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| re: AT HOME AT THE ZOO Sunday - spoiler question | |
| Posted by: Chazwaza 06:55 pm EST 02/12/18 | |
| In reply to: re: AT HOME AT THE ZOO Sunday - spoiler question - schauspieler 06:32 pm EST 02/12/18 | |
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| All great points. I remember being similarly annoyed at the rewrites when I saw this pairing for the first time when "Peter at Home" (is that what they called it?) was new as the first act opener. I also felt very strongly at the time that having an act about Peter at home before the park undermines the proceedings and is completely unnecessary. The Zoo Story stood for decades brilliantly on its own, and not knowing anything about the characters before the start was one of the strengths and reasons it played so surprisingly. But back to your points about the Zoo Story dialogue... it seems like someone as smart as Albee would know that bothering to "update" the dialogue/references (even if he'd done a thoroughly accurate job to making it make sense in today's nyc, which he didn't) is pointless because in 20 years the city will be different, and in 20 years after that different still. Unless he wants to put in instructions to whomever is doing the play that they can update those references as needed, then it seems like it's best just staying in the time it was written, we still get it. |
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| Different title at Second Stage | |
| Last Edit: TheOtherOne 09:19 am EST 02/13/18 | |
| Posted by: TheOtherOne 09:18 am EST 02/13/18 | |
| In reply to: re: AT HOME AT THE ZOO Sunday - spoiler question - Chazwaza 06:55 pm EST 02/12/18 | |
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| The individual plays had the same titles when this double bill was presented at Second Stage, but the collective title was not "At Home at the Zoo." It was "Peter and Jerry." It must have been Albee's idea to change the name. From what I understand, he left ironclad instructions for how his estate was to handle subsequent productions of his plays. I assume calling it "Peter and Jerry" would seem to downplay the importance of Ann in "Homelife." I pointed that out to a friend, who suggested to me that "Peter and Jerry" sounded too much like Ben and Jerry's. I got a laugh out of that. |
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| re: AT HOME AT THE ZOO Sunday - spoiler question | |
| Posted by: garyd 07:08 pm EST 02/12/18 | |
| In reply to: re: AT HOME AT THE ZOO Sunday - spoiler question - Chazwaza 06:55 pm EST 02/12/18 | |
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| The first act, was originally called "Homelife". I don't know if it has a title now that the two act play is called "At Home at the Zoo". I agree with you about "The Zoo Story". It still stands quite well on its own even with many of the anachronisms mentioned in this thread. I attended an Albee lecture several years ago where he explained his rationale for "Homelife". He said he thought the audience needed to know more about Peter. We learn about Jerry but we know little about Peter. I,then and now, do not agree. We all know Peter. He is us. it's the Jerry's of the world we do not know. |
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| re: AT HOME AT THE ZOO Sunday - spoiler question | |
| Posted by: Ann 07:51 pm EST 02/12/18 | |
| In reply to: re: AT HOME AT THE ZOO Sunday - spoiler question - garyd 07:08 pm EST 02/12/18 | |
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| It's called Homelife in this production, too. | |
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| re: AT HOME AT THE ZOO Sunday - spoiler question | |
| Posted by: garyd 08:50 pm EST 02/12/18 | |
| In reply to: re: AT HOME AT THE ZOO Sunday - spoiler question - Ann 07:51 pm EST 02/12/18 | |
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| And, according to your earlier post, you enjoyed the entire package. So, there you go. Perhaps, it works quite well especially for those who have only experienced the original version. In addition, perhaps those of us who have need to take a second look. I will admit that when I first saw the combined version I was predisposed to be dismissive... and, of course, I was. Does the production you saw at the Signature retain the intended humor of the second act? (I would love to see it but there is simply no time.). | |
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