In the 19th Century, plays would often follow a set formula. This was called melodrama. It had set ingredients. Melodramas contained likeable characters. In the Zoo Story, there are no likeable characters. The audience dislike Jerry right from the beginning of the play. Peter is different. Although the audience may feel sympathy for Peter, they dislike him because he comes over as quite stuck up and he looks down on Jerry. Jerry is rude and aggressive. He is not someone that the audience would like. Several issues are raised in the play. Although the play was written around 30-40 years ago, many of the issues raised are often discussed in today´s society. Sexuality is a very important concept of the play, as Jerry has had a homosexual relationship: “I was a h-o-m-o-s-e-x-u-a-l.” and Peter has not fathered a male child. Jerry knows that Peter wanted boys and Jerry uses this fact to his advantage throughout the play, and I do not think that there is any coincidence in that it is Peter being taunted about this that eventually forces Peter to get up and fight. Smoking is another important issue in the play. Jerry makes references to disease and health throughout the play, the first of which is raised when Peter prepares his pipe. “Y

There is a lot of opportunity for acting for Peter both when Jerry is speaking, and when there is silence. Towards the end of the play, when Jerry has impaled himself on the knife, Peter could be looking around, to see if anyone saw what happened. He would be running round, thinking what to do. Peter would be on the bench at Stage Left at the beginning of the play. He would be on the Stage Left side. As the play progresses, Peter would move along the bench, so that when Jerry tries to push him off, Peter is nearer to Centre Stage. He would leave at Stage Right, thus completely crossing the stage during the passing of one scene. This would show that Peter and Jerry come from different directions, different walks of life, yet both of their lives are monotonous. Both have different opinions of their lives. Peter thinks that he can turn it all around, but Jerry knows that there is no other way out than to make the ultimate sacrifice.

There is a lot of opportunity for non-verbal acting in this play. At the start of the play, Peter could be really trying to make Jerry notice that he didn´t want to know. He could turn away or lift the book so that he couldn´t see Jerry:

e.g. PETER - …We call it north. It´s northerly. (Turns away, as if deeply engrossed in his book)

In many ways, the audience shares the feelings of Peter. Both Peter and the audience feel trapped, Peter because Jerry has him trapped and he cannot get away. The audience would feel trapped because the play is only one scene long, so they cannot move. They must watch the play in its entirety, without any breaks or pauses. Jerry also feels that he is trapped in his life, trapped by the landlady and trapped by the dog. He can get away from the dog and he can get away from the landlady, but only temporarily.