The Pillowman review - Claustrophobic but enthralling stuff on Kenilworth stage
Nick Le Mesurier reviews The Pillowman, by Martin McDonagh, at the Talisman Theatre, Kenilworth
“Once upon a time” is a phrase that leads us into many a story. Stories are vital to us; they are the means by which we understand ourselves.
Martin McDonagh’s award-winning and very dark comedy, The Pillowman, is all about stories, true and false. But is the distinction meaningful? If stories lead to actions, as they do here, can they ever be said to be ‘merely’ stories? Fairy stories are particularly violent: might they lead to actual murder?
The Pillowman is set in an unnamed, probably Eastern, totalitarian state. Katurian Katurian (Joanna Stevely) is a writer of very grim tales stemming from her childhood. Somehow there has been a series of murders of children that bear a close resemblance to her stories. She has been arrested along with her damaged brother, Michal (Henri West). They are interrogated by good cop Tupolski (Ruth MacCallum) and bad cop Ariel (Ewan Weatherburn). Torture is ever-present, largely heard just offstage. When Michal confesses, Katurian resigns herself to death.
But what matters most to Katurian is her stories, which she would rather see saved than her own or anyone else’s life. ‘It’s a writer’s job to tell stories,” she says. And she does. Dark, bitter but nevertheless enthralling tales of child murder are the very fabric of the play, told at length within it and with increasing severity. Soon we are drawn down into a world where nothing and everything is real and no actions are off limits.
The Pillowman is not an easy watch, but it has the courage to stare the horror down. It is very funny in places and asks important questions, not least now that social media has magnified the role of stories without check.
The Talisman has staged a tense, thrilling production. Director Dave Crossfield has brought out the tensions within this dark, claustrophobic play, and gets the best from a very talented cast and crew. There are no stars in this production; all burn with a ferocious, and dangerous, intensity.
Until November 8. Visit talismantheatre.co.uk or call 0333 666 3366 to book.