Suspect Katurian (center Dave Currier) is interrogated by officers Ariel (left Craig Bowden) and Tupolski (right Brent Askari).

I can’t say I enjoyed this show.  I do respect and admire the work of the excellent actors, but quite honestly, I didn’t know what to make of the play.

For starters, it’s 2 hours and 45 minutes long.  In my book, if you are going to hold an audience that long, there had better be a great story and fascinating themes to make the journey worthwhile.

This production has terrific actors, but I couldn’t help but feel they were acting their hearts out in a warped cause. I found the play disturbing and confusing. After almost three hours, I couldn’t tell what the author’s message was. And whatever it is in the beginning, it’s pretty much the same at the end.

When I went home and did my research, I learned the play won an Olivier award for best new play of 2004. And in 2005, the play was nominated for a Tony and the Drama Desk award for Outstanding Play.  I couldn’t help but wonder what other people had seen in it that I hadn’t?

Maybe the play is acclaimed for the 3 D’s---different, disturbing and depressing. Research says The Pillowman was based on author Martin McDonagh’s own collection of short stories. This dark mind (and obviously life) are not the sort of traits you would want in a guy dating your daughter. Maybe some of McDonagh’s dark content and subject matter are explained by the fact that his greatest influences are said to be from film rather than theatre. And his favorite directors include Martin Scorsese, David Lynch and Quentin Tarantino, all known for dark and mostly violent work.Along with other contemporary playwrights, McDonagh is considered one of the key innovators of a genre of theater that has become known as “In Your Face” theatre.  Its function is to present the audience with vulgar, shocking and confrontational material.  Viewed in that light, The Pillowman succeeds.

I honestly don’t expect every play to be Dr. Doolittle, but I also don’t want to go to the theatre to be horrified and depressed.  We get enough of that from the daily news.

In the play notes, Director Andrew Sokoloff calls the play, among other things, “incredibly funny.” I have to wonder, “what was he thinking?” I don’t know what show he was talking about.  Even if one gets beyond the disturbing material and reaches acceptance, where could anyone find humor?  Although some people in the audience did find levity.  When chuckles were heard, I felt similar to the way I did at a theatre I attended in a foreign country where I didn’t speak the language---what were they hearing that I didn’t?

In The Pillowman, lead character Katurian Katurian (yes, that’s his name and his middle name begins with K) is the author of over 400 short stories, most of which depict horrific acts of violence upon children. The authorities bring him in for questioning when local incidents bear an uncanny resemblance to the plots of his stories.  Katurian is forced to defend himself and his stories, and in doing so he reveals the trauma of his own childhood.

In case anyone wants to go see this play, I won’t disclose any more of the plot points.

Every actor in this show provides a stellar performance. Dave Currier is intense and brooding as Katurian, the tortured writer who will do anything to insure his stories survive. Brent Askari and Craig Bowden are appropriately menacing as a team of cops who handle the interrogation of Katurian. And Peter Brown is believable and heart-breaking in the difficult role of Katurian’s mentally challenged brother Michal.

The Pillowman is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea; as a matter of fact, it’s more like a cup of bile.