Taking the stage tonight in Charleston is The Pillowman. This photo by K.C. Bragg shows a scene from the play, as Ariel (Joe Wallace) interrogates Katurian (Ryan Hardiman).
Ryan (who's also featured in this story in today's Herald-Dispatch) joins us for an e-interview to tell us more about it:
Q: For those who aren't familiar with the show, tell us about The Pillowman.
Ryan: Martin McDonagh's Olivier, Drama Desk and Tony Award winning play The Pillowman has been described as watching "The grimmest of Grimm's Fairy Tales as written by Stephen King and directed by Quentin Tarantino." It involves a writer in a totalitarian police state being interrogated about the gruesome content of his short stories and their similarities to a number of child murders that are happening in his town. The writer's mentally challenged brother is also suspected as having something to do with the murders. The 2003 Broadway production starred Billy Crudup and Jeff Goldblum.
Q: What about the show made you want to be part of this production?
Ryan: The Pillowman is so different from what we usually expect from a play, and it reads more like a movie. It delivers endless twists and turns and even though the playwright Martin McDonagh leaves many bread crumbs along the way, the play constantly surprises you. You’ll find that even though the play deals with some horrible things, it is also very funny. You’re horrified one second and laughing the next, so the black comedy offers temporary relief from the tension that is constantly building.
Q: This is a physically challenging role, isn't it?
Ryan: Although I trust my acting partners completely, there was one night in rehearsal that my head was slammed so hard on a table that I thought I would start bleeding from the ears. I get shoved, smacked around, nearly electrocuted, and much worse. This is not for the faint of heart. Although no violence is actually portrayed onstage against children, I get PLENTY dished out to me. Beyond that, I only get to leave the stage for about 30 seconds during the whole show and even then, I'm screaming offstage. So, yeah.
Q: Who are the other actors in the show?
Ryan: The two detectives, Tupolski and Ariel, are played by K.C. Bragg and Joe Wallace, respectively. Huntington audiences will remember K.C., as he is a 1991 Marshall Theatre Department graduate, performed in several shows there, and directed The Hobbit for First Stage Theatre's early incarnation, MAG-CT. Since then, he has gone on to play the tile role in Hamlet and to direct Dracula for Charleston Stage Company. Joe is a staple of theatre scene in Charleston as well, and is a founding member of the improv group The No Pants Players. Dan Heyman, who recently was in a Charleston production of The Exonerated plays Michal, The mentally impaired brother of my character, Katurian. Ronn Smith, Freida Forsley, Michelle Bowers, Christen Meo, and Adam Vickers round out the cast, portraying multiple characters in Katurian's stories. The Pillowman is directed by Tim Mace.
Q: Why would you recommend this show to our readers?
Ryan: If I weren’t already in this production, this is a play that I would definitely not miss, and to be honest, I would most likely want to see it more than once. It’s easy to see why The Pillowman won so many awards during it’s West End and Broadway runs. The writing works on so many levels and you’ll find yourself making all of these connections. Everything fits. This is a play you’ll find yourself thinking about and talking about for days, and as odd as this seems given the subject matter, it is very funny. This show is definitely not suitable for children, though. If it were a movie, it would be rated R for language and violence.
Q: Tell us when and where the show is being staged.
Ryan: Performances are at 8:00 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 21, 22, 23, 28, 29 and March 1, 2008. Tickets are $15.00/adults and $10.00/students and seniors. The performances are at The Capitol Center Theatre, 123 Summers Street, Charleston. Tickets are available at the door, at www.charlestonstagecompany.com or reserve by phone at (304)343-5272.
Directions: Traveling East on I-64, take the Lee Street exit at Charleston and
turn right. Continue on Lee Street two blocks past the Charleston Town Center Mall and turn right on Summers Street. You will see the lighted marquee of The Capitol Center Theatre two blocks ahead on the right side of Summers Street.
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