Review: RHINOCEROS at Vermont Stage
There are two more weekends to see this poignant tale of transformation.
Rhinoceros by Eugene Ionesco, directed by Cristina Alicea for Vermont Stage, is a relevant play about the dangers of conformity and anger in times of change. Originally written as part of the “Theatre of the Absurd” movement in 1959, the play follows Berenger, a kind-hearted drunk who works at a local newspaper, as he navigates his life during an outbreak of people turning into Rhinoceros. The production opened at Main Street Landing on April 30th and runs until May 17th.
For this production, the theater has been rearranged into a thrust configuration, where the audience is placed on three sides of the stage, giving the play a more intimate feeling and positioning the audience well within the action. The scenic design by Chuck Padula is visually simple but effective, with a European architectural influence. The many height levels of the set, both immediately obvious and later revealed, work well to create tension, chaos, and surprise. There is a moment in the play where the set moves in a clever and unexpected way to great effect, and many audience members gasped in delighted surprise, myself included. The innovation on display was extremely satisfying.
The play begins when Berenger, played with humor yet tact by Jordan Gullikson, arrives late for a meeting with his friend, Jean, played with perfect poshness by Fred Patchen, at the cafe. He is hungover, tired, without a tie, and covered in dust. Jean reprimands Berenger for his behavior, knowing that he drinks heavily every day and night. Berenger expresses his exasperation at his eight hour work day, but Jean counters that he works the same amount and never drinks nor feels the need to complain. Suddenly, a rhinoceros appears and rampages past the cafe, throwing everyone in the area into a total panic. The townspeople work to calm each other, while Jean immediately begins exclaiming that they should protest the rhinoceros’ rampage to the town council. Berenger tries to use logic to explain where the animal might have come from, and Jean expresses his frustration with this, “Certain things enter the minds of even people without them.” When Daisy, Berenger’s workplace crush, played with well crafted poise and naivety by Abby Maurice, arrives, Berenger admits to the reason behind his drinking, “Conscience of my body all the time… I don’t recognize myself… and then I drink.” When a second, or maybe the same, rhinoceros rampages past the cafe again, this time flattening a housewife’s pet cat, the argument and chaos of the play truly begins.
The rest of the plot unfolds as the characters discover they are entering a new era where their friends, neighbors, and coworkers are all transforming into rhinoceros through some sort of rhinoceritis. Every member of the ensemble cast was absolutely brilliant, giving memorable performances that worked well with the play's absurd humor as metaphor for larger issues. The sound design for the large pachyderms by Stefán Örn Arnarson had wonderful subtle nods to the true meaning of becoming a rhinoceros, while maintaining the animalistic characteristics. Another stand out element was the choreography by Carissa Bellando, which turned scene changes into compelling visual images that warp into animalistic nightmares as more and more rhinoceros appear. This play is a theatrical challenge that balances humor and important societal themes, and Vermont Stage has certainly succeeded in meeting that challenge.
If you’re looking for a good laugh and a reminder to stay true to your “moral center,” it's time to see Vermont Stage’s Rhinoceros.
Photos by Lindsay Raymondjack Photography
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