From the title alone, it is nearly impossible to guess what Martin McDonagh's "The Pillowman" is about. The "Pillowman" sounds like he could be related to the Pillsbury Doughboy, the marshmallow man, or the Michelin man, but his job is far more grisly than most would expect. The New Repertory Theatre's production of this off-Broadway play touts itself as a "viciously funny" black comedy; this one is as dark and biting as it gets.
In some unknown police state, Katurian K. Katurian ("his parents were funny people") is a butcher by day, a macabre short story writer by night, and is willing to sacrifice anything for his literary passion. Of course, he becomes the prime suspect when a string of actual murders start resembling his gruesome tales.
A crazed police officer and detective play a twisted version of good cop/bad cop and go to increasingly bizarre and ridiculous lengths to force a confession out of Katurian (John Kuntz). In between beatings and threats from the officers, the accused exchanges poignant moments with his brother and fellow suspect Michal (Bradley Thoennes), who is mentally challenged. In the course of the play, disturbing childhood truths surface, and Katurian's vivid stories unfold on stage.
The bulk of the action takes place in one dingy room with only three characters. The play offers no indication of where this plot takes place or even what is going on outside of the totalitarian world besides the murders. Parts of the plot don't even make sense, and at a pivotal moment, Michal tells his brother a major lie for apparently no reason at all.
Nevertheless, the performance is riveting and shocking, though the heavy swearing and screaming eventually grows a little tiresome.
As dark as this play is, the ludicrous characters of Tupolski (Steven Barkhimer), the detective, and Ariel (Phillip Patrone), the police officer, provide comic relief with their exaggerated banter. Barkhimer, as Tupolski, adds to the humor with his skillful facial expressions. Patrone makes his character, Ariel, increasingly dramatic for added absurdity, but by the end goes over the top and his subsequent breakdown is hard to believe.
Kuntz does an excellent job of telling stories with character voices. The two child actors could be better, but they deserve credit for being twelve years old and taking on such chilling roles. Overall, this production is able to accomplish a great deal with a small, talented cast.
The minimalism and steely look of the main set is effective in creating a cold environment. In a sharp contrast to the dull, bare main stage, the set uses a one-way mirror as the back wall for a really great flashback effect. At various times, the stage is bare and dark except for Katurian sitting on a chair under an eerie spotlight. In these scenes, he tells some of his morbid tales and they come to life behind the mirror. The sets behind the mirror are elaborately realistic.
The audience can see Katurian's reflection against the glass and can also see through the mirror to the story acted out in the background. Such visual effect separates the storytelling from the visual representation, while the lighting and voice effects give these anecdotes a surreal feel. The realistic makeup adds to the creepiness. The bruise on Katurian's face after his torture is completely believable, as is his gory gunshot wound.
While the audience may be wondering why someone would write such a bizarre and gloomy play, profound thematic elements emerge from all the horror and gore, including censorship, persecution, and freedom of expression.
With overtones of "Fahrenheit 451," "1984," and other "Big Brother is watching you" works, the plot is quite disturbing but also captivating. Screams with substance make for a more thought-provoking experience than any new Stephen King creation.
