"Rhinoceros" - by Eugène Ionesco - American Repertory Theater (Cambridge, MA.) - REVIEW
(Cover Photo: Paul Giamatti as "Jean" with John Turturro as "Bérenger" in a scene from "RHINOCEROS" by Eugène Ionesco now playing at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, MA. through September 27, 2026. Photo Credit: Hawver and Hall)
By Kevin T. Baldwin
METRMAG Reviewer
# 774-242-6724
"Subconsciously – me? I’m master of my own thoughts, my mind doesn’t wander. I think straight, I always think straight!”
- ("Jean") - Eugène Ionesco
American Repertory Theater
Presents Eugène Ionesco’s
"RHINOCEROS"
Written by Eugène Ionesco
Based on Translation by Derek Prouse
Directed by Diane Paulus
Cast Includes: Paul Giamatti* as "Jean," Tatiana Maslany* as "Daisy," John Turturro* as "Bérenger," Harriett D. Foy* as "Housewife," Kristine Nielsen* as "Grocer's Wife/Mrs. Boeuf," Alex Ross* as "Dudard," Peter Francis James* as "Grocer/Papillon," Clay Singer* as "Botard/Waiter."
Additional Creative Team:
Scenic Design - Riccardo Hernández; Costume Design - Anita Yavich; Lighting Design - Jen Schriever; Sound Design - Fitz Patton; Special Effects Design - Markus Maurette; Hair & Wig Design - Tom Watson; Make-up Design - Kyle Krueger; Fight Director - Thomas Schall; Movement Advisor - Jill Johnson; Casting Director - ARC / Jarrett Reiche, CSA; Associate Director - Karina Cowperthwaite; Dramaturgy - Ryan McKittrick; Production Stage Manager - Ryan Gohsman.
Performances:
August 14, 2026 through September 27, 2026
(Contact Box Office for Exact Times)
The American Repertory Theater at Harvard University (A.R.T.) Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA. 02138
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(Warning: The following review contains spoilers)
The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) stampedes into September with the wildly bizarre play "RHINOCEROS," now playing in Cambridge.
Written in 1959 by French playwright Eugène Ionesco, translated by Derek Prouse and now directed in 2026 for A.R.T. by Diane Paulus, "RHINOCEROS" is an avant-garde piece widely considered a prime example of absurdist drama.
The American premiere of "RHINOCEROS" opened on Broadway in 1961 with veteran stage and screen actors Eli Wallach, Anne Jackson, Jean Stapleton and Zero Mostel (who won a Tony Award for his performance).
Later, the story was adapted into a 1973 film starring Mostel, Gene Wilder and Karen Black.
Now, as exquisitely staged by Paulus, the superb 8-member A.R.T. cast is headlined by three of America’s finest contemporary working actors: Paul Giamatti, John Turturro and Tatiana Maslany - but the entire cast is worthy of high praise, indeed.
(Photo: John Turturro as "Bérenger" in a scene from "RHINOCEROS" by Eugène Ionesco now playing at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, MA. through September 27, 2026. Photo Credit: Hawver and Hall)
The A.R.T. stage is sparse with minimal sets used, but the set design itself allows for ease of transition and is more representative in nature than realistic, which is perfectly suited to the peculiar premise of the two-act play.
As the play gradually unfolds, a single rhino sighting by inhabitants of a small French community soon becomes a global crisis as the townspeople rapidly begin to metamorphosize into rhinoceroses.
Little (or no) explanation is offered for this evolutionary (or de-evolutionary) therianthropy – but, just as quickly as the first transformed rhino appears stampeding down a busy populated street, the residents seem to just accept that it is happening.
Ionesco wrote "RHINOCEROS" in reaction to the concept of “ideological infection” based upon his own experience observing the advent of Nazism in pre-World War II Europe and the spread of Fascism.
Appearing on stage at lights up is the lone holdout from the mass metamorphosis, Bérenger (John Turturro), abruptly waking up as if he has just fallen into this play from another absurdist drama, Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot.”
Turturro is splendid portraying the disheveled, apathetic and unpretentious Bérenger, who is initially criticized in the play by his friend Jean (Paul Giamatti) for his excessive drinking, workplace tardiness and slovenly lifestyle.
Bérenger arrives late to begin his workday at the local legal news outlet where discussion of the converging rhinoceroses has reached a fever pitch.
(Photo: Paul Giamatti as "Jean" with John Turturro as "Bérenger" in a scene from "RHINOCEROS" by Eugène Ionesco now playing at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, MA. through September 27, 2026. Photo Credit: Hawver and Hall)
At the office, a disagreement about the “rhino sightings” in town has broken out between the reasonable Dudard (Alex Ross) and the argumentative Botard (Clay Singer) who doubts the news reports.
Meanwhile, their boss Mr. Papillon (Peter Francis James), instead of acknowledging the rising social crisis, overly prioritizes routine office work.
James as Papillon serves the character well in showing how anyone’s position of power or trying to maintain the “status quo” offers no real protection against the onslaught of ideological infection or mob mentality.
Ross as Dudard also impresses showing how rationalized detachment and indifference enables indoctrination, totalitarianism and mass conformity all to flourish.
Equally engaging is Singer as Botard, who overly-debates instead of engages facts making him and others like him totally helpless against mass conformity and fascism.
Young, lovely receptionist Daisy (Tatiana Maslany), with whom Bérenger is in love, covers for Bérenger by sneaking him a time sheet so he can punch in for the day unseen by Papillon.
Maslany is outstanding portraying Daisy, who ultimately serves as Bérenger’s final connection to humanity as the two soon learn just how fatally seductive mass conformity can be to the individual.
Kristine Nielsen gives a colorful portrayal of “Mrs. Boeuf,” the wife of a missing employee, who arrives at the office to alert everyone that her husband has transformed into a "RHINOCEROS."
Rounding out the A.R.T. cast is the hilarious Harriett D. Foy as a distraught "Housewife" whose cat has an unfortunate encounter with a rhino.
The physical transformation of people into foolish, rioting animals represents how some folks are easily swayed by harmful, extremist political movements.
Not that anything like this could ever happen today, right?
(Photo: John Turturro as "Bérenger" watches as Alex Ross as "Dudard" dances with Tatiana Maslany as "Daisy" in a scene from "RHINOCEROS" by Eugène Ionesco now playing at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, MA. through September 27, 2026. Photo Credit: Hawver and Hall)
Giamatti, especially, is perfectly in tune with the concept as the cultured, well-dressed, pretentious character of Jean, who serves as a quick-witted friend and foil to Bérenger.
Jean is consumed by the needs for self-improvement and adhering to social norms…while Bérenger absolutely isn’t.
Yet, soon, in the Ionesco story, Jean reveals how shallow intellect, ego and unwavering conformity easily collapses under “stampeding” mass hysteria and fascism…while Bérenger, for some reason, absolutely doesn’t.
As "model" citizen Jean soon succumbs to the rhino plague, Giamatti’s embodiment of the collapsing Jean is both dramatic and meaningful as it leaves Bérenger one of the last few holdouts as we observe humanity plunged into chaos.
The scene as Jean begins to de-evolve into a "RHINOCEROS" shows a man stripped of reason, empathy and morality.
Expertly timed sound effects augment Giamatti’s heavy physicality required for his performance in a pivotal scene where Jean loudly hurls obscenities at Bérenger, speaks to his old friend of his hardening “thick skin” and points out the inevitable rhino’s horn emerging on his head (representing the brutal, unthinking transformation as one succumbs to mob mentality).
(Photo: Tatiana Maslany as "Daisy" with John Turturro as "Bérenger" in a scene from "RHINOCEROS" by Eugène Ionesco now playing at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, MA. through September 27, 2026. Photo Credit: Hawver and Hall)
After witnessing Jean and everyone turning, in truth, Bérenger becomes a completely different person by the end of the play - one unrelenting and unwilling to succumb to that which seems inevitable…assimilation.
One might notice in the dialogue of "RHINOCEROS" a heavy use of clichés which implies that, by engaging in clichés instead of meaningful discourse, we lose our ability to think critically, and thus are already on our way to assimilation…or, if you will, becoming “rhinos.”
Still a socially relevant piece, A.R.T.'s "RHINOCEROS" is a potent political allegory about the rapid rise of absolutism, mass hysteria and humanity’s toxic fascination with social conformity.
Run (but don't stampede) to "RHINOCEROS" which continues at A.R.T. until September 27th, 2026.
Coming up next at A.R.T. will be the rock opera "1972" by Chadwick Stokes and Jessie Nelson, beginning October 27th and running through November 22nd, 2026.
For tickets and more information, visit AmericanRepertoryTheater.org
Approximately two hours with one intermission.
Kevin T. Baldwin is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA)
@MetrmagReviews
@Theatre_Critics
ABOUT THE SHOW
THE AMERICAN REPERTORY THEATER (A.R.T.) at Harvard University's Loeb Drama Center will present "RHINOCEROS" featuring Emmy Award-winners Paul Giamatti, Tatiana Maslany and John Turturro.
Everything seems normal one Sunday morning…until it’s not.
One by one, friends and colleagues transform into rhinoceroses, and Berenger is forced to decide:
Will he follow the crowd or stand his ground?
As resonant as when it premiered in the wake of the Second World War, "RHINOCEROS" reminds us of the importance of holding on to our humanity amidst mounting pressures to conform.
Eugène Ionesco’s landmark play "RHINOCEROS" is staged in a new adaptation by A.R.T. based on Derek Prouse’s seminal translation.
Tony Award-winner Diane Paulus (“one of the most imaginative forces working in theater” - Broadway.com) directs her final production at the Loeb Drama Center before the A.R.T. moves to its new home in Allston, the Goel Center for Creativity & Performance.
Note: Performers are subject to change and understudies may perform at any time, with a specific announcement made at the time of the performance. No refunds are issued in the event of a change in casting.
ABOUT THE AMERICAN REPERTORY THEATER
MISSION
THE AMERICAN REPERTORY THEATER (A.R.T.) at Harvard University is dedicated to expanding the boundaries of theater, always including the audience as a partner.
VISION
We focus on the research and development of groundbreaking theatrical experiences that catalyze dialogue and transformation. We believe that by engaging our hearts, minds, and bodies, theater has the power to heal and imagine collective pathways forward. We commit to advancing public health in our practice and our programming, recognizing that racism in America is a national public health crisis. Our new home in Allston will be a breathable and healthy building envisioned as a town hall for the twenty-first century. Inspired by the model of a teaching hospital, the building will be a vibrant center for research, experiential pedagogy, and performance. We build community with our audiences, artists, students, staff, and neighbors across Greater Boston, embracing theater’s power to cultivate the full breadth and beauty of our shared humanity. We affirm and celebrate a multitude of perspectives and experiences that reflect the diversity of our country and world. We are dedicated to making a welcoming and accessible space for people of any identity, background, or ability.
VALUES
We hold the institution and each other responsible and accountable for living our shared values. There is no hierarchy to these values; they are all equally important and interrelated. We acknowledge that as an institution we must devote time to implementing and sustaining these values:
- We center anti-racism
- Habituate anti-racist practices in our policies, structure, and culture
- We lead with inquiry
- Ask questions in a spirit of brave curiosity in our never-ending journey of learning and growth
- We believe in collaboration
- Work together with trust and respect to unlock collective creativity
- We practice adaptability
- Challenge assumptions and create capacity to support “next” practices
- We embrace regenerative practice
- Promote the health and vitality of our planet, our organization, and each other
