A metaphor for the rise of fascism

Rhinoceros, Exeter Northcott, Thursday 26th to Saturday 28th November, 7.30pm

Animal instincts take over the Northcott Community Company when it performs Eugène Ionesco’s play Rhinoceros from Thursday 26 to Saturday 28 November.

In a small French town, two bureaucrats bicker about their mundane every lives. But after a series of strange encounters on the usually peaceful streets, it becomes apparent their fellow citizens are turning, quite literally, into rhinos.

Comic and unsettling in equal measure, Rhinoceros is widely regarded as Ionesco’s masterpiece, and one of the classic works of 20th century theatre.

First performed in Paris in 1959, this indictment of the mob mentality was  originally written as a metaphor for the rise of fascism in the 1930s.

Rhinoceros is the latest in a series of challenging plays tackled by the Northcott Community Company, and builds of the success of last year’s production of Sarah Kane’s Crave.

Director Polly Agg-Manning said: “This is a beast of a play, and it’s a real challenge for myself and the company. It’s not just about the performances, it’s about the whole process – putting the play into context and discovering how relevant it is now.”

Newton St. Cyres resident Jay Kerry, who plays Bérenger, added; “I did the first Northcott Young Company production, The Wind In The Willows, in 1999. Recently I’ve wanted to get involved in acting again. I love the play, and I’ve always wanted to play Bérenger since I read it some years ago.”

The Northcott Community Company was formed in 2003, and gives local people aged 20 years or older the chance to work with professional theatre practitioners, including directors, designers and stage managers, in a professional theatre environment. Its work is led by Polly Agg-Manning, Exeter Northcott’s Creative Learning Manager.

Listings Information
Venue: Exeter Northcott, Stocker Road, Exeter
Date: Thursday 26 to Saturday 28 November
Time: 7.30pm
Tickets: £10, £5 concessions
Box Office: 01392 493493
Website: www.exeternorthcott.co.uk

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