Writing on the Walls: Reimagining Eugène Ionesco’s Rhinoceros

Abstract

This artist’s statement is a critical reflection on the creative process that culminated in the staging of Eugene Ionesco’s play Rhinoceros at the University of Calgary’s Reeve Theatre from November 30th to December 8th, 2019. The first chapter introduces my initial ideas and approaches to the production at the beginnings of my research, and how these ideas evolved based on my experience(s) in Greece. The second chapter contextualizes the play within my research, including Eugène Ionesco’s body of work, the contemporary social, political, and cultural framework that informed the reconceptualization, specifically Greece’s debt crisis and the resultant unrest evident in Athens’ graffiti and protest-turned-riots. The third chapter focuses on revisions, additions, and reinterpretations of the text that manifested in the production. The fourth chapter outlines the collaborative process with designers, actors, and academics moving from rehearsal to performance. The final chapter reflects on the successes, failures, lessons, and thoughts following the performance run with regard to my intended outcome for the play. In adherence to departmental guidelines the names of all undergraduate student artists involved in the creative process have been omitted from the document and are instead referred to by their title within the production, i.e., lighting designer, stage manager, etc.