers
In The Zoo Story, two men meet in a park, and only one comes out of it alive.
This play is not often performed, with even creator Edward Albee expressing dissatisfaction, and writing a prequel act almost 50 years on.
Now, two Newcastle-raised performers who have since trained at NIDA and have made their names in professional stage and screen work, have returned home to stage it. Peter (Maisie Owens) is a successful man trying to enjoy a book on a sunny afternoon; Jerry (Tom Rodgers), on the other hand, has had a rough upbringing and lives a completely different, lonely life.
Peter, traditionally portrayed as a middle-aged man, is a particularly interesting aspect to the production, here played by a woman. While the casting alone lampoons the follies of masculinity well, the sight of a woman having to entertain an unhinged stranger in public despite being uncomfortable is a very modern concept and translates well.
The onus of the performance falls on Rodgers as the gritty Jerry, who lives in a terrible apartment, has no support network, and walks the city without the luxury of a car - a privilege that Peter doesn't realise not everyone has.
The 70-minute runtime is mostly Jerry's soliloquy about the umbrage his landlady's dog takes with him, delivered on an all-white traverse platform adorned with equally white grass trim. Rodgers carries it well, although the youth of the performers does sometimes read as a NIDA presentation at the end of the semester, but the absurdism of the piece alleviates this somewhat.
The production is supported well by Matt Hudson on sound design, which included some David Attenborough musings (comparing man to animal, naturally), and on lighting design, co-conceived with Rodgers.
