Unearthing the Absurd: The Complete Guide to “Ubu” by Adam Szymkowicz (PDF & Play Analysis)
Over the last century, Ubu has become an archetypal character, reimagined by countless playwrights to reflect the political anxieties of their specific eras.
The Ensemble:
Szymkowicz’s plays often utilize a highly active ensemble to play various citizens, soldiers, and victims. This makes it an excellent ensemble-building piece for schools and community theaters. Directorial Style
- Flexible set: minimal or suggestive scenery works well, enabling fast scene changes and physical comedy.
- Casting: actors who can sustain high-energy farce and switch rapidly to subtle comic timing.
- Design: exaggerated costumes and props amplify grotesque caricature; projections or multimedia can update the satire to the present day.
Adam Szymkowicz’s Ubu is a 2019 short solo play that reimagines Alfred Jarry’s Ubu Roi as a modern, grotesque, and capitalistic CEO. The play explores themes of absolute power, greed, and childhood trauma, often performed as an immersive, kinetic experience with intense audience interaction. Read the full story at Time Out New York . ubu: a short solo play by Adam Szymkowicz | Goodreads