Rhinoceros
By Eugène Ionesco, Translated and Directed by Omar Elerian
Event details
Tue 25 Mar - Sat 26 Apr 2025
Many performances are currently sold out or have limited availability, but you might still be able to get tickets, check our ticket guide >
Featured in The Guardian’s best theatre to see in 2025
Who knows what is good and what is evil? You’re only concerned with yourself. That’s the truth. But you’ll never really become a rhinoceros… you haven’t got the chops!
A provincial town in France.
Jean meets his friend Berenger for a drink, but things take an unexpected turn when a rhinoceros charges through the town square. After all, there are no rhinoceroses in France, right?
Suddenly, one by one the townspeople are transforming into the thing they first feared. An epidemic has taken hold and rhinoceritis is spreading like wildfire, until there are almost no human beings left.
Following his ★★★★★ (The Telegraph) production of The Chairs, Omar Elerian directs BAFTA nominee Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù (Gangs of London; His House) in his new version of Eugène Ionesco’s absurdist satire about resisting conformity and holding onto what’s left of our humanity as we resist the rumbling power of the herd.
Evenings 7.30pm
Matinees 2pm
Content Warnings Read more about our production guidance and warnings>
How to get tickets
Many performances are currently sold out or have limited availability, but you might still be able to get tickets.
Cast & Creatives
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Cast
John Biddle
Hayley Carmichael
Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù
Paul Hunter
Anoushka Lucas
Joshua McGuire
Sophie Steer
Alan Williams
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Creatives
Eugène Ionesco
Writer
Omar Elerian
Translator and Director
Ana Inés Jabares-Pita
Set and Costume Designer
Jackie Shemesh
Lighting Designer
Elena Peña
Sound Designer
Toby Sedgwick
Movement Director
John Biddle
Musical Director
Amy Ball CDGAmy Ball CDG
Casting Director
Amy Ball CDG
For the Almeida: The Years; Alma Mater; Cold War; Portia Coughlan; Women, Beware the Devil; “Daddy” A Melodrama; Albion; The Hunt; Shipwreck; Dance Nation; Boy.
Theatre includes: Hamnet (RSC); Lyonesse; The Hills of California; Jerusalem; Leopoldstadt; Uncle Vanya; Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf; The Night of Iguana; Rosmersholm; True West; The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?; The Pillowman (West End); The Son (Kiln Theatre/ West End); Sweat (Donmar Warehouse/ West End); The Ferryman (Royal Court/ Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre/ West End); The Moderate Soprano (Hampstead Theatre/ West End); The Birthday Party; Consent (National Theatre/ West End); Hangmen (Royal Court/ West End/ Atlantic Theater Company); Berberian Sound Studio (Donmar Warehouse); Stories; Exit the King (National Theatre); White Noise; A Very Very Very Dark Matter (Bridge Theatre); The Brothers Size (Young Vic); Maryland; ear for eye; Girls & Boys; Cyprus Avenue (Royal Court).
Peter ToddPeter Todd
Costume Supervisor
Peter Todd
For the Almeida: Portia Coughlan; Women, Beware the Devil; “Daddy” A Melodrama; The Hunt.
Theatre and Dance includes:
As Costume Designer: Double Murder (Hofesh Shechter Company); Voices and Light Footsteps; Chacony (Richard Alston Dance Company); The Waiting Game (Ballet Black); The Snow Queen; Hansel and Gretel; Alice in Winterland (Rose Theatre Kingston); Frankenstein (Aquilla Theatre).
As Costume Supervisor: Il trovatore; The Rape of Lucretia; La traviata; Salome (Royal Opera House); The Lost Thing (Candoco/ Royal Opera House); Dante Project; Flight Pattern; Unearthed; Don Quixote (The Royal Ballet); Lest We Forget; Le Corsaire (English National Ballet); Stories; As You Like It (National Theatre); Julius Caesar (Bridge Theatre); Prisoner of the State; Dead Man Walking (Barbican); People, Places and Things (Headlong); A Pacifist’s Guide to the War on Cancer (Complicité).
Georgia Murphy
Associate Director
Anna Kelsey
Design Assistant
Aija Pozemkovska
Design Placement
Access Performances
Audio Described Sat 19 Apr 2pm (Touch Tour 12pm)
Captioned Tue 22 Apr 7.30pm
Dementia Friendly Wed 23 Apr 2pm
Relaxed Environment Wed 23 Apr 7.30pm
Concessions
All concession tickets are limited and subject to availability. Proof of eligibility is required. Concessions in the final week of performances are only valid on access performances or for Deaf and disabled bookings. More info
Deaf and disabled patrons and a companion can buy discounted tickets by calling the Box Office on 020 7359 4404 or email boxoffice@almeida.co.uk.
£5 tickets will be available to those aged 25 and under for performances from Tue 25 – Mon 31 Mar. Enter code 25UNDER when selecting your seats. Tickets are limited to two per booker and go on sale at 5pm on Thu 6 Mar. More info
If you are aged 30 or under, over 65 or are unemployed you can book tickets at a discounted rate. Not applicable on Fri or Sat evenings.
If you live or work in the Islington area you can book best available seats for £25 for performances from Tue 25 – Mon 31 Mar and Wed 2 Apr subject to availability. Enter promo code ISFIRST when selecting your seats. Find applicable postcodes here.
Talks & Events
Talkback
After Thu 17 Apr performance
A post-show talk with members of the company. Free to same-day ticket holders.
Almeida For Free
Thu 10 Apr 7.30pm
A free performance for those aged 25 and under. Sign up to our emails for Tickets & Events for 16-25s to be notified when tickets are available.
Supporters
Rhinoceros is generously supported by Dianne Roberts.
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Artwork photography by Andy Gotts. Concept by Studio Doug.