WHAT: “Ubu the King,” written by Alfred Jarry.
WHEN: November 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 15, and 16 at 8 p.m., and
November 4, 10, 11, and 17 at 2p.m.
WHERE: Edison Theatre, California State University, Dominguez Hills University, 1000 E. Victoria St., Carson, CA 90747.
Click here for directions and a printable campus map.
TICKETS: $18 for general admission, and $13 for students and senior citizens. For tickets visit www.csudh.edu/theatre/tickets. The play is intended for a mature audience. It includes strong language and adult material. Performance will also feature strobe and smoke effects.
(Carson, Calif.) “Ubu the King,” the satirical spoof by Alfred Jarry that dramatically influenced the avant-garde movement and playwrights of the “Theatre of the Absurd,” will run at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) for multiple dates in November 2018, with its opening on Friday, Nov. 2 at 8 p.m.
Produced by CSUDH’s Department of Theatre and Dance and directed by theatre arts lecturer Naomi Buckley, “Ubu the King” (Ubu Roi) is considered a wild, bizarre, and comedic play that is significant for the way it overturns cultural rules, norms, and conventions. The play is considered to be the first break with bourgeois tradition, and celebrated for its influence on the avant-garde movements of Dada, Surrealism, and Futurism.
“Though the play is now over 100 years old, Ubu resonates as much today as it did in 1896. Its indictment of narcissistic tyrants and their cult of personality draws a potent corollary to today’s social and political environment,” said Buckley. “Both satirical and wildly offensive, Ubu the King offers insight into our current tribal milieu and the absurd outcomes such environments breed.”
When it first opened in Paris in late 1896, “Ubu the King” immediately outraged audiences with its scatological references and surrealist style. Spectators rioted during the premiere (and final) performance and unrelenting controversy over the play’s meaning followed, but the quality and stunning impact of the work was never questioned.
“Ubu the King” is intended for a mature audience. Tickets are $18 for general admission, and $13 for students and senior citizens. Group rates are available. For more information or to purchase tickets online visit www.csudh.edu/theatre/tickets. For other payment options, call the box office at (310) 243-3589.
Parking is located near the CSUDH University Theatre Complex in Lots 3 or 6. Daily visitor parking permits are $8 and can be purchased at kiosk machines located in each lot. For a campus map, visit www.csudh.edu/campus-map-directions/.
For more information about the CSUDH Theatre and Dance program, contact the theatre office at (310) 243-3588 or visit www.csudh.edu/theatre-arts/.
