The Pillowman: A Play (Faber Drama)

by Martin McDonagh

Book Overview

A writer in a totalitarian state is interrogated about the gruesome content of his short stories and their similarities to a number of child-murders that are happening in his town. 'Sometimes you... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0571220320
• Release Date: September 2004
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
• Length: 112 Pages
• Weight: 0.27 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.2" x 0.3" x 5.4"

Customer Reviews

"Once upon a time..."

The Pillowman is a rare gem of theatric writing; smart without being pompous, funny without downplaying the horror of its setting, and poetically polished. The plot is simple: in a totalitarian state, Katurian Katurian is being interrogated (aka tortured) by the police in regards to a series of child-slayings that match perfectly to his own short stories. What makes the play so good is the ebb as characters shift in our perceptions. Katurian moves from sympathetic to uncomfortably proud of his petty, splatterpunk-esque fables, and then back again. So too do the two interrogators, who revitalise the usual "bad-cop good-cop" genre. This isn't high-brow literature, however. Though the apparent theme is one of what is 'art' and 'censorship', deeper threads emerge on later thought. Overall, a thoroughly pleasant read and a taut and well-made play, that - though perhaps not suitable for the whole family - should entertain all but the most flint-faced academic.

Riveting

A play that tells you where it intends to take you, and then, despite your best effort to resist (or doubt), indeed does deliver on its promise with an impact that bends the knees and ultimately breaks the heart. A powerful and dynamic work of unflinching courage that dares drama to wake up and step into the 21st century.

Wow

During my recent visit to London I was privileged to attend a show every one of my thirteen days there. After seeing everything from Taming of the Shrew to Pinter's Betrayal, the only show that made me say, "Wow that was incredible", was McDonough's The Pillowman. I find my self uttering the same phrase after reading a previous review of this amazing play. It's such a shame that people get so caught up in the superficial aspect of art that they fail to understand what makes it art in the first place. Shocking, twisted, dark as it may be, when it comes down to it, The Pillowman has nothing to do with murdering children. Any person with some sense can understand that it's about an artist's responsibility for their work and their protection under freedom of speech laws. Can an artist be held accountable for the feelings their work provokes? What if someone acts on those feelings...who is responsible then? I find it ironic that the very point the playwright is trying to get across mirrors the persecution he is facing now. To everyone... see this play. If you are unable to attend a production that's a shame because it's amazing live, but do the next best thing and pick up the script. It will change you.

Lay Your Head Upon This Pillow

Having been a fan of McDonagh's Leenane Trilogy, I couldn't wait to read his latest. I'd read some glowing reviews from the British premiere but was skeptical. Then, I read the play. While the set up seems from a police procedural, the twists, turns, and utter horror in the play are visceral and compelling. A writer is being interrogated because the stories he writes often allude to the murder of children in hideous ways; children in the totalitarian state of his residence are now being killed in ways like the ones mentioned in the writer's work. Add to this the writer's mentally impaired brother and occasional acting out of his stories and you have complete, satisfying, darkly humorous and utterly theatrical play. The Pillowman is a beautifully ugly depiction of the the necessity of stories--to pain us, to heal us. It's quite a page-turner!

Very, very good.

Before you read this review you should know that I'm not fond of reading plays. I think the narrative structure of a play is quite inferior to that of a novel when read silently. Despite my misgivings about reading this play, I have to say that I was blwon away. This is one of the most creative works of fiction I have encountered in any form. The stories contained within the story are nearly worth the price of admission alone. This is one of those stories where every little reference carries meaning and every twist has a purpose. It's a little dark and disturbing, but most things this fun tend to turn out that way. And it doesn't hurt that the dialouge is sharp and cool throughout. If you get a chance you should definitely check this out.