U!-BU?

Première 1. 11. 2025, Palac Akropolis, Prague

Running time 50 minutes, no intermission.

Director, composer, co-author Matija Solce

Visual designer, set and costume designer Larisa Kazić

Author of concluding song Zatrubte prdelí v tubu Filip Šebšajevič

Lighting designer Matija Solce, Larisa Kazić

Puppet builder Polona Černe

Set and prop makers Sandra Birjukov, Polona Černe, Larisa Kazić

Cast Filip Šebšajevič, Tines Špik, Miha Arh, Miha Razdrih, Matija Solce

Financial support Ministry of Culture Republic of Slovenia, City of Ljubljana

Matija Solce’s project, a cabaret based on motifs from Alfred Jarry's famous epic, brings together musicians, puppeteers, and actors at the intersection of political theatre, theatre of objects, grotesque merdre-opere`a, and Dadaist concert. King Ubu needs no contemporizing, its resonance is universal as it grotesquely exposes the ever-present immoral, depraved, hypocritical, cowardly, servile, and greedy self-proclaimed "kings". Unlike the controversial drama that caused an outrage in late-19th century France, new production employs words as sound impulses, markers, and at the same time deconstructors of the text, which tends to suddenly transmute into barking, music, a fart symphony or a poetic mass execution. We are drawn into the world of UBU-ism, pataphysics, and ironic social criticism by a quintet of “Dadaismers” who, with a few toilet brushes, mime puppets, drums, a keyboard, a bass, three bu`s, and two bellies, verbalize and perform what we all aspire towards today: to be in the service of an idiot. Eccentric and dynamic cabaret will gently and undemocratically persuade the audience of its solely valid point of view.