Theater Reviews

Oct 4, 2009 - Nevada Rep's "Ubu the King" is a vulgar and furious send-up of temper tantrums and senility

By Jack Neal

Alfred Jarry’s malicious satire, “Ubu the King,” created out of hatred for his physics teacher circa 1896, is being given an anarchic presentation by the young actors associated with the Nevada Repertory Company. The play, which caused a riot when first presented, still has bite. I suppose hats off to University of Nevada, Reno director Robert Gander for having the courage to present the play. Whether or not the play has enough merit to warrant a production is in the eye of the beholder.

From my corner, it came off as a thoroughly boring 90 minutes of flatulence, belching, scatological humor (an oxymoron no doubt), vulgar words and disgusting images. The most disturbing for me is the production’s waste of food. I was asked if I would throw a tomato at Ubu. I preferred not, and did not. In a world plagued by hunger, including vast numbers of children and adults in the United States, are on-stage food fights (or off-stage food fights for that matter) moral? I think not.

Two members of the audience the night I saw the play (10/3/09) protested. One made an impassioned speech about being bombarded with crudity, but it was the laughter over war that brought about what appeared to be her sincere anguish. “How can you make fun of war, when the United States is in so much trouble and we are committing young people to die?” That was the general gist of her comments. “Stay away from me,” was her admonition to a cast member who seemed to want to deflect her outburst. “Don’t touch me.” As she fled the scene her remarks were greeted by applause. Another young woman was hit in the face by a pie and left in apparent displeasure.

Another concern over the advisability of such a presentation, is the safety of the cast. A steeply raked stage constantly cluttered by food becomes a very slippery slope. Is this play worth the risk to student actors acting without pay?

Nonetheless, ‘Aukai Almeida’s demonic performance as Dad (a.k.a. King) Ubu does convey the concept of what can happen when senility meets infantilism in a second childhood. The aggression in his dreams of conquest resemble the adored public temper tantrums of toddlers. Hilary Bernius’s take on Ma Ubu, a kind of overtly sexually-propelled Lady Macbeth, has other needs and pursues them with lusty persistence, of which she seems shrewdly cast. The remainder of the cast, every one of whom appear to be having a ball every sneering inch of the way, serve as good ol’ dad’s and good ol’ ma’s victims. Even they cast off victimhood and join in the fray.

This orgy of misrule is directed by Gander like the Marquis de Sade in a candy store populated by kids and pedophiles. The costumes and makeup are right out of Charles Adams’s primer on “How to Look Frightening.” Unfortunately, Larry Walters’s blank lighting hides nothing. And last, but certainly not least, Mike Livernash’s set design is a miracle of bad taste. But, then - so is everything associated with this evening out with “Ubu the King” and his degrading collection of associates.

“Ubu the King” is presented by the Nevada Repertory Company at the Redfield Proscenium Theatre, 1664 North Virginia Street, Reno, Nevada, October 2, 3 (the performance reviewed), 7, 8, 9, 10 (2009) at 7:30 p.m. and October 11 at 1:30 p.m. For mature (or immature, but older) audiences only. Next up for Nevada Rep in November: Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet." For information call 775-784-4278.