Ubu the Turd King

Blogging Alfred Jarry's Ubu Roi

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Ubu Roi: The story

These images are from a production of Ubu Roi staged at Rhodes College's McCoy Theatre in the Spring of 2006.


Mama Ubu tells Papa Ubu he should kill the royal family and assume the crown of Po-Land. Papa Ubu, having been honored by the king is not so sure. But Mama Ubu promises tempting rewards: An umbrella, and a "great big cloak.


Ubu then seduces Bordure, the Captain of the Guard...

Bordure agrees to join in on the plot. Mama Helps.
The King, unaware of Papa Ubu's plot, makes Ubu Count of Sandomir, and invites him to stand in the royal presence during troop inspection.

The King's family is suspicious of Papa Ubu and to defy them all he announces his intentions of attending the parade unarmed.

Idiot Princes Boleslas, and Ladislas (who the king only uses as furniture) are invited, but young Bougrelas, (having called Ubu an ass) is forced to stay behind.

As is the queen...


The King loves and trusts Ubu...

That's his mistake...

Ubu has a plan to tread on the king's toes.

The conspirators agree to fall upon the king when Ubu calls out, "Shitter!."
The plan works like a charm...

After killing the King, Boleslas, and Ladislas, Ubu's minions chase the Queen and Bougrelas to a cave in the wilderness. The Queen-- who has suffered too many blows--- dies of a broken heart.
Bougrelas is visited by the zombie-ghosts of his ancestors, given a sword, and charged with reigning down vengence on Papa Ubu.

Ubu gives away a lot of money to make the citizens of Po-Land happy. He even gets some poor folks to race.

Giving away money gets the gassy Ubu in good with the Po-Landers, but following the feast and the orgy he decides-- to Mama Ubu's consternation-- to have Bordure thrown in prison.

Ubu kills all the nobles and takes their land and money.

He kills the magistrates and rewrites the law. He kills the financiers and revises the tax codes.
He kills the poor and takes everything they have.
But Bordure isn't just rotting away in jail.

He escapes, and enlists the aid of the Russian Czar...


Who he convinces to invade Po-Land, in order to overthrow Ubu and re-establish Bougrelas.

The Czar agrees to help.
Meanwhile, Ubu consults with his closest advisors who appear to be a hooker and a clown.

Knowing the worst is at hand they declare war on Bougrelas and the Russians.


Ubu leaves Mama Ubu in charge of the Regency, and rides off to war on his phynancial horse.
Mama Ubu seduces her guard, the Palotin Girone.


They plan to rob the treasure burried near the crypt of the ancient kings...
But Bougrelas has rallied the poles...

who rebel...

Girone kills the rebels...
but Bougrelas kills Girone, and chases that "Horrible Hellbag" Mama Ubu away.

The body count is growing.

Mama Ubu tries to steal the treasure, but is run off by ghosts.

Papa Ubu and his troops march into Russian territory. Exhausted Ubu plans to build a "wind carriage."

The Russians attack Papa Ubu and his men who take shelter in a windmill.

It "rains lead and iron."
Ubu says, "Run for it."
But the Russian army destroys the Ubists.

Ubu and his Palotins flee to a cave in the wilderness...Where they are attacked by a bear.

The Palotines run away from Papa Ubu who is discovered alone by Mama Ubu. Bougrelas catches them both and tries to kill them But the Palotins return, and the Ubus escape.

The Ubus and their remaining followers take a boat to France. The End.

Our Ubu was performed with limited props, and without any set changes. Scenes, and some stage directions were announced by a character we invented called The Whole Polish Media--- who was just a head.

Video clip here.

Anyone who wants prints can go here.