Applause that comes thundering with such force you might think the audience merely suffers the music as an excuse for its ovations.

In his final years he was a legendary and heroic figure to some of the young writers and artists in Paris. On opening night (10 December 1896) with traditionalists and the avant-garde in the audience King Ubu (played by Firmin Gémier) stepped forward and intoned the opening word "Merdre!" ("Shittr!"). Jarry returned to Paris and applied himself to drinking writing and the company of friends who appreciated his witty sweet-tempered and unpredictable conversation.

the opening line in his play Ubu Roi "Merdre!" has been translated into English as "Pshit!" "Shitteth!" "Shittr!" "Shikt!" "Shrit!" "Pschitt!" and "Shitsky!") he invented a fictional type of philosophy called 'pataphysics. His texts present some pioneering work in the field of absurdist literature.