Conquest of the Universe, or When Queens Collide: A Tragedy

Glitter, sweat and cheap swords clash as the President of Earth rapes and pillages his way across the universe! Um… sound familiar?

In response to the pervading atmosphere of distress brought on by the elections, Salt Theater and Artistic Director Emma Griffin are remounting their production of Charles Ludlam’s Conquest of the Universe, or When Queens Collide: A Tragedy. The production played to packed houses at the 2003 Ice Factory Festival, and what could be better than presenting this campy, brutal blitzkrieg of a war play – rife with political satire and rage – at the height of the blue state depression?

Written in 1967, the play is a remix of Marlowe’s epic masterpiece Tamburlaine in a collage of text from the original, not to mention Shakespeare’s tragedies, Hitler’s political speeches, H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds, help-wanted ads, and much more.