The American Dream and Zoo Story by Edward Albee
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Book Reviews of The American Dream and Zoo Story
Book Review: Albee's Earliest
Summary: 5 Stars
An unqualified genius with language, Edward Albee has a fair claim to being the USA's most important living playwright, though most would give the nod to Arthur Miller. *The Zoo Story* and *The American Dream* are among Albee's first plays, and both dabble in the absurdism that defines his work. The plays are very different from each other: *The Zoo Story* is a more serious play that builds slowly toward the inevitable, while *The American Dream* is more of a nonsense-farce, with echoes of Ionesco and Becket. But the logic of *The Zoo Story* and the comic brevity of *The American Dream* make these plays much easier to get a handle on than his later *Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf* and *A Delicate Balance*. In fact, both plays have a spiffy economy that Albee's work seemed to lose until his recent masterpiece, *Three Tall Women*.
Anyone interested in American theater should study Albee, and these plays are a good introduction. Also (unlike most of Albee's plays) these plays could be performed by student or beginning actors.
Book Review: Earliest and the Best
Summary: 5 Stars
These are the two of the three plays ("Virginia Woolf") that will go down in theater history as Albee's contribution to the stage. The others may not make it. Both of these plays capture Albee at his rebellious best, just in from Westchester County where he had been living the country club life with his adopted parents, and now living in Greenwich Village. "The American Dream" captures the world of his parents, while "Zoo Story" takes up Albee's new life on the streets of New York (paid for out of his grandmother's trust fund). These plays have a vernacular zip and zing his later plays lack. They make for wonderful theater. Much of this early promise was realized in "Virginia Woolf" but then Albee, like the man with three arms, seems to have lost his voice.Book Review: The Zoo Story (Can I possibly add one more star?)
Summary: 5 Stars
I am in the middle of directing The Zoo Story for a high school educational production for a drama class. Through analyzing it, I have really gotten an understanding of how true this is on how people interact w/ eachother. It is similar with the Cable Guy, how a guy gets to know ALL about another and within moments, is in a life or death combat with him! It's an amazing piece and horribly disturbing. One of my favorites! You would not regret getting this...even if the Zoo Story takes up 25% of the book. (It's still GREAT)Book Review: not into plays neither am i
Summary: 5 Stars
well at least i thought i wasnt. but these two plays are very easy to read and i think theyd also be brilliant to see if only i got the chance. edward albee, pretty much the only playwright i like so far. but he makes me give the area a chance. these two are a great way to get into him and into plays in general.Book Review: 1st plays I ever enjoyed reading
Summary: 5 Stars
The Zoo Story is the 1st play I've ever just read, versus watched, that I really enjoyed. In fact the Zoo Story is my favorite play of all time. The American Dream comes right behind it with its zany charaters that ends up telling us a moral story. How brillant can one be?