Eugène Ionesco is one of the most important representatives of the theatre of the absurd and one of the classics of 20th-century literature. Originally a Romanian author, but working and writing in France, he felt that language was no longer a sufficient tool for communication and understanding and that the tragedy was the transformation of the human being. He also addressed this in his absurdist grotesque Rhinoceros. In an unidentifiable town, normal or decent people gradually start turning into rhinos. They roam the city streets in large numbers, singing loudly and occasionally vandalising the surroundings. The play also opens a discussion about who is willing to undergo the transformation and find their place in the safety of the herd and who would rather still remain human. Can a little burst of love, meaning of life or work stop such a transformation? Or is the path to the desertion of humanity already inevitable? The metaphorical image of a totalitarian society becomes once again a warning of the ease with which a society can abandon its values and principles. The key play of the Theatre of the Absurd was first staged in 1959.

 

 

Première April 12, 2025