"The Pillowman" is Black Comedy at its most compassionate.
The LAB Theatre’s production of "The Pillowman," the Martin McDonagh play that had its world premiere in 2003, is supposed to make you uncomfortable. Described on the LAB! Theatre’s own Facebook as the “show that has shocked audiences for the past 15 years,” the story makes no attempt at downplaying its taboo elements.
The play focuses on a short-fiction writer named Katurian who is interrogated by the police after multiple children are murdered in ways that mirror his stories, and it deals with complex issues such as vengeance and loyalty to family. But if the heavy subject matter is what jumps out initially, the surprising humor and compassion at "The Pillowman"’s center is what really makes an impact.
This production, directed by Rob Piscitelli, maintains an almost claustrophobic level of intensity throughout, but it manages to be entertaining right up until the end. It doesn’t hurt that McDonagh’s original stageplay is razor-sharp, with characters that immediately make an impression. Played here by Jackson Seymore, Katurian is an amazingly layered protagonist, a man whose morbid outlook on life is contrasted by an earnest desire to make beautiful art through his stories.
The officers interrogating him, played by Michael Sparks and Parry Price, aren’t just one-dimensional toughs, either. As the play progresses, a unique, complicated dynamic between the two of them reveals itself, and their arcs go to some truly unexpected places. Rounding out the cast is Rc Eberhard as Katurian’s brother, Michal, a mentally challenged man who gets caught up in the interrogation.
Save for a few fourth-wall breaking monologues, the play’s action is confined entirely to two interrogation rooms. There are no elaborate setting changes, and the props mostly stay put. Because it takes place in relatively small rooms, there are no elaborate physical set-pieces or moments of visual spectacle. This means that the actors have to carry a lot of the weight, but the good news is that they’re all up to the challenge.
Seymore, in particular, is asked to do a lot, going from desperate pleading to fiery anger to theatrical monologue, often within the same five-minute chunk. There’s an exhausted kind of vulnerability to his performance as Katurian, and it’s compelling to watch. Sparks and Price also excel, transcending the expected “good cop/bad cop” relationship and delivering some of the biggest laughs in the process.
Eberhard is fantastic, fully inhabiting the role of Michal and making the absolute most of his limited time on stage. It helps that the childish nature of his character adds some much-needed levity to some of the darker scenes.
The direction is smart, taking full advantage of a smaller performance space and achieving a sense of genuine intimacy. The closeness of the performers to the audience ensures that the characters are seen from all angles, and every small facial tic adds something new and interesting.
