61. Maribor Theatre Festival: U!-BU?

Accompanying Programme

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-operetta and a Dadaist concert. King Ubu needs no contemporising, 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-nineteenth-century France, the 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 butts and two bellies, verbalise and perform what we all aspire towards today: to be in the service of an idiot. This eccentric and dynamic cabaret will gently and undemocratically persuade the audience of its solely valid point of view.

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