Tue, 03/27/2007 - 11:34am

An interesting play in its story line and relationships, The Pillowman focuses on the brief imprisonment of one Katurian Katurian (his parents were funny people he claims) and his semi-retarded brother Michal who live in a totalitarian state and find themselves the main suspects in the murder of three young children. The main subject of this play however is not murder or the effects of living under a totalitarian regime like one might guess – it is about story telling, family and the realities and consequences of our existence. If you have ever thought you had a strange family, or had wished your upbringing was on the whole more “ideal” well then this play may reset your bar on troubled childhoods and dysfunctional families.

While the Katurian brothers are portrayed throughout the beginning of the play as fairly normal – one being a moderately successful writer, the other being his mentally challenged charge who, although a fully grown man, still attends primary schools, these two actually have a torrid past of family child abuse and murder. As the play unfolds, one is lead through the key incidents in the lives of these two men, which have landed them in a high-security holding cell in the custody of two nondescript detectives, where the play is set.

Although the story itself is worth a trip to the theatre, the most remarkable aspect of this performance is the comedic undertone. Quite simply, the play’s main story lines of murder, child abuse and betrayal are interwoven through the banter of the funny and childish sibling-rivalry between the brothers and the cool wit of a sarcastic detective - Tupolski. Some may find it hard to believe when they later reflect on the play’s story that they were laughing out loud as it unfolded before them. This emotive diversity serves to create an atmosphere in which the audience feels heavily the forces of nature, the human capacity to tolerate them and the overall effects these forces have on the psyche.

The story of the Katurian brothers, Topulski and of his partner is told retroactively through memory and more importantly, through the author Katurian Katurian’s stories. The Pillowman, one of hundreds of short stories which Katurian has written about the torture and eminent death of a usually poor and unsuspecting child, is about a mythical man made of pillows who spares people of the tragedies of their adult lives by visiting them as children and convinces them to kill themselves before they ever have to grow up and feel the pain of their future. The crux of the story comes when the Pillowman comes to the realization that he, as an adult, feels only pain and he decides to visit himself as a child and forego his future existence as a Kevorkian hero.

The introspective Katurian brothers show us that no matter how hard we try, we may never fully escape the forces of our past, Detective Topolski shows us the unyielding force of justice and his partner detective shows, though the acceptance of his own torrid childhood, the benevolent forces of forgiveness. The Pillowman is one of many stories told throughout the play, however it is by far the most poignant in highlighting the inconceivable fate of our mortality. McDonagh uses the Pillowman to ask the questions the characters on stage cannot and dare not ask. We are only left with a sense of what can never be known, and with a firm grip of what we do: that family matters and that we are all the same despite the madness of the world around us.

The acting in this performance was fabulous. The standout performances by Tom Story (Katurian) and Aaron Muñoz (Michal) were impeccable and gave off a true sense of family and brotherhood – a huge redemption to an otherwise bleak plot. I strongly recommend this play to all for it will certainly give you a memorable experience.

The Studio Theatre is located on 1501 14th Street NW. The Pillowman is running through April 22nd, 2007. For more information about this show and for tickets please visit: Studio Theatre

About the Author

Yasmin Tasan has been living in Washington, DC since 2001. She studied art history in college and is committed to furthering her understanding of fine art through the exploration of the many unique and interesting shows and exhibits Washington continually offers. When not roaming the halls of a museum you can most likely find her exploring a new or favorite restaurant with friends, running in Rock Creek Park or making a fool of herself at Bikram yoga.

Categories:

• Arts
• Theater and Cinema