ONE HORN OR TWO?

15. July 2011 by admin.

F. J. Hartland

Theatre-of-the-absurd is not one of my favorites. But if I had to choose one, it would have to be Eugene Ionesco’s Rhinoceros.

And—by luck—that happens to be the current production for the Summer Company at Duquesne University.

Rhinoceros is set in a small French town where one day a rhinoceros is seen charging through the village square.  One is again spotted later, but no one is quite sure if it was the same one seen earlier—or are here now two of them?

No one is quite sure where they’ve come from—as there is no zoo nearby and circuses were banned years ago.  Then there is a startling discovery.  One-by-one, these French villagers are being transformed into rhinos.

Ridiculous, you say?  Of course.  This is theatre-of-the-absurd. 

But Ionesco is making a very serious point about conformity versus individuality.

The current production directed by Jill Jeffrey has moved the play to America…and it doesn’t always work.  After all, there are characters named Papillion, Jean, Botard and Beouf…and the opening scene in the church square feels very European.

There are some highlights.

Mark Yochum nearly steals the show as Jean, the best friend of the main character Berenger.  Yochum has a strong stage presence and a voice that fills the Peter Mills Theatre with his crisp diction.  He plays the fastidiousness of Jean to a “T,” and then he does a full 180 degree turn in Act Two when Jean is slowly transformed into a rhinoceros!

Another stand-out is Eric Matthews as the Logician.  With his ever present pipe in hand, he spouts all sorts of silly syllogisms…and spouts them brilliantly.

Chris Sullivan is hysterically funny as the peevish Mr. Botard.  Not only does he have “the look” down pat—he’s also got the perfect voice and mannerisms.  Sullivan glibly smokes a cigarette as he eschews sarcasms left and right.

TJ Fierno’s highly serviceable set easily adapts to fit the four different locations of the play.  Scenes changes are covered by showing National Geographic footage of rhinos.  Sadly though, the scene changes are over long before the film segments end…and it makes the scene change breaks longer than they have to be.  And at 2 hours and 40 minutes, this show is already too long.

The crowd sequences in the opening scene have the potential to be much funnier if the cues were picked up. 

Pacing is a problem throughout the production. 

Overall, the entire production has potential, but the old directorial adage of “Louder, faster, funnier” should be applied here.

Rhinoceros runs through July 22.

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