Overview
Synopsis
In an interrogation room in an unnamed totalitarian dictatorship, Katurian Katurian, a writer, is being interrogated by two detectives. Next door, Katurian’s mentally disabled brother Michal waits. The detectives want to know why Katurian’s stories feature gruesome plots about child murder and torture, and in particular, why they seem to mirror a string of recent child murders in the area. This brutal dark comedy from Martin McDonagh, the master of the horror-comedy, poses unanswerable questions: Can stories hold the power to cause atrocities? Where is the line between truth and fairy tale? Is a life of horror worth living at all? Drawing on inspiration as diverse as Grimm’s Fairy Tales, Kafka, and Antonin Artaud, The Pillowman is a dark, twisty, and utterly unforgettable masterpiece from one of Ireland’s most treasured writers.
Show Information
- Book
- Martin McDonagh
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Mature Audiences (M)
- Number of Acts
- 3
- First Produced
- 2003
- Genres
- Dark Comedy, Horror
- Settings
- Simple/No Set, Unit/Single Set
- Time & Place
- an interrogation room in an unnamed totalitarian state
- Cast Size
- medium
- Licensor
- Dramatists Play Service
- Ideal For
- professional theatre, male lead, ensemble, College/University, Mature Audiences, Mostly Male Cast, Small Cast, Star Vehicle Male, Includes Adult, Child Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Martin McDonagh is an Irish playwright and screenwriter who is considered to be one of Ireland’s most important contemporary voices. McDonagh is known for his unique mix of black comedy and horrific violence, and is often compared to filmmakers Quentin Tarantino and Sam Peckinpah. As a playwright, McDonagh’s cunning use of language and unique storytelling style could be compared to Harold Pinter. McDonagh’s use of satire is no-holds-barred: the butts of his jokes range from Irish Catholicism to
to read the context for The Pillowman and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Act One
Katurian is blindfolded in an interrogation room when Tupolski and Ariel enter with a large file. They introduce themselves as detectives and remove Katurian’s blindfold. Katurian is polite and apologetic, informing the men that he has never been in trouble in his life. Ariel, clearly the “bad cop,” responds, “... You have never been in trouble with the police until now. You mean.” Katurian is surprised to realize that Ariel is eager to begin torturing him, but the “good cop,”
to read the plot for The Pillowman and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
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|
Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
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|
Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Non-singer |
Songs
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
Also called “black comedy,” takes a pessimistic view of the world.
A ruler with total power over a country, typically one who has obtained control by force.
A form of government that attempts to assert total control over the lives of its citizens.
Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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