The Zoo Story a by Edward Albee

GCSE Drama Coursework - The script I chose to perform was entitled The

Zoo Story and was written by Edward Albee.

GCSE Drama Coursework

The script I chose to perform was entitled The Zoo Story and was

written by Edward Albee. I made a few alterations to the script to

make it more interesting and easier to perform. I shortened the script

to make it easier to learn in a short space of time, and cut out some

pieces of the text. I also turned Jerry, into a female character, so

that I could associate more with whom I was playing. I found it

difficult to associate with Jerry as a male character because I found

it difficult to imagine what a man would do in a situation like this,

and thought a female character would suit this play better.

The play is set on a park bench, in a park, which is situated in the

heart of a city. It is about two middle-aged people, a man Peter and a

woman Jerry, and how they meet and the conversation they have. Peter

is a married man with 2 children, pets, a nice home and a steady job.

Jerry is, however, a single woman, living alone in a small divided

room with very few possessions. Jerry provides a contrast to Peter

because of her fidgeting, impulsive and eccentric nature, while Peter

is a quiet, content and highly regarded. I am staging the play on a

park bench, in a park in the middle of a city. The bench will be

situated centre stage, with a park running behind it. As the play only

takes place in one spot, there is a lot of space that needed to be

used up to keep the interest of the audience. I chose a few ways in

which to use this space. An example of this would be at the start of

the play where Jerry enters stage right, walks behind the bench around

to where Peter is sitting. Also when Jerry's questions become too

personal, and angers Peter, he gets up and moves slightly forward.

Both Jerry and Peter get up during the play and walk around when

listing to something or asking questions.

I contributed various things to the overall performance. These are

stage directions, Jerry's actions, Peter's actions, the establishment

of the relationship between the two characters, and what

props/costumes should be used. I contributed to stage directions by

suggesting when Jerry should enter at the start of the play. This was

important because I wanted to make it look realistic, like a stranger

was appro...

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...as using my

hands to aid in the description of what I am talking about. An example

of this would be when Jerry is listing her possessions. As she tells

Peter about each one, she notes how many on her fingers. If she had

her hands in her lap then she would be fiddling with them. She would

stand, sit, and fiddle with her hands because she is an eccentric

character and likes to fidget. Jerry's gait would be quickly with

small steps. This would be because she is an eccentric character. She

fidgets a lot, and this makes the audience think that she perhaps has

something on her mind that she is too nervous, or afraid of what Peter

will say if she says it. Her facial expressions differ throughout the

play, from being quite annoyed at the lack of attention Peter pays her

at the beginning, but then as the play progresses, she becomes more

and more inquisitive because of her wanting to know more about Peter

and how jealous she is of his life. Jerry's props are a bag containing

a mirror, lipstick and a drink. This is because she's quite fidgety

and needs something to do with hands other than fiddle with them. She

is dressed in a skirt, top and jacket to make her appear normal.