Overview
Synopsis
Ubu Roi is Alfred Jarry’s offensive foray into experimentalism, using caricature and parodying Shakespeare to create a surrealist examination of power and greed. Papa Ubu is a poor Captain of the Dragoons, serving King Wenceslas of Poland. Obsessed with food and money, he is easily convinced by Mama Ubu to kill the king and take the throne. Papa Ubu enlists the help of another Captain (and his lackeys), and together they publicly kill the king. Once Papa Ubu takes the throne, he realizes he wants more and his greed is insatiable. But the murdered king’s son Bougerlas is returning to avenge his father, forcing Papa Ubu to again prepare for battle. Filled with Shakespearean allusions, offensive phrases, and symbolist images, Ubu Roi is a fundamental play of the dramatic canon.
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Context
Within the first 15 minutes of its first performance, Alfred Jarry’s Ubu Roi had so enraged the audience that the show had to be paused. When the dust of the small riot settled, the production resumed--although the audience continued to boo and shout--and that performance of Ubu Roi proved to be the only live performance during Jarry’s lifetime.
Ubu Roi is a symbolist parody of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, in which Papa Ubu (poor and lowly) is manipulated by his wife to kill the king and
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Act One
In Poland, Papa Ubu declares that he is happy, even though he was once the king of Aragon, and now he is demoted to the Captain of the Dragoons. Mama Ubu scoffs at him, and demands that he have more ambition--namely, to kill King Wenceslas, his family, and take the crown of Poland. Papa Ubu states that he would rather be poor and good than rich and wicked. After he storms out, Mama Ubu muses that she has inspired him, and may be Queen of Poland within a week.
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Character Portrayals
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Guide Written By:
Cindi Calhoun
Theatre teacher, director, writer, and seamstress