‘The Pillowman’ play features police brutality

A lengthy list of warnings was posted on the front door of the Wells-Metz Theatre. Audience members were warned about strong language, mature content and blank gunfire and knew what to expect before they sat down for “The Pillowman” on Thursday.

“The Pillowman,” written by Martin McDonagh, is a simple but dark production. File cabinets lined the back wall of the black box theatre, and between stacks of cabinets were two rusted, weathered metal doors. With a table off-center and dried blood stains on the stage floor, a stark image of a police interrogation room was shown to the audience.

The play opened with two police officers, Ariel, a surly cop with a quick temper, and Tupolski, a more rational officer, bringing in a young writer, Katurian. Each cop questioned Katurian about the gruesome murders of three children, and each murder was identical to the plot of one of Katurian’s stories.

Initially, Katurian answered every question the cops threw his direction and didn’t understand why the police had such distaste for his writing.

The ground floor of the stage placed the audience close to the action of the play.
Audience members Peggy and Pat Page, both Bloomington residents, sat side by side and were engrossed in the production.

“It had an unusual plot,” Pat Page said. “The scenery was sparse, but it was very well done.”

Peggy Page agreed and said that although the play was strange, the plot was captivating.

Patrons leaned forward in their seats and seemed to hang onto the cast’s every word. Moments of violence caused a soft gasp from the crowd, while other scenes had the audience laughing uncomfortably.

Camille Hopson, an IU freshman ushering the show, said she was surprised by the production.

“I thought it was thought-provoking and unsettling,” Hopson said. “It wasn’t what I expected at all.”

Images in the play shifted between razor blades and whipping to strong police brutality.

“We’ve been to all of (the other plays),” Peggy Page said. “This one, I didn’t want to see, but since we’ve been to all the other ones, we decided to come anyway.”

Despite some uneasy scenes throughout the play, the two police officers offered comic relief, and ultimately, the play provided a lesson.

“It isn’t easy being (alive) or being dead,” said Jaysen Wright, the graduate student playing Katurian. “It’s about what you leave behind.”

Hopson said many people tend to lead their lives sleeping, so to speak, watching Lifetime movies and never really knowing a thing about reality.

This play, however, was a much needed wake-up, as plays should be, she said.

“We need something to make us uncomfortable,” Hopson said. “We may not like it, but we need to know why we’re uncomfortable with these situations.”