Eugène Ionesco, a leading playwright of the Theatre of the Absurd, masterfully depicts the solitude and insignificance of human existence. His works ridicule the most banal situations, using them as a tangible means to explore profound existential themes. Ionesco's writing delves into the paradoxes of modern life, questioning conventional forms of expression. He expertly employs language to expose the chasm between words and reality.
First produced in 1963 starring Alec Guinness and successfully revived to great acclaim on Broadway in 2009, this absurdist exploration of ego and mortality is set in the crumbling throne-room of the palace in an unnamed country where King Berenger the First has only the duration of the play to live.-3 women, 3 men
While each play in the Berenger cycle is unique, they are all prime examples of Ionesco's conception of the theatre of the absurd, and touch on themes that preoccupied Ionesco throughout his career, such as mortality, alienation, freedom and the evils of Fascism.
A collection of three modern plays by the master of the absurd and member of the French Academy.
In a house on an island a very old couple pass their time with private games and half-remembered stories. With brilliant eccentricity, Ionesco's 'tragic farce' combines a comic portrait of human folly with a magical experiment in theatrical possibilities.