Summary

Introduce

“Get ready for Ionesco’s Rhinoceros, it’s like no other!”
Rhinoceroses stampede to the beat of the drum. People who have turned into rhinoceroses and rhinoceroses that destroy everything humanity has created challenge us to contemplate what it means to be human.

Information

Rhinoceros begins with a rhino stampeding through a quiet village square in France on a Sunday afternoon. As the spectators furiously debate whether it is an Asian rhino or an African rhino, Bérenger remains indifferent. However, fate takes an unexpected turn on Monday when Bérenger’s coworker turns into a rhinoceros, marking the start of a transformation that affects every villager, including his best friend, Jean. These rhinos did not “come from somewhere else,” they “transformed here.” As more people turn into rhinos, the initial mild concern escalates into a tangible threat. Bérenger puts up a fight against the rhinos, but in the face of absolute solitude, he questions whether he must continue to exist as the last remaining human.