Almeida Theatre, London – until 26 April 2025
Reviewed by Celia Armand Smith
4****
Eugène Ionesco’s Rhinoceros is a fantastically bananas satire originally written in 1959 in response to the spread of wartime facism. Fast forward to 2025, and Omar Elerian has translated (and directed) a new version. Set in rural France, an epidemic is sweeping through a small town and spoiler alert, it’s turning the community into rhinoceroses. Narrated by the “Provocateur” (Paul Hunter), the audience is immediately asked to participate. This is no ordinary theatre experience.
We first meet the central character of Berenger (Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù) at a cafe where he is meeting his friend Jean (Joshua Maguire). The rest of the cast create the scene through mime as stage directions are read aloud. Their discussion soon turns to an argument interrupted by various villagers dressed in white coats with wild and whimsical hairstyles including the grocer, a lady, and a logician. However, there is a rumbling (the cast gallop on the spot to create the surprisingly effective noise and dust) all around them as two rhinos thunder through the village. At first, all this sparks debate (did it actually happen?) and curiosity, but it soon becomes apparent that people are actually turning into rhinoceroses. A violent transformation artfully performed by Joshua Maguire complete with grey skin and a little tail. In the third act, things take a more serious turn as Berenger and his love interest Daisy (Anoushka Lucas) are holed up in his house, emotionally unravelling and surrounded by thundering feet and the sound of rhino calls. At this point the audience is the herd, and the call is a cacophony of buzzing kazoos conducted by the Provocateur.
There are lots of joyously madcap moments especially in the first half, and the clowning on display is top tier. John Biddle, Hayley Carmichael, Paul Hunter, Sophie Steer and Alan Williams provide much of the silliness as they rotate through several roles. Ana Inés Jabares-Pita’s set is a sparse white canvas; a space easily filled by the cast as they also produce many of the sound effects on stage, and hold props, cleverly creating beds, cafe tables, and office furniture. Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù is splendid as the deadpan everyman Berenger, who seems baffled to be taking part in the performance within a performance, but by the end he is a broken man, still resolute but the pain and isolation of his choices is palpable.
Rhinoceros is a fun and complex play with an important message. Thundering through themes of conformity, fascism, responsibility, herd mentality, and morality, the tone is upbeat and playful until it’s not. The performances are fantastic, and this avant-garde take on world events leaves you wondering to what extent you follow the herd.