THE RHINOCEROS AND THE REGIME POSTHUMAN BODIES ON STAGE AND SCREEN Cover Image

THE RHINOCEROS AND THE REGIME POSTHUMAN BODIES ON STAGE AND SCREEN
THE RHINOCEROS AND THE REGIME POSTHUMAN BODIES ON STAGE AND SCREEN

Author(s): Alina Gabriela Mihalache
Subject(s): Theatre, Dance, Performing Arts, Romanian Literature
Published by: Studia Universitatis Babes-Bolyai
Keywords: posthumanism; performative body; postdramatic theatre; Eugène Ionesco; Rhinoceros;

Summary/Abstract: Ever since its first representation on stage, Ionesco's play Rhinoceros became a mirror to the anxieties haunting the societies that it was held up to. Back in the 1960s, it would symbolize (Neo-)Fascism and Far-Right dangers in the Western countries, while subversively pointing at Communism and Far-Left ideologies in the Central-East European cultures. The text's versatility was highly praised by the literary and theatrical criticism, and allowed for its re-enactment in shows and films produced over the globe, in the most diverse social-political contexts. This study aims to revisit some of the first play stagings from the current perspective of post-theatre, pointing out how the early post-War productions are contributing to rewriting of the performative code in the language of posthumanism and post-drama.

  • Issue Year: 68/2023
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 87-102
  • Page Count: 16
  • Language: English