Rhinoceros by Ionesco

Rhinoceros

By Eugene Ionesco

Eugène Ionesco

(1909-1994)

Ionesco was born at 1909 in Slatiina (Romania), to a Romanian father and a mother of French and Romanian heritage. He spent most of his childhood in France and, while there, had an experience he claimed affected his perception of the world more significantly than any other. He was struck very suddenly with a feeling of intense luminosity, the feeling of floating off the ground and an overwhelming feeling of well-being.

When he "floated" back to the ground and the "light" left him, he saw that the real world in comparison was full of decay, corruption and meaningless repetitive action.

This also coincided with the revelation that death takes everyone in the end.

Much of his later work, reflecting this new perception, demonstrates a disgust for the tangible world, a distrust of communication, and the subtle sense that a better world lies just beyond our reach.

Echoes of this experience can also be seen in references and themes in many of his important works: characters pining for an unattainable "city of lights" (The Killer, The Chairs) or perceiving a world beyond (A Stroll in the Air); characters granted the ability to fly (A Stroll in the Air, Amédée, Victims of Duty); the banality of the world which often leads to depression (the Bérenger character); ecstatic revelations of beauty within a pessimistic framework (Amédée, The Chairs, the Bérenger character); and the inevitability of death (Exit the King).

He returned to Romania with his father and mother in 1925 after his parents divorced.

There he attended Saint Sava National College, after which he studied French Literature at the University of Bucharest from 1928 to 1933 and qualified as a teacher of French.

While there he met Emil Cioran and Mircea Eliade, and the three became lifelong friends.

In 1936 Ionesco married Rodic Burilean.

Together they had one daughter for whom he wrote a number of unconventional children's stories.

He and his family returned to France in 1938 for him to complete his doctoral thesis.

Caught by the outbreak of World War II in 1939, he returned to Romania, but soon changed his mind and, with the help of friends, obtained travel documents which allowed him to return to France in 1942, where he remained during the rest of the war, living in Marseilles before moving with his family to Paris after its liberation.

Ionesco was made a member of the Académie française in 1970.

He also received numerous awards including Tours Festival Prize for film, 1959; Prix Italia, 1963; Society of Authors Theatre Prize, 1966; Grand Prix National for theatre, 1969; Monaco Grand Prix, 1969; Austrian State Prize for European Literature, 1970; Jerusalem Prize, 1973; and honorary Doctoral Degrees from New York University and the Universities of Leuven, Warwick and Tel Aviv.

Eugène Ionesco died at age 84 on 28 March 1994 and is buried in the Cimetière du Montparnasse in Paris. In 2009, the Romanian Academy granted posthumous membership to Ionesco.

Scenario Rhinoceros was published in 1959. Its consists of three actions.

Originally an absurdist play by Eugene Ionesco, Rhinoceros tells the story of a French town plagued by rhinoceroses. These are not ordinary rhinoceroses, but people who have transformed.

Gradually, all the characters of the play unless Berenger turn into rhinos that join the herd and follow the mass.. Each character’s transformation depends on his interest in humanity and his power of will.

The plot is inspired by Ionesco’s personal experience with fascism during the world war II and depicts the struggle of a man to maintain his identity and integrity alone in a world that all the others have succumbed to the beauty of brute force and violence.

Rhinoceros is usually interpreted as a response to the sudden upsurge of fascism during the events preceding World War II and explores the themes of conformity, culture and morality. Ionesco’s intentions were not only to criticize the horrors of Nazism, but also to explore mentality of those who easily succumbed to fasism.

The Characters

Berenger

Jean

Daisy

Dudard

logician

waitress

housewife

old gentleman

Mrs Boeuf

Mr.Papillion

Berenger

Jean-Marie SIRGUE – théâtre de la Fronde -2008

Royal court theater, London

Berenger is the protagonist of the play, an apathetic, lazy man who finds neither his work in an office nor the culture around him satisfying enough.

At first, he is unwilling to commit himself to anything in life but his love for Daisy. His friend Jean constantly reprimands him for his sloppy appearance and apathetic attitudes.

His transformation, though, is the true metamorphosis in “Rhinoceros”. While the other characters turn into rhinos incorporating their untamable natures, Berenger’s change affects his aspect of life. Despite him being an uncultured, unconscious, and aimless man who overdrinks, His recognition of life as an absurdity pushes him change and try to save humanity from The rhinos.

By Emmanuel DEMARCY-MOTA, Théêtre de la ville - Paris

Premiered on July 2, 2014 at the National Theater "Marin Sorescu", Craiova, Romania

Berenger

Jean

Daisy

Dudard

logician

waitress

housewife

old gentleman

Mrs Boeuf

Mr.Papillion

Jean Jean is Berenger’s friend, who seems to be cultured and rationalist, in contrast with Berenger.

Nevertheless, his real self is full of arrogance and will for power, and faces selfimprovement, as a way to enhance his prestige, rather than his human and social concern.

Despite his superficial culture, his hypocrisy is pronounced even at the beginning, When he arrives as late as Berenger, and refuses to go on a culture event, in order to sleep an relax.

His metamorphosis into a rhino that will attack anyone who gets in his way, seems to be just a body transformation that reveals his hidden morality.

The waitress, Berenger and Jean, Royal court, London

Berenger and Jean turning into a rhino, by Emmanuel DEMARCY-MOTA - Theatre de la ville - Paris

Daisy, Berenger and Jean, Pyotr Fomenco workshop theater

Berenger

Jean

Daisy

Dudard

logician

waitress

housewife

old gentleman

Mrs Boeuf

Mr.Papillion

Daisy Daisy is Berenger’s love interest. She and Berenger are the only characters that seem to have emotional life.

She is concerned of humanity and loves Berenger, but she pushes him to ignore the appearance of rhinos and acclimate himself.

In other words, she is interested only for him, and dot for the fellowman, but a single person, that doesn’t match the conception of humanity As a result, she is the last one who turns into a rhino, a fact that incites Berenger to realize his interest in humanity and to decide to save them.

Daisy and Berenger, Royal court, London

Berenger and Daisy, Pyotr Fomenco workshop theatre

Waterloo university , department of drama

Berenger

Jean

Daisy

Dudard

logician

waitress

housewife

old gentleman

Mrs Boeuf

Dudard Dudard is a co-worker of Berenger’s and also tries to conquer Daisy’s affections..

He is considered to be rational and intellect.

He is quite friendly with Berenger, and concerns about him when he is at the apartment, being afraid of the rhinos.

He comes around and they discuss about some serious subjects, but when he discovers Daisy’s feelings towards Berenger, he gives up and goes with the herd of rhinos.

Nevertheless, his transformation into a rhino is his own decision, made with clear mind and remains intellect far from the animals instincts,, In contrast with Jean’s transformation that represents the animal side of humanity, or Daisy’s one, that seems to be near-religious.

Dudard and Daisy, Pyotr Fomenco workshop theatre

Botard yells at Dudard in front of Mr. Pavillion

Dudard and Botard

By Emmanuel DEMARCY-MOTA, Théêtre de la ville - Paris

Mr.Papillion

Berenger

Jean

Daisy

Dudard

logician

waitress

The logician

old gentleman

Mrs Boeuf

Mr.Papillion

The old gentleman

He appears only in the first act, but is often referred during the story. The logician Is highly rational and tries to explain everything with logic. Through his “logical” explanations, he comes up with completely incorrect answers.

During the actions, the logician symbolizes the rational philosophy of the other characters (Jean Botard Dudard) , whose actions underline the fact common logic can’t explain everything in the universe of absurd.

By Martha Ross – University of Waterloo 2015

housewife

By Will Detlefsen Theodore & Adele Shank Theatre University of California

Like many of the characters in Act One, the Old Gentleman is another common person who is kind and means well but who is easily susceptible to going along with the world around him.

By Martha Ross – University of Waterloo 2015

Berenger

Jean

Daisy

Dudard

logician

The waitress

Emmanuel Demarcy-Mota at Théâtre de la Ville PARIS

housewife

old gentleman

Mrs Boeuf

The housewife

Appearing only in the first scene, the Waitress represents simply the easily persuaded everyman. She is easily prone to accept whatever true or false arguments surround her.

Jean-Louis BARRAULT, Théâtre de l'Odéon, 1960.

waitress

She is one of the most overly dramatic characters in the play. She is incredibly emotional for 90 % of her time on stage and adores her cat.

By Martha Ross – University of Waterloo 2015

By Martha Ross – University of Waterloo 2015

By Will Detlefsen Theodore & Adele Shank Theatre University of California

Mr.Papillion

Berenger

Jean

Daisy

Dudard

logician

waitress

Mrs Boeuf Mrs. Boeuf arrives at Berenger's office because her husband, Mr. Boeuf, has turned into a rhinoceros. In her frenzy, Mrs. Boeuf suggests that people make hasty decisions in rash circumstances. As she decides to stay with her animal husband, Mrs. Boeuf illustrates her fear of being alone. She would rather be with a rhino than be alone. She remains devoted to him despite that.

Elise LeBreton

Emmanuel Demarcy-Mota at Théâtre de la Ville PARIS

housewife

old gentleman

Mrs Boeuf

Mr.Papillion

Mr Papillinon Mr. Papillon is Berenger's boss. He privileges work above his employees. Although he is an authority figure, he cannot think for himself and quickly decides to join the rhinoceros movement.

Emmanuel Demarcy-Mota at Théâtre de la Ville PARIS

By Martha Ross – University of Waterloo 2015

Rhinoceroses Rhinos are not human characters, and they stand for man’s hidden savagery, indifference, and violent capability.

In general, they are a solitary species, but when their number augments, their tendency to belong to the mass in order to be powerful and safe, turns them into a hostile and totalitarian herd that can be compared to Nazis.

Every individual that transforms into a rhino maintains a part of his personality in his new body, not only the violent ones, but their tender feelings too.

Their humanity is lost each time they become part of the mass.

As Ionesco’s play progresses, rhinos seen to be more attractive, outshining the ugliness of humanity., trying to show the influence of the mass that can change the perception of an individual who doesn't believe in his own strength and power of will, that can be as catastrophic as the Nazism.

Strawberry theater workshop

University of California, Berkeley's Department of Theatre,

Performance place: Stock exchange Sophocleous

Sophocleous stock exchange market I In this sketch there s also the public area. The tables Signifie the spectqtor s seats, an the street lambs signifie The road.

sketch.

Stock exchange of Sophocleous I

photos of the model

ACT I

first ideas and photos

ACT I :

shared village square

The play starts in a small town square where Berenger meets his friend Jean for a coffee. The ground floor of the market is full of coffee tables and seats for the spectators and some of the actors, as we can notice on the sketch. This way of seating is chosen In order for the play to be interactive. Berenger, Jean, the logician,The old man and the waitress are some examples of the actors that Move at the same stage with the public. The waitress serves the spectators as well. The yellow area is signified by a linear layout of street lights that stand for the road. Only actors are moving in this area. Ultimately, the interior windows separate the rhinoceroses' area from the actors and the public. Until the end of the plot, the whole ground floor will be conquered by rhinos, the actors as well as the public will be transformed..

Symbols _the green light: Every time the appearance of a rhino or of a her is Is spotted, or even a transformation takes place , it will be signified with A green colour produced with some hidden projectors.. _the street lambs: They both signify and define the road of the village. _the coffee tables: Public’s area. _windows: The internal windows of the ground floor will be used as a Means of depicting rhino’s shapes. In order to be achieved, translucent Stickers will be used over the glass to limit transparency. Only the Shadow of the rhino will be shown by the public.

ACT II first ideas and photos

ACT II

first scene: An unconventional office

From now on, the play will mostly take place on the first floor. The place is the office where Berenger, Daisy, Botqrd, Dudqrd and Mr Boeuf work. Their desks are placed among the parametrical mezzanine so that the co-workers will have to shout loud in order to communicate. This fact transmits a comic mood to the public an makes the play even more interactive since the spectators will have to move around their vision to find out what’s happening. In a symmetrical building like the market, The parametrical movements of the cast will also activate the public which is centred.

When Mrs Boeuf decides to become a rhino and jumps off, she stays on the ground floor at the area of the rhinos While the others remain upstairs.

Symbols _the green light: It will come up at the end of the scene when ? Mrs BĹ“uf joins the herd of rhinos. _the desks an the piles of paper: They stand for the office and express the burden of the bureaucratic power in an exaggerated way. _the two greater chairs: They symbolize the hierarchy among the employees. _the net: The nets where Mrs Boeuf falls into symbolizes the trap of the mass way of thinking.

ACT II

second scene: photos of the model

ACT II

second scene: Unexpected transformation?

This scene takes place at he first floor at Jean’s apartment where he is gradually transformation into a rhino in front of Berenger who tries to escape. The fact it takes place on the first floor signifies human state of Jean’s body that hasn’t been yet totally transformed/ When that happens, he goes downstairs to the rhino area.

Symbols _the bed and the armchair: These furniture stand for Jean’s bedroom _the bathroom and the stairs: The main entrance of the first floor is Separated into two pieces that stand for each one. They are sketched On a panel _the flickering green light: When Jean starts transforming the green light comes up And becomes more an more intense till his total transformation/

ACT III photos of the model

ACT III : Last resort

The last part is set at the first floor at Berenger’s home. Dudard has come around to help him but as soon as he realizes Daisie’’s affections for Berenger, he decides to join the herd, too. Daisy, after expressing her feelings to Berenger she hears of the mass trumpeting which she finds attractive enough to join the herd, abandoning poor Berenger.. After they have all now turned into rhinos and belong to the ground floor, the green lights also fall onto the public to reflect their own transformation

Symbols _the bed and the furniture: They indicate Berenger’s room/ _the alcohol: It subliminally indicates the mass’s indulgence towards unexpected and controversial changes that occur.

Berenger’s indulgence towards the effects of alcohol reflects Daisy’s and Dudard’s indulgence towards the blinding power of mass _the green lights: flood the village square .