If you have been granted rights to produce the show, DPS will provide you with a printable PDF of the acting edition for your cast.
Reviewers have described the play as a "visceral," "raucous," and "atrocious" tragicomedy.
Ubu by Adam Szymkowicz is a masterclass in how to adapt a classic text for a modern audience. It retains the shocking, hilarious, and rebellious spirit of Alfred Jarry's original while speaking directly to the political and social climate of our time.
“Shit happens,” Ubu might say. But in this play, shit is the least of your problems.
Most licensing houses offer a "perusal copy." This is a watermarked PDF sent instantly to your email so you can read the play before deciding to license it.
"Ubu Roi" is a play by Alfred Jarry, first performed in 1896. It's considered a precursor to the Theatre of the Absurd and Surrealism. The play is infamous for its crude humor, absurdity, and its use of scatological and violent themes.
If you are a director looking for a show that allows for creative, low-budget chaos (blood, confetti, weird props) or an actor wanting to dive into extreme physical comedy, "Ubu" is a gold standard of modern adaptation. It is funny, terrifying, and disgustingly human.
