Cluj-Napoca National Theatre announces the premiere of UbuSlammer!, adaptation by Gábor Tompa based on Ubu in Chains and other texts by Alfred Jarry, translation: Romulus Vulpescu, which will take place on the Main Stage, Tuesday, 9 June 2015, at 7 pm. Director: Gábor Tompa, set designer: Carmencita Brojboiu, choreography: Vava Ștefănescu, music: Ada Milea, costume assistant: Ilona Lőrincz, lights: Jenel Moldovan, sets designed at the Altax Shops SRL Bucharest. The cast comprises the actors: Marian Râlea, Anca Hanu, Dan Chiorean, Silvius Iorga, Alexandra Tarce, Cătălin Herlo, Radu Lărgeanu, Miron Maxim, Cristian Rigman, Irina Wintze, Elena Ivanca, Angelica Nicoară, Ionuț Caras, Cornel Răileanu, Cristian Grosu, Dragoș Pop, Adrian Cucu, Sânziana Tarța, Gigi Iordache. Live orchestra: Mihnea Blidariu, Zoltan Reman, Ioan Macavei.
Precursor of Surrealism, Alfred Jarry (1873-1907) wrote in ten years the six plays revolving around the main character Père Ubu: in 1891 - Ubu Roi, in 1896 - Paralipomènes d’Ubu, in 1899 and 1901 - Almanach illustré du Père Ubu, in 1897 - Ubu cocu, in 1900 - Ubu enchaîné [Ubu in Chains] and in 1901 - Ubu sur la colline. He created a personal and explosive humor through the language of mister Ubu and the new "science" he invented: "pataphysics". The characteristic traits of Jarry’s character are dominated by a monstrous greed for women, booze, money, power, all sought after with great cowardice and a despotism aimed primarily at the weak.
In Gábor Tompa’s production, among other characters from Ubu in Chains, - the basis for the script -, the playwright himself appears, delivering the speech given on the occasion of the opening of Ubu Roi as well as the text written for the program at the time. Ubu’s dramatic figure contains in itself all the attributes of the theatre of cruelty, developed thirty years later by Artaud. Ubu and his Wife cause chaos and disorder and the amorphous crowd, living as paradisiac slaves, will never get the chance to exercise their freedom. Jarry’s play is overwhelmingly fresh, gaining more meaning in a paradigm of confiscated power, all under the attentive look of ever new "types" of politicians which empty all values, the result being a real debraining, as Mr. Ubu would put it. The two Ubus, killed in rage and buried at the Monstre-Martre cemetery, will come to life, re-entering the story (again and again). Mr. and Mrs. Ubu, "secluded" in jail, a place which is more safe and comfortable - as the old saying goes: "Today in power, tomorrow in jail" - will lead their army of convicts from there, all on the music created by Ada Milea which will accompany the deeds of those caught in the swirl of events. And when the victims begin to praise their oppressors, they provoke not pity, but laughter.
