Last Friday night, Stuart and I ventured out into glitzy Islington to the Almeida Theatre to watch their production of EugĆØne Ionesco's absurdist classic Rhinoceros.
It was a striking and thought-provoking rendition. The staging was stark yet dynamic, cleverly using minimalistic set design to emphasise the escalating chaos as the townspeople succumb to conformity, symbolised by their transformation into, you guessed it, rhinoceroses. š¦
The whole cast delivered compelling performances, particularly į¹¢į»pįŗ¹́ DƬrĆsĆ¹ the lead and his best friend Joshua McGuire. The former’s portrayal of existential resistance was both poignant and darkly humorous, the latter’s fall-about hilarious. And laugh we did.
There was audience participation too, as we were led first in an arm-waving exercise at the beginning and then a chorus of blowing kazoos. We were all rhinos in the end.
The direction kept the tension taut, blending surrealism with sharp social commentary that resonated strongly with a modern gaze. Even Gary Lineker got a name-check.
A bold, unsettling, and memorable theatre experience. With kazoos.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
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