What the rhinoceros saw when it looked over to the other side of the fence.

The animals in the zoo lead a pleasant life. Kind visitors on the weekends, plenty of space to roam, and top-notch food conditions. No one can complain.

However, a newcomer seems to disturb the supposed harmony. A bear is delivered from his distant homeland of Siberia. And he neither participates in showing off nor in entertaining the children. He prefers to stick his nose into matters that, according to Papa Baboon, do not concern him. Most devastatingly, he looks over to the other side of the fence. And what he sees there sends shivers down his spine...

Jens Raschke has created a piece with his rhinoceros that is unlike few others. Without being preachy or frightening, it illuminates human behavior in the face of injustice as a theatrical fable. It raises questions about civil courage, bravery, and ignorance. The multiple award-winning work is one of the most performed pieces for young audiences in the German-speaking world, and its themes are more relevant than ever.

FOR AN AUDIENCE AGED 13 AND UP, THE PLAY TELLS THE FOLLOWING:

Imagine a black-and-white photo zoo. Some animals frolic happily and well-fed in their enclosures. Surrounding them are people. Some have shiny polished boots, while others wear stripes on their clothing. Some are free, while others are trapped.

For the animals in the zoo, this has become everyday life. But then a newcomer arrives who does not simply accept what is happening on the other side of the fence.

The zoo where Jens Raschke's rhinoceros finds its setting existed in reality next to the Buchenwald concentration camp. In the memorial year 2025, we will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the liberation of thousands of persecuted individuals from the inhumane systems of National Socialism. When examining the reality and historical context of the rhinoceros, the fable that raises questions about civil courage and the dominance of opinion transforms into a poignant yet hopeful story about right and wrong.