The Ubu Plays: Includes: Ubu Rex; Ubu Cuckolded; Ubu Enchained [Paperback]

Alfred Jarry (Author), Cyril Connelly (Translator), Simon Watson Taylor (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 18, 1994

Alfred Jarry is regarded as one of the founders of modern avant-garde theatre— “Dada, Surrealism, Pataphysics, Theatre of Cruelty, the Absurd—all owe a debt to Jarry.” (Encore) This volume contains his three classic Ubu texts: Ubu Roi, Ubu Cocu and Ubu Enchaîné. Through the lucid translations of Connolly and Taylor, the reader comes to realize that the violent and loathsome Ubu is Jarry’s dark metaphor for man in the modern age. As Ubu himself said, “We shall not have succeeded in demolishing everything unless we demolish the ruins as well.”

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Grove Press (January 18, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802150101
• ISBN-13: 978-0802150103
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #435,970 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Terry Gilliam meets Shakespeare by way of Troma Films!, May 14, 2000

By 

Jeffrey H Wang - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Ubu Plays: Includes: Ubu Rex; Ubu Cuckolded; Ubu Enchained (Paperback)

Alfred Jarry is the grandfather of modern day surrealism, and the Ubu trilogy is a great, twisted work of genius. It reads like Shakespeare crossed with a slasher film. It's also a great parody of anything you can think of, and it is quite hilarious. The Ubu trilogy deals with the epic rise and fall of Pa and Ma Ubu, as they become Kings of several European countries, get involved in murder more than once, fight in wars, have deadly encounters with bears in caves, and even voluntarily become slaves. Great stuff! If you like Samuel Beckett, then you have to check out Jarry too!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wild book!, October 1, 2000

By 

Christian Richard - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ubu (Drama Classics) (Paperback)

This is a school joke that has evolved into an epic! McLeish's translation takes a lot of liberties and sometimes many things are lost. On the other side, he possesses great wit and through compensation, his work comes out as one of the best translations!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb Translation, June 11, 2008

By 

T. Bickley - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Ubu Plays: Includes: Ubu Rex; Ubu Cuckolded; Ubu Enchained (Paperback)

I have read other worthy translations of the Ubu plays but from what I can tell so far, this is one of the best, if not the best, translations I have read so far. The scatological humor shows through strongly on every page and the dialogue flows nicely. The book also offers some well-written background on Jarry's life and works, which makes the book useful not only from a theatrical standpoint, but from an academic one as well.