The inspiration for the performance of ‘UBU based on Alfred Jarry’ was taken from the cycle of pieces written by Alfred Jarry devoted to the creature of Father Ubu. Text of ‘Almanac of Father Ubu’ and never translated into Polish ‘Ubu Cuckold’ were taken into special consideration.

Alfred Jarry was one of precursors of the XX century art, specially in forms being a mixture of grotesque and surrealism.

The creators of the performance were faithful to the spirit of Jarry. Following one of Jarrie’s manifest - ‘The needless of theatre in the theatre’ they decided not to create a traditional performance with ‘so called’ action, characters and stage design etc.

Instead – in front of viewers’ eyes there takes place a coronation of King Ubu, a disgraceful Ubu’s escape from the Russian, multiplication of multi-sided figures, driving people into a pile, father Ubu’s recollections, getting out human brain, discussions with conscience and Ubu’s rule as the minister of finances in Paris- all that will take place in a design made of very simple material like wood and paper. Banal music played in a crude way on the piano and psychoacoustic sounds also reflect the intention of situating the performance in a coarse environment.

The spirit of anarchy – as a patron of Jarry - is present in the performance which creates quite real and courageous world where everything is ‘other way round’.

King Ubu is a very lively and actual performance ! It was planned for a concrete, but unambiguous contact with audience. Briefly put – the audience was supposed to burst out laughing every few seconds. The laugh which was supposed to be derived from throats of shocked connessairs by force and the laugh of initiated part of audience who accepts the act of killing the theatre in front of them. Now we know that this act of violence – the assassination of the theatre was derived from works of Rabelais.

Jan Gondowicz