The Pillowman

Both hilarious and horrifying, Martin McDonagh’s The Pillowman tells the gripping tale of a writer whose dark fables seem to be coming to life. In an unnamed totalitarian state, police drag the author Katurian in for questioning; his ghoulish stories are the only clue in a series of recent murders. With Katurian’s brother imprisoned in the next cell, his interrogators will stop at nothing to get the answers they want. Moving seamlessly back and forth between a cramped interrogation room and the fantastic world of Katurian’s imagination, The Pillowman explores family secrets, censorship, and the irrepressible power of storytelling. The most astounding and sought-after play of the year, it represents the most exhilarating writing that contemporary theater has to offer.