It takes a careful actor to create a deep and meaningful experience out of the most repugnant human actions. And, as the cast and crew at Flathead Valley Community College’s theater found out, it helps to have a pretty good script.
FVCC Theatre takes on one of its darkest productions yet in “The Pillowman,” opening on Oct. 22 and continuing on Oct. 23, 29 and 30.
The play confronts the audience with the darkest recesses of the human experience, director Rich Haptonstall says, all the while providing a thin glimmer of hope to hold onto during the journey.
“You find damnation and redemption,” Haptonstall said.
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Josh Kelly, left, and Greg Bortz rehearse as brothers Katurian and Michal in the play “Pillowman” presented by the Flathead Valley Community College Theatre. |
“The Pillowman” is a black comedy, written by Irish playwright Martin McDonagh, whose work includes the movie “In Bruges.” The play follows Katurian, a fiction writer living in a totalitarian state who is viciously interrogated about the dark content of his stories and their similarities to the murders of several local children.
A series of particularly gruesome events in his younger years shaped Katurian’s imagination and storytelling style, and also put his brother Michal under his care when they were teenagers.
The brothers serve as each other’s lifeline, though that foundation is rocked as they face one of life’s most unsettling and terrible experiences: the brutal treatment and loss of children.
McDonagh’s play earned the Laurence Olivier Award in London, as well as two Tony Awards here in the United States, among other honors.
Greg Bortz plays Michal, a character that offers some comic relief but is also unable to form regular interpersonal relationships with people other than his brother after severe torture in his formative years.
This character’s history is just one example of McDonagh’s intricate and celebrated script, which Bortz and Haptonstall both said is one of the best they’ve read.
“This is a really dark play, it’s one of the darkest I’ve ever read,” Bortz said. “The writing is incredible. It’s an incredible script and it’s the perfect time of year for it.”
The play contains disturbing images, including the torture of children and adults, as well as R-rated language, aspects that make “The Pillowman” a production for adult audiences only, Haptonstall said.
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Director Rich Haptonstall watches the rehearsal of a scene from “Pillowman.” |
While McDonagh’s characters go on an uncomfortable journey of self-discovery, Haptonstall believes the audience is also forced to face some uneasy realizations as well. Relationships form between the audience and these sometimes-repulsive characters that might surprise some in the crowd, he said.
“The characters are so well developed you get caught up with a character you’re not supposed to like; you find redeeming value,” Haptonstall said. “At the end of this play you end up with just a tiny spark of hope.”
Though the script and the subject matter make for a compelling play, Kelly noted that it is important for the cast to play the material without “over-cheesing” it.
“It’s not a cheap horror film,” Kelly said. “It’s an emotional revelation.”
The cast and crew at FVCC are up to the task, Kelly said, and their experience makes for a cohesive and polished production. He acknowledged that potential audience members could consider attending because it is so close to Halloween, but they might experience something deeper.
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Stage Manager Karissa Brown makes notes in the scripts of “Pillowman,” a dark play opening at the Flathead Valley Community College Theatre in time for Halloween. |
“They will expect one thing and get everything they didn’t,” Kelly said. “There’s a natural human draw to go to a show where they know they will be scared or uncomfortable or hurt.”
Audience members should come with an open mind and the reassurance that the play does not have a cliffhanger ending. Kelly noted “The Pillowman” has the only ending he has not been able to guess before reading it.
Haptonstall said the play may be upsetting at times, but he is confident his cast can give depth to the many facets it presents.
“It’s certainly the most compelling play I’ve worked on, especially with a college cast,” Haptonstall said.
Tickets cost $10, $5 for senior citizens and free admission for FVCC students. Advance tickets may be purchased online at www.fvcc.edu/fvcctheatre, at the FVCC bookstore or by calling 756-3814.