For Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo I chose the metaphorical image of a military interrogation at Guantanamo Bay. This encouraged me to assess the dynamic nature of the dueling dialogues coming from Tom and Kev and Tiger. Furthermore I wanted to heighten the short-lived moment of escape that Tiger enjoys after he dies. It is then that he realizes he has only moved from one cage to another. The tiger ears were the most difficult choice for me in the play. I wanted a tiger indicator but I didn't want Tiger to come off as cute or quaint. What instead came about was this horrifying reduction of Tiger. When he dies he is reduced to the tiger ears, which he has taken off, and acknowledges that this is how he will be remembered
"I look forward to working with Chris in the future. I find his directing approach very refreshing. He comes into the process with clear ideas and vision, and is also able to let me (as an actor) explore and question."--Thomas Ward (Actor/Playwright, Member of Actors' Equity)