Overview
- A.R.T. officially opened its production of Eugene Ionesco’s Rhinoceros on Aug. 21 at the Loeb Drama Center with John Turturro as Bérenger, Paul Giamatti as Jean, and Tatiana Maslany as Daisy.
- Reviewers praised Giamatti and Turturro for commanding, scene-stealing turns and singled out Giamatti’s Act II physical transformation as a standout piece of physical comedy.
- Diane Paulus’s direction emphasizes sound, lighting, and minimalist scenic and costume work by Riccardo Hernández and Anita Yavich to draw contemporary parallels without using explicit modern iconography.
- Critics noted the production’s power in balancing dark comedy and political resonance but said its long, dialogue-heavy scenes can slow momentum and would benefit from more visual or technical movement.
- The staging uses a streamlined version of Derek Prouse’s translation and is scheduled to run through late September, though sources differ on the exact closing date so patrons should confirm dates and tickets on A.R.T.’s website.