The concept of an artist as a creator responsible for his product has been prevalent throughout Western culture, from Pygmalion to Pollock. In Martin McDonagh's terrifying and humorous play, The Pillowman, Katurian, played by Michael Horan, is a writer who must face the consequences of his gruesome fiction in a world described as a "totalitarian f*cking dictatorship."
The stories he writes, Grimm in type and effect, are being acted out upon the children of his village. One must note that from this plot description that this show is for mature audiences only. There is adult language, vulgar descriptions, gunfire, smoking on stage, a strobe light and dark humor that might not make this show appropriate for straight-laced Suzy and her caravan of conservative comrades.
If you want a great show with laugh-out-loud moments that makes you ask yourself, "Why am I laughing at how this character was murdered?" then go see The Pillowman. If you want a show that examines the humanity of life, go see it. If you want a show that holds your hand and leads the way, then stay home. This show will hold your hand, twist your arm and make you scream with amazement.
Director Lydia Horan writes in her director's note whether she should approach the show as a "psycho-drama, a murder mystery thriller, a Kafkaesque horror story, a Tarantino-ish black comedy, a Grimm's fairytale, a socio-political commentary, a treatise on the terrors of child abuse, a very non-PC relationship study or a twisted intermingling of murder and mercy."
Another character in the show is Tupolski, played by Satch Huizinga. He interrupts moments of high anxiety with dark humor and is in complete control of a scene, determining how quickly a smart-aleck remark can turn the progressively comedic conversation to one of utmost confession. Huizinga keeps you on the edge of your seat, unaware of whether he is going to slap Katurian, hug him or shock him with another witty comment.
His partner, a self-described bad cop, Ariel, is played by Mark Washington, a recent Charlottesville High School graduate. He counteracts Huizinga's softness and at times humane treatment of Katurian with unbelievable cruelty. He has a brashness that can be seen in his quick, direct movements and heard in his harsh toned voice.
Michal, Katurian's mentally handicapped brother, is played beautifully by Christos Vangelopoulos. He is physically reminiscent of Steinbeck's Lennie, yet exudes a soft-heartedness and joy that encapsulates the entire stage with warmth.
The cast is rounded out with Stephanie Finn, Scott Dunn, Peter Banks and Sonya Hayden. The cast members mentioned above, Mother, Father, Boy and Girl, act out Katurian's disturbing stories on a second level of the stage parallel to the balcony of the theater. I was sitting in the orchestra section and couldn't help but feel an overpowering symbolism while watching the reenactments of Katurian's fiction. The feeling that existed from having to "look up" to watch the stories being performed and having to tilt my head made it very nostalgic of sitting at story time. Reclining back to let the story inhale me in to another world then exhale me with a new learned moral gave me a new sense of theatre.
The set, though not finished at the time I saw it, looked extremely promising and I'm sure the other technical aspects of the show will be just as enjoyable. However, the show could be enjoyed and devoured without ever having to open your eyes simply by listening to the sharp poetic lyricism in scenes that were sometimes vulgar. The set could be trash, the actors nude and the stage in blackout, but as long as the words of McDonagh are being heard, there is no need for anything else.
The show has such a strong message that whether you are a chemistry or history major, it will hit you with thoughts so provoking that you will be talking about it for hours. Everyone should see this show, everyone should discover the beautiful message of beauty and disturbing circumstance that it sends. No one should avoid the risk of being scared for a few minutes and then almost in tears at the humanity of it all in the next.
There is an understandable dichotomy that exists within us all, black and white. What Live Arts' production of The Pillowman succeeds in doing is shining a light on human nature and discovering that once all colors mix together there truly is some white light at some point in our lives. But when the other colors start to usurp the innocence of youth, it is up to us to take responsibility and decide whether we will give up and go with the Pillowman or whether it is better to live. In heartache, in suffering, and with the unbearable sadness that can conquer our lives, we can create some of the greatest art, both beautiful and tragic.
The Pillowman runs at Live Arts' DownStage theater February 2nd through the 17th. Tickets are $10 - $20.
Read More
The best albums of 2014
By Noah Zeidman | December 4, 2014Across genres, it has been a pretty great year in music.
Top 10 movies of 2014
December 4, 2014This has been an excellent year for film, offering everything from gripping blockbusters to innovative personal films.
Iggy Azalea is “Reclassified”
December 4, 2014It has become common practice among music artists to repackage their albums in an effort to simultaneously boost single sales and dish out new content by slightly renaming the album or slapping “Deluxe” onto the title.
