Shit Show. A journey fuelled by jealousy and rage into the depraved mind of the sociopath inside all of us. Be confronted, be cajoled, be afraid … be very afraid.

Based on Alfred Jarry’s symbolist classic Ubu Roi, an obscene travesty of Macbeth, Ubu Roi degrades Shakespeare in order to question conventional virtues and expose society as morally bankrupt. Ubu Roi’s graphic obscenity caused a sensation when it was first performed in 1896, but its language and content seem tame by today’s standards.

Over the past 2 months The Unconventionals have devised, deconstructed and reconstructed Jarry’s work and upped the ante, while asking themselves what makes modern audiences sit up and take notice. Our aim is to make our audience take a look at what modern society considers acceptable to laugh at. How far can we push the boundaries of comedy and decency before it becomes confronting, offensive even? Where is the line between comedy and tragedy?

Pa Ubu is on a mission to claim the crown of New Polzealand for himself, and it doesn’t matter who or what he has to degrade to get there. With the help of his henchmen and the repulsive Ma Ubu, his diabolical plan for world domination is put into action.

No one is spared, no one is safe.

Devised by the students of Theatre 302, in the School of English Film Theatre and Media Studies, Victoria University of Wellington, with James McKinnon

15 – 19 May, 8pm
@ Studio 77, 77 Fairlie Terrace, Kelburn, Wellington.
Tickets $15 Waged / $8 Unwaged
Bookings: theatre@vuw.ac.nz  

“This isn’t what I had in mind” – William Shakespeare

“Absinthe made me do it” – Alfred Jarry

“Can we even say this on stage?” – The Unconventionals  

The Unconventionals:

Martin Quicke ‘Uncle Bruce’ – Pa Ubu, CEO, Lecturer, Beneficiary, Henchman, Pilot
Tessa Richards ‘Tess-ticles’ – Pa Ubu, Peasant, Servant
Michelle Flynn ‘Egg-Shelle’ – Pa Ubu, Soldier
A* P* ‘R* P*p’ – Ma Ubu, Austrussian Soldier
Esther White ‘Molesther’ – Ma Ubu, Peasant, Servant
Ellen Rogers ‘Mitsubitchi’ – Ma Ubu, Ladislas
Kathryn Harris ‘Kitty Kat’ – Captain MacNure
Emma Hayward ‘Enema’ – Boggerlas
Sarah Tuck ‘Sally-Alice Frankelmay’ – Renski, The Bear, Joe (Guard) Gavin (Bar Manager)
Emma Tiller ‘Jenna Tailia’ – Heads
Lara Gieseke ‘Lazz’ – Tails
Barney Olson ‘Slug’ – Messenger, Phar Lap, Bron (King’s guard), Henchman
Bridget Chalmers ‘Cridget Bhalmers’ – Gyron, Ghostly Representation
Sarah Hollingsworth ‘Fredrick’ – King Wenceslas, Tsar Julia 
Eryn Street ‘Tits McGee’ – Boleslas, CEO, Lecturer, Beneficiary, Peasant
Stana Billot ‘Brfxxccxxmnpcccclllmmnprxvclmnckssqlbb11116’ (Albin) – Queen Rosamund 
Mhairi Hayworth ‘Eliza Snozzlefrazz’ – General Laski, Prison Guard, Peasant, C.E.O, Lecturer, Beneficiary.

Crew:

Stana Billot – Stage Manager
Emma Hayward – Assistant Stage Manager, Head of Publicity
A* P* – Production Manager
Esther White – Costume Design; Props
Lara Gieseke – Head of Props
Bridget Chalmers – Make-Up Design; Costume/Props
Bronwyn Cheyne – Director of Design
Robyn Mathie – Director of Design
Emma Tiller – Design Liaison (Set)
Tessa Richards – Design Liaison (Lighting); Puppetry
Ellen Rogers – Set
Eryn Street – Musical Director 
Barney Olson – Song Lyrics
Michelle Flynn – Music/Song; Foyer Design
Martin Quicke – Music/Song; Publicity/Media Liaison
Sarah Tuck – Music/Song; Publicity
Sarah Hollingsworth – Puppetry; Make-Up Assistant
Kathryn Harris - Choreography
Mhairi Hayworth – Publicity
Roland Brown - Musician
Finnbar Johansson – Musician
Hayden Taylor – Musician
Allan Street - Musician
James McKinnon – Collaborator
Ralph Upton – Collaborator