Rhinoceros by Phoenixville Area High School in Phoenixville, PA
December 14, 2021
Review submitted by Aiden Kaliner of Harriton High School
Phoenixville Area High School displayed a world where rhinoceroses roam the streets of … Paris, France? The PAHS Theatre Guild’s outlandish production of Rhinoceros serves as a warning of fascist ideals in modern-day times.
Eugene Ionesco’s Rhinoceros, written in 1959, is categorized as “Theatre of the Absurd,” exhibiting that nothing in the playwright’s world makes any sense. In Rhinoceros, one by one, characters begin to metamorphosize into rhinoceroses, allegorically representing the uprise of fascism, Nazism, and communism, in France during and after World War II. As the play progresses, less and less characters resist the transformation until there is one left — the last-standing human.
The production was brought to life by the roaring ensemble. From hilarity to tragedy, each actor imbued meaning and characterization to minute, featured roles. Notably, the firemen ensemble added a snarky, memorable moment to the play when the office workers escaped a stair-less office building (the stairs being destroyed by a rhinoceros). During the scene changes, though a bit lengthy, the ensemble of rhinoceroses meandered through aisles and interacted with audience members, making the play an immersive and enjoyable experience.
Braydn Strzelecki as Berenger exceptionally carried the weight of absurdity on his shoulders. Given the demanding nature of the role, Strzelecki’s stamina and thorough preparation was evident. Although some delivery was repetitive, his improvisational moments were hilarious. His heightened emotions effectively contrasted the rather mellow rhinoceros ensemble, allowing the audience to grasp the message of the play. Alongside Strzelecki, Claire Meachen (Daisy) skillfully added a genuine air to her role. Her physicality and dedication, even while not the main focus of the scene, drew in the audience. Most importantly, Meachen’s strong character development, as Daisy capitulates to the rhinos, commanded the last scene.
Among the supporting cast, John Cox as Jean had stand-out moments. As the first to transform into a rhinoceros in front of the audience, Cox realistically portrayed the descent into madness and established the night-marish atmosphere of the second act. Additionally, Piper Cannon (Botard) commanded the stage with their portrayal of Berenger’s cynical co-worker. Their calm demeanor and enunciation were consequential to understanding the absurd, fast-paced plot.
Notably, the lighting design by Zachary Rosenfeld, thoughtfully added to the absurdity. Through the use of red and green lights, the mood effectively shifted from normalcy to lunacy. Considering the complicated scene changes, the PAHS Stage Crew effectively transformed the enormous set each time.
Phoenixville Area High School’s Rhinoceros literally tackled humanity’s willingness and eagerness to conform to the antithesis of moral ideals, ignorance, and the audience’s perceptions of the truth through Ionesco’s chilling yet insightful allegory.
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Review submitted by Pauline Hartman of Archmere Academy
When a society begins to mindlessly conform to radical ideologies, what happens? The people turn into rhinoceros of course!
When one individual refuses to submit to these ideologies, thinking with his own mind and expressing his own beliefs, what happens? The rhinoceroses consider him an enemy and look like “they want to lower their head and charge” as playwright Ionesco once wrote. Rhinoceros, the difficult and mature play performed brilliantly by Phoenixville Area High School, will have you wondering if the mindless conformity to the ideologies of the 1940s is still present today.
Written in 1959 by absurdist playwright Eugene Ionesco, Rhinoceros is rooted in Ionesco’s personal experience, as he watched the world he knew be taken over by fascism, communism, and socialism. An ever-present theme in Rhinoceros, the Theatre of the Absurd movement is less concerned with the plot of a show but rather highlights the issues of the human condition. Put simply, the play follows the privileged man Berenger, and, as each of his companions turn into rhinoceroses, he is faced with the true challenge of choosing self-expression versus the mindless conformity.
With such a difficult play at hand, the leads handled the demanding acting well. Braydn Strzelecki as Berenger handled the most difficult role with ease. His comedic timing was excellent, his emotional transitions were seamless, and his improvisation skills in act two were spectacular. His love interest, Daisy, played by Claire Meachen, showcased similar skills. Meachen brought to life the complex relationship the two had with her commanding presence and her excellent emotional range.
The ensemble members were fantastic storytellers and committed to their individual roles. Specifically, John Cox as Jean and Matthew Wosczyna as Dudard had commanding stage presence in their individual scenes with Berenger. Similarly, Piper Cannon as Botard took on the role with power, bringing out the powerful thoughts the character represented to the audience. Body language was extremely important with the actors wearing masks, however, conversation still ran fluently and small microphone issues were resolved by act two.
The set paintings were alluring, a compliment to student Matt Nice, as they encapsulated the beautiful French society before being destroyed by conformity. Scene changes were difficult, as the scenes were completely different locations and the sets were so complicated. While a little timely in length, Assistant Stage Manager Mikayla DePompeo carried out the changes well.
Not only does Rhinoceros bring thought-evoking ideas to the table, but also the impressive acting and comedic skills the actors of Phoenixville Area High School brought to life, the play generates the willpower to think for oneself and think more carefully about what you consider truth.
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