Slow Burn: Edward Albee’s One Acts: The American Dream & Zoo Story

Synopsis

In The American Dream, Albee exposes the hollowness of the American family through a biting satire that critiques societal norms and the pursuit of materialism. This darkly comedic play features a dysfunctional family whose bizarre interactions reveal the underlying emptiness of their lives.

Zoo Story, Albee’s first major work, brings two strangers together in New York City’s Central Park. As Peter, a complacent publishing executive, and Jerry, a volatile drifter, engage in a conversation that escalates to a shocking climax, the play explores themes of isolation, communication, and existential despair.

Presented together in Slow Burn, these one-act plays offer a powerful and unsettling examination of contemporary life, showcasing Albee’s sharp wit and profound insight into the human experience.