Energetic, dynamic, intense and larger-than-life – am I describing Yasmin Sidhwar or her youth company’s latest production, Rhinoceros? Well, both.
First performed in 1959, Rhinoceros tells the story of a small French town in which, one by one, all the human inhabitants are transformed into rhinoceroses – apart from a single lone individual, Berenger, who resists the urge and pressure to conform and transform, and instead maintains his humanity and integrity.Originally an allegory understood to be used by Ionesco to explore the rise of Nazism and Fascism in
Yasmin has adapted and compressed Ionesco’s three act play into a vibrant fast-paced 50-minute piece. Her big vision and creative drive bring the play to life in a succession of scenes reinforced and punctuated by physical theatre, which is used for scene-setting and scene-shifting: a whirl of people, tables and chairs swirling and twirling, cart wheeling and pirouetting, over other people, tables and chairs.
The production buzzes with life and humour, from the slick slapstick clowning of two neighbours tying themselves in knots trying to put on the same two coats at the same time, or the wry visual black humour of the CPR, death and funeral procession of a rhino-trodden toy pet cat, to some clever verbal drollery.The text was workshopped in an intensive two and a half weeks of rehearsal by the young cast, who modernised the thought and language, with the result that it all felt thoroughly topical, with references to “fake news”, “follow the science”, phrases like “comfortable in my own skin”, and snatches of DJ Shadow.
Initially, the “rhinocerisation” is presented as an ominous off-stage threat (a small vociferous fringe minority), by unnerving grunting and roaring sounds.The young actors rose impressively to the challenge of representing the beasts when they finally started to make appearances onstage, each bringing their own ingenious unique interpretation and character to the physical motion, but when together all moving in unison, in rhythm, underlining physically the conformity and herd mentality of a mass movement once it has gained pace.Praise is due to Marie-Louise Flexen as movement choreographer for her superb work here.
The production was followed by one of the most enthusiastic and animated Q&A sessions I have attended in a theatre.The audience was buzzing with questions and comments, different people seeing and interpreting the play through a different lens. There was discussion on topics as diverse as racism, the Covid pandemic, LGBTQ and trans rights, the manipulation of the news, freedom of speech, Trumpism, Brexit, and even LTNs!Working on this play will have given the ten young people (aged 16-25 from ethnically and socioeconomically diverse backgrounds) in Mandala Young Company – as well as their audiences - an invaluable education in examining the psychology, philosophy, morality and personal and interpersonal dynamics of responding to shifting power balances and pressures in society.