Thank you for posting your response to The Pillowman on the blog. There is no question - The Pillowman is rough stuff and you are not alone in your reaction to the performance or in questioning the play’s merit. The fact that people were uncomfortable with others laughing was also a regular comment in our post-show discussions. McDonagh traffics in extreme situations and language in order to explore some challenging questions. Of course, it is difficult to discuss the plays themes thoroughly as you were not present for the second act (in which we learn many things are not as they appeared in the first act including at least one of the crimes described).

The play investigates whether there should be limits on what an artist is allowed to express and to what extent the artist should be held responsible for that expression. In order to interrogate that thoroughly, McDonagh creates an extreme expression himself. Of course if one returns to the original Grimm Brothers fairy tales, no less horrific things happen to the children that inhabit those fairy tale environments. And Katurian’s stories exist in the play which is itself a story. However, I suggest the force of your reaction doesn’t allow one to say, “it’s just a story,” but rather brings home how powerful stories can be.

I was troubled by intermittent laughter in the audience. As a father with three children, and having seen close friends and family members experience actual tragedies, I can’t understand how some folks could look past the horrific events in the play and find amusement.

Erik Dyhrkopp

Jolanda