In these days of at least implied censorship, Eugene Ionesco’s play Rhinoceros has had an almost predictable number of revivals.  The rhinos are currently stampeding through Cambridge courtesy of the American Repertory Theater’s revival, led by John Turturro and Paul Giamatti.  The play deals with people in a small French town who notice that residents are transforming into rhinos.  What does it mean?  Is it bad?  Is it even happening?  Do the beasts have one horn or two?  Are they Asian or African?  What color are they?  As the rhinos multiply, many neighbors willingly join them to conform.  Some do it out of pressure.  Some do it because it’s the path of least resistance.  Of course, the play was written in 1959 as a response to fascism.  Needless to say, it resonates today – and this particular edition highlights things such as doubting the press.  Giamatti pulls out all the stops in his transformation scene – which is accomplished by his skill as an actor and some audio enhancement.  Kristine Nielsen threatens to steal the show in her woefully brief moments onstage.  A very talented and sexy Alex Ross straddles the line – and then takes off his shirt, which brought to mind thoughts of him straddling something more immediate.  But ultimately it is Turturro who holds the whole show together with a touching, desperate, and insightful portrayal of a man alone against the world – with an undefined outcome.  The production, directed with aplomb by Diane Paulus, runs through September 27^th.  Get more info at AmericanRepertoryTheater.org.

Meanwhile in the MAGA-sphere, a curious-looking lad with a curious connection has been turning up in the news.  Michael Alfonso has the most manicured eyebrows this side of George Santos.  The fact that he’s 26 years old and married to a woman named Evita makes him even more curious.  His wife is the spawn of reality royalty Sean Duffy and Rachel Campos.  Evita Duffy?  Really?  Whose bright idea was that?  I’m guessing Rachel, who has roots in Mexico and Spain – a far cry from a Peronista background.  But maybe she liked the musical!  Anyway, Evita marries Alfonso and takes him for better or worse…eyebrows.  Trump called Alfonso a “MAGA Warrior” while endorsing him to take over Sean’s former Congressional seat in Wisconsin.  Alfonso won the primary.  When his youth and lack of experience were brought up as reasons he should run for a lower office, someone close to the campaign said, “Anything less than Congress is beneath Sean and Rachel’s paygrade.”  Which begs the question, what is Rachel’s paygrade?  I supported her three attempts to join The View, but that doesn’t really count as a job.  To help his chances, Evita is using the last name Duffy-Alfonso (mom is a Campos-Duffy).