summary
Ubu Cocu is a political farce where the absurdity of tyranny comes to light in a world of new technology. This adaptation transforms Jarry's pioneering "'pataphysical" theatre into a dystopian nightmare where the future arrives screaming-same as the past. Warning: Contains ridiculous deaths and absurd suffering.
Who We are
Clara, our adapter and director, is an MFA student in Directing at East 15 whose journey from the American South to London provides a perspective on how political chaos transcends borders. Clara's diverse theatrical background in directing, writing, and design brings the multifaceted vision necessary to reimagine this 19th-century masterpiece for the AI-driven age.
As a predominantly female team of culturally diverse emerging artists, our company represents the global nature of the issues we're exploring, and we understand firsthand how tyranny and technological dependence affect communities worldwide. These talented collaborators bring both playful creativity and fierce commitment to their collective artistry, transforming a historical text into an urgent contemporary experience that speaks to audiences everywhere. This international ensemble doesn't just perform the story – they embody its universal relevance, proving that the questions raised by this production resonate across cultures, continents, and communities.
Why this story
This prescient play about the rise of tyranny feels startlingly contemporary. By transplanting the story from its original French setting to a near-future world where humanity increasingly relies on technology, we're creating a darkly comic mirror that reflects our most urgent questions: What happens when technology replaces our humanity, and what can a tyrant do with it?
In our current climate of political polarization and catastrophizing, we desperately need art that can process difficult truths without paralyzing audiences. This play offers something rare: a way to laugh at darkness while still taking it seriously. We believe humor doesn't minimize danger—it makes us brave enough to face it.
With your support, this production can create shared space for processing our technological anxieties and political nightmares together, using the healing power of laughter as medicine for our fractured times.
What Support Helps with
Costumes (£750)Creating the distinctive look of our absurd future world, helping audiences instantly understand this reimagined setting while supporting our actors' performances.
Lighting (£300)– Crafting the atmospheric foundation that shifts between comedy and darker moments, guiding audience emotions and highlighting the play's powerful themes.
Scenic Elements and Props (£500)– Building the physical world where technology meets tyranny, creating tangible environments that make our futuristic setting believable and engaging.
Marketing and Printing (£150)– Reaching the audiences who need this story most through professional promotional materials, programs, and outreach that extends our impact beyond opening night.
Find us on social media
Instagram: cocu.883
Help us bring this story to life!
To bring this story to life we need more than just applause. Your sponsorship is the bridge between artistic possibility and theatrical reality. Every dollar you contribute directly funds the costumes, lights, sets, and marketing that transform our script into a living, breathing experience that will resonate deeply with communities grappling with our current political and technological upheavals. Share this campaign with anyone who believes in the transformative power of theater – spread the word on social media, discuss it over coffee, and share it with friends and colleagues. The more people who discover this project, the stronger our collective impact becomes.
