Rhinoceros: Ionesco's committed play at Essaïon

At Théâtre Essaïon, Eugène Ionesco 'sRhinocéros continues to question the excesses of modern society through a singular fable, where the absurd mixes with social criticism. In a small, unnamed town, a strange phenomenon disrupts the daily lives of the inhabitants: rhinoceroses appear in the streets. Before long, these were no longer just wild animals, but human beings who, one after the other, metamorphosed into rhinos. A transformation as disturbing as it is symbolic, dubbed here "rhinoceritis", a collective disease that illustrates the rise of conformism, the subjugation of the individual and the abdication of critical thought.

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In Rhinoceros, the main character, Bérenger, a powerless spectator who then resists in spite of himself, remains one of the few not to give in to this collective pressure. With his offbeat outlook and inner struggle, he represents human fragility in the face of the temptation of the norm, comfort and mass.

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Created in 1959, Rhinoceros still has a striking resonance today. The figure of the rhinoceros functions as an allegory of totalitarianism, whether political, ideological or social. Under the guise of black humor, Ionesco denounces the ease with which a society can lapse into conformism or radicalization. This absurd text, imbued with lucidity, sheds light on the mechanisms of ideological recruitment and contagion.

Rhinoceros would appeal to audiences interested in thought-provoking theater, and in classic twentieth-century texts with universal appeal. High-school and university students, as well as enthusiasts of socially-aware writing, will find it a timely subject for debate. On the other hand, audiences looking for light comedy or linear narration might be put off by the deliberately disturbing, unstructured form of the work.

• To be read
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Played for the 350th time, this staging of Rhinoceros would be a real success with the public, no doubt boosted by the relevance of the subject, the originality of the form, and the accessibility of the Théâtre Essaïon, which often offers creations in intimate, hard-hitting formats.

This article is based on information available about the show. It is not based on a direct viewing of the play.

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