Rhinoceros
"Rhinoceros" succeeds because it never loses sight of what makes Ionesco's story so unsettling; the absurdity is funny precisely because the underlying reality is not.
Boston.com
Why see Rhinoceros?
Fight Against The Crowd With Ionesco's Rhinoceros
Oscar nominee Paul Giamatti co-stars in Tony Award winner Diane Paulus' new production of Eugene Ionesco's satirical masterpiece, coming to the American Repertory Theater in August 2026! Focusing on a town where people start transforming one by one into the eponymous animal, Rhinoceros is a hilarious and scathing critique of herd mentality and the fear of standing against the group.
What Is The Story?
Berenger is a bit all over the place. Well-meaning but unable to keep his life on track, he struggles with the world around him. That's only compounded by the sudden appearance of an enormous rhinoceros in his town. At first, the townspeople are collectively terrified - but as they start to transform into the beasts one by one, Berenger finds that everyone around him is accepting the madness all too readily. Can he maintain his sanity and fight off the transformation?
Key Information
Audience
Ages 14+
Run Time
1hr 45min. Incl. 1 intermission. (Approx)
Dates
Finished Sep 20
Cast
- Paul Giamatti
- Tatiana Maslany
- John Turturro
Please note: The producers can't guarantee the appearance of any performers on any specific date.
Creative
- Written by Eugène Ionesco
- Translated by Derek Prouse
- Adaptation by American Repertory Theatre
- Directed by Diane Paulus
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