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Taipei's own Zoo story

Isolation and social inequality go under the microscope in City Story Theater's version of Edward Albee's play The Zoo Story. Photo: Noah Buchan, Taipei Times

Park benches often evoke images of tranquil afternoons and lovers on secret rendezvous, but in the hands of playwright Edward Albee, this innocuous image of urban America becomes a nightmare in which middle-class sensibilities are undermined.

Tonight, City Story Theater (城市故事劇場) presents The Zoo Story in Taipei (動物園的故事, In Taipei), a Mandarin version of Albee's original play, The Zoo Story.

Though written in 1958, director Chung Huan-yu (鍾環宇) says the play's themes - isolation, inequality and the brutal effects of consumerism - continue to resonate to this day. "Communication among people is superficial," said Chung on Tuesday in between rehearsals for the play. "We ignore people on the street who need help. This script is good because it reflects the reality of society."

Though the original takes place in New York's Central Park, Chung says it's applicable to any metropolitan park throughout the world.

In the story, Peter, a publishing executive, is enjoying a peaceful interlude on a park bench when Jerry, a homeless man, interrupts his thoughts. The destitute man sits down and forces Peter to listen to stories of his life, including the reason why he visits the zoo.

PUBLICATION NOTES What: The Zoo Story in Taipei (動物園的故事, In Taipei) Where: Guling Street Theater (牯嶺街小劇場), 2, Alley 5, Guling St, Taipei City (台北市牯嶺街5巷2號) When: Today and tomorrow at 7:30pm and tomorrow and Sunday at 2:30pm Tickets: Are NT$350 and are available through NTCH ticketing

At first too polite to leave, Peter eventually grows tired of Jerry's ramblings and stands up to go home. This is the catalyst that eventually finds Jerry dying of a knife wound and Peter's illusion of civility shattered.

Dialogue drives the play and it requires tremendous acting to pull off. It also requires an expert translator. Chung says that he read the work while studying at Taipei University of the Arts a few years ago and revised an old translation with his own additions. But one has to wonder about the quality of the work when its translator can't communicate in English.

Still, Chung seems to have a firm grasp of the themes Albee investigates.

"In today's society, in which people spend more time communicating with a computer screen than real human beings, it's even more important that we scrutinize how 'civilized' our communication has become. In any highly developed society, we need to face this kind of question," Chung said.
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