"Big ambition. Low I.Q.
Unbridled greed. A coward, too.
Robber, liar, cheat, buffoon,
He drove the country into ruin.
He stole the throne, and went to war,
and killed ten thousand folks or more."

Hmmm . . . sound familiar? Meet Father Ubu -- the personification of the seven deadly sins. His fashion sense is that of Elvis -- in the later years -- aboard the Yellow Submarine.

Brian Moore's rendition of this sweaty, waddling, "armed eggplant" drives the production of Alfred Jarry's "King Ubu" with the force of an unleashed id. He makes Hunter S. Thompson look like Alice in Wonderland, brandishing a toilet plunger and tearing apart any food or people in his path. A drunken, obese Charlie Chaplin in mauve, his mastery of physical comedy gave the audience enough cheap laughs in the first five minutes to nearly drive them to tears. This is precisely the intention of the production, according to artistic director, John Schneider, who introduced Theater X's 35th season in a casual, intimate setting. Holding a glass of wine, he noted that this "wild play," which was first produced in Paris on Dec. 11, 1896, is meant to "keep people engaged, so we are able to laugh in the times that we live."

And laugh we did. From parodies of "Hamlet" and "Macbeth" to toilet humor -- literally -- the show barreled forward, sometimes right into the audience itself. Fight directors Luke Leonhardt and Tom Reed choreographed battle scenes reminiscent of the old Batman TV shows -- one could almost see the words "Pow! Biff! Zing!" appear in the air.

The versatile set and lighting also helped to conduct the seemingly boundless energy that radiated from the sparse stage. Mobile staircases created mountains for Ubu to cross, astride a stick horse named George. Other characters whirled massive chests and tables about the room, heightening Ubu's perverse energy and sense of humor as he flourished his septic "scepter." A shredded hospital room screen created silhouettes and shadows, making the characters seem even more grotesque -- and less "human" -- in their cartoon-like decadence. It also doubled as the snowy Polish mountains, where Queen Rosamund spent her final moments.

Hand-held flashlights added a palatable sense of danger to the all-out chaos that accompanied the endless atrocities committed by King Ubu in his pursuit of power, wealth and whatever else he could get his paws on.

King Ubu is the second in a series of "Young Ensemble Projects" which Theatre X is producing "in an effort to develop a multicultural and inter-generational art relevant to our times." Hence, the ensemble reflects the charms, as well as limitations, of young performers. King Wenceslas's (Aaron Podbelski) male-bonding with Ubu -- BOO YAH! -- makes the audience laugh out loud, and his role as the macho thug, Pile (pronounced "pee-lay"), effectively combines two stereotypes in one -- maybe it was the hairnet ...?

Other performances, however, fell somewhat short of the mark. Mother Ubu, played by Jenny Jeep, seemed amateurish, delivering the lines, but not necessarily "acting them out." This deficiency made her solo speeches and multiple roles fairly painful to watch, but they were readily relieved by other performers' strengths. John Gleason Teske painted a compelling portrait of King Wenceslas's 14-year-old son, burdened with avenging his family's murders. His natural energy and interaction with the other characters lent a more human aspect to this "absurd" situation.

Although the text has been virtually untouched since the 19th century, the directors, Schneider and Maretes D. Hein, skillfully augmented it with a multitude of asides and prop gags that catered to a modern American audience. Whether they were playing "The Price is Right" music in the background, or riding "My Little Ponies" on the way to defend the Polish crown, there was a pop-culture reference in practically every line. Some moments, "You tire me with your jive" -- King Wenceslas to (the African-American) Queen Rosamund -- were better received than others, such as King Ubu's photo-op with the hooded prisoner, which elicited a general groan.

Nevertheless, the performance got a semi-standing ovation from a full house -- and that's just preview night. "King Ubu" definitely set the stage for a successful season to come.

"King Ubu" runs through Oct. 31 at the Broadway Theatre Center, 158 N. Broadway. For more information, call (414) 291-7800.