Horror, Humor, and the Duty of Storytellers: The Pillowman at Cumberland Players
by Laura Duffy
For a lighthearted, relaxing evening at the theatre, do not seek out The Pillowman at Cumberland Players (as the director warns in the program). To witness a gripping, impressive performance from eight remarkable actors led by a staunchly devoted creative team, buy your tickets immediately.
Written by Irish filmmaker and playwright Martin McDonagh, The Pillowman follows fiction writer Katurian as he is interrogated about a series of gruesome child murders in his town, which bear an uncanny resemblance to his own short stories. Intersecting the action of the play are intermittent reenactments of said stories. The play is set in what is usually described as “a police state” - although the specific time and place are never revealed, there is a distinctly dystopian atmosphere about it.
As you can imagine, bearing witness to this story is disturbing, gut-wrenching, and at times a bit nausea-inducing, but director Ramona Kay is determined to bring levity to it. She handles the task admirably, providing plenty of moments of respite in an otherwise bleak (but captivating) three-hour stretch. When the story you’re telling centers around topics including - and this can serve as your content warning if you’re wary of attending - child murder, sexual assault, torture, and suicide, it is important to delicately tow the line between leaning into comedic beats and making light of the content matter. Kay does an excellent job of this. Although there are a couple of moments that I wish steered more heavily into horror, the overall tone of the piece feels intentional and well-crafted.
Tackling and conquering the role of Katurian is John Hager, who not only deftly handles the large amount of dialogue that the role requires, but gives the character plenty of personality. Katurian should really be a dream role for any dedicated actor - as the character himself is a storyteller, there is a real opportunity for the performer’s passion to shine through. Hager’s performance is no exception. I was especially drawn in during the monologues in which Katurian recounts the stories that he’s written. We learn at the end of the first act how much trauma he’s endured for the sake of improving his writing abilities, and Hager infuses each of his recitations with fervor to match.
Tupolski and Ariel, the pair who interrogate Katurian and threaten to destroy his stories, are portrayed by Matt Dell’olio and Bill Brasky respectively. Dell’olio gives a standout performance - he’s convincing as a hardened detective, his even-keeled demeanor nicely balancing out Brasky’s fits of rage. Jeff Goldblum originated Tupolski on Broadway, and there is something rather Goldblumesque about Dell’olio’s performance (to be clear, this is high praise). He maintains a balance between nonchalance and intensity that is engaging to watch.
Upon first viewing, Ariel struck me as potentially one of the most challenging characters to nail down. I particularly enjoy the way Brasky allows him to develop throughout the show - the more we learn about his past, the more we begin to sympathize with him. I do think Brasky could heighten the intensity of Ariel’s violence further in the first act, so that his evolution is even more effective. Nevertheless, several days later, I’m still wondering about Ariel’s true motivations, which earns Brasky a thumbs up in my book.
Eventually, Katurian realizes that his brother Michal (Charlie Temple), who suffers from brain damage, has also been brought in for questioning. We meet him in Act Two, and Temple’s portrayal is immediately endearing. Characters in the play describe Michal as “slow to get things”, and his initial lack of awareness about the gravity of his circumstances provides some comedic relief. However, something vigilant and tactical lives beneath the surface of Temple’s interpretation. I appreciate that Temple introduces these layers so early on, as it helps the audience clue into what might truly have happened.
Rounding out the cast are Kristine Bonaventura McKeon, Chris Dace, and Oliver and Ellis Whittard (a real-life brother and sister duo), who act out several of Katurian’s harrowing stories over the course of the play. Each of them does so eerily, as though they are concocting their own macabre fairytale characters. Credit is owed to the actors, along with Movement Coordinator Audrey Dienno-Lacroce, for creating these chilling depictions.
Fight Coordinator Sean McGarry does a nice job of making sure the many moments of violence in the play look realistic (while still being safe for the actors). Likewise, Stage Manager Tara Romanelli ensures that performances run smoothly - and mops up fake blood like a champ.
The set design is simple but serves the story well. Conceived by AJ Klein and Rachael Smith, it consists of three movable panels of stone wall, and a few pieces of simple furniture. It was constructed by Michael Blandino and Monica DiMauro. Smith also serves as Lighting Designer and Production Manager, and each of her roles helps to enhance the production’s ambience. Rounding out the environmental invention of the play is WD Fordy’s effective sound design.
Costumes and Makeup were designed by Ramona Kay, and coordinated by Beth Blandino. I was particularly impressed with the special effects makeup that was utilized for Katurian. Props were done by Bill Brasky, Ramona Kay, and Tara Romanelli. Ellis Whittard is specifically credited with creating Michal’s piles of crayon doodles, which I enjoyed.
What’s left me thinking about The Pillowman over the past few days (aside from the fact that I’ve been drafting this review) is that it is a puzzle without a solution. As someone who loves puzzles, and especially loves solving them, this has caused quite the predicament. I’ve been determined to answer all the many questions the play presents: Can censorship ever be justified? Can murder and morality coexist? What was the man in the third gibbet guilty of?
Curious as to how the play’s director, let alone I, could ever synthesize these queries, I’ve returned to the Director’s Note. Kay writes: “It’s a fool’s errand to seek a neat, tidy story in THE PILLOWMAN. There is no perfectly wrapped catharsis topped off with any bow of moral resolution…From the start, our goal was never to assign a “solve” to this play, but to live in the palpable contradiction between humor and horror…”. Although, frustratingly, this analysis does not answer my questions, it does cement my opinion of the production, which is that the team behind The Pillowman has done their job exceedingly well. They’ve given me themes to ponder, moral quandaries to examine, and perhaps a nightmare or two in store, but that’s okay. I suppose in that way, Katurian’s stories have survived as he intended.
The Pillowman concludes this weekend, with performances on November 13 and 14 at 8:00 PM, and November 15 at 2:00 PM. Tickets: https://www.etix.com/ticket/e/1053882/the-pillowman-vineland-cumberland-players
