Kubrickian Play Explores Prisoners' Connection Through Film

Zack Peercy's new play at Chicago's Factory Theater immerses audiences in a Kubrickian world of isolation and violence.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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Zack Peercy's new play "Kubrickian" at the Factory Theater in Chicago takes audiences into a stark, white-walled prison where three men find solace and connection through the films of Stanley Kubrick. As they exercise and stretch, a sudden, fearsome roar transforms the mundane into the monstrous, forcing the men to battle against an unseen violent force.

Why it matters

Peercy's play explores how art and shared cultural experiences can help people cope with isolation and trauma, even in the most dire circumstances. The Kubrickian aesthetic creates an immersive, unsettling atmosphere that mirrors the prisoners' psychological states and the existential questions raised by the director's iconic films.

The details

In "Kubrickian", three unnamed prisoners are trapped in a stark, white-walled room. As they go through their daily routines of exercising and stretching, a sudden, ominous roar fills the space, transforming the mundane into the monstrous. The men are then compelled to battle against an unseen violent force, finding solace and connection through their shared love of Stanley Kubrick's films.

  • The play is running from February 27 to March 15, 2026 at the Factory Theater in Chicago.

The players

Zack Peercy

The Chicago-based playwright who wrote "Kubrickian" and is an ensemble member at the Factory Theater.

AJ Schwartz

The director of "Kubrickian" at the Factory Theater.

Isaac Mandel

The sound designer for "Kubrickian" who created the excellent sound design, including the fearsome roar that transforms the mundane into the monstrous.

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What they’re saying

“Where Muffed was a treat for theater fanatics, Kubrickian, as the title implies, is soaked in film lore, particularly as it relates to the oeuvre of Stanley Kubrick.”

— Kerry Reid, Theater Critic (chicagoreader.com)

What’s next

The play "Kubrickian" will continue its run at the Factory Theater in Chicago through March 15, 2026.

The takeaway

Zack Peercy's "Kubrickian" explores how art and shared cultural experiences can help people cope with isolation and trauma, even in the most dire circumstances. The play's Kubrickian aesthetic creates an immersive, unsettling atmosphere that mirrors the prisoners' psychological states and the existential questions raised by Stanley Kubrick's iconic films.