THE PILLOWMAN - 3/29/05

[Matt_G]

Posted: 3/30/05 at 12:23am

Tonight I had the pleasure of attending THE PILLOWMAN with our very own Queen Muppet and I can tell you that this is now, in my opinion, THE play to beat come Tony time. Not only is this the best new play I’ve seen all season, it’s the best play I’ve seen in years.

I don’t really know how to review this show since I don’t want to give anything away at all about it. The play left me shocked. Stunned, actually. I just sat there after it ended trying to let what I had just seen sink in. This is a very upsetting piece that happened to have a few extremely funny moments. On the other end, it also scared me more than any horror film that I have seen in years. It deals with some gruesome subject matter that will make some people squeamish and rightfully so.

Again, I’ve been trying to write this for about a half hour now and I’m at a loss for words. All I can think to say is GO SEE THIS SHOW. It deserves to be seen.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 3/30/05 at 12:35am

Thanks Matt. This play seems to elicit this same kind of speechless response from most people who see it, which I find really exciting. I'm going next week and can't wait.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 3/30/05 at 12:40am

Me too --

[chasgoose]

Posted: 3/30/05 at 12:43am

I have never had much of a desire to see a play or musical again (except with Copenhagen and Proof), but this was so riveting I find myself wanting to go again and again.
Updated On: 3/30/05 at 12:43 AM

[leeinlondon]

Posted: 3/30/05 at 7:39am

I STILL get chills when I think about this play a year and a half after I first saw it.. it is a play that was much better for me the second time because I could appreciate the humour more.

I plan to see it on Broadway in May, shame I won't be able to see Spamalot unless I am lucky with the standing tickets !

Posted: 3/30/05 at 8:14am

How was Jeff Goldblum? Is it odd that I've had a little crush on him since Jurassic Park...? I was like 8 when that came out and I thought he was absolutely the coolest (even though he was attacked right off the bat and just sat there for the rest of the film. And yes, I liked The Lost World).

[ken8631]

Posted: 3/30/05 at 8:45am

Seeing April 16 - looking forward to it now!

[ken8631]

Posted: 3/30/05 at 8:46am

Is Row AA too close? Sometimes stage is high and need to look "up" all the time.

[Mike3]

Posted: 3/30/05 at 10:23am

I saw The Pillowman on Monday. It was a chilling experience. I wholeheartedly concur: this production is not to be missed.

Martin McDonagh has once again created a script that is at once grousome and tender. This play is dark, but it is also deeply moving.

Goldbloom and Ivanek are very good as the two interrogators. Michael Stuhlbarg turns in a remarkable performance as the brother. It is Billy Crudup's Katurian, though, that makes this production so special. He brings the tenderness and the terror of McDonagh's script to life, especially in his scene with Stuhlbarg.

Last night I laughed through Spamalot, an enjoyable evening. Monday, though, reminded me why I go to the theater in the first place - to feel things deeply and rediscover the power of story.

[QueenMuppet]

Posted: 3/30/05 at 10:46am

Is it strange that I actually dreamt about the play last night? I found it that disturbing, horrifying, funny that it followed me all the way into my dreams.

A friend asked me yesterday what it was all about and why I liked it so much and I was at a loss for words. It's a wonderful, very dark production and you find yourself laughing at inappropriate times (and almost feeling bad about it) whilst gasping for air in shock in the next second.

Amazing performances by the whole cast. I want to point out two people who really stood out for me (although I really enjoyed Jeff Goldblum and Zeljko Ivanek as well):
Although I wasn't so sure about Billy Crudup in the first 10 minutes of the play he turned out be the the star of the show. Every time he started with another story I was literally sitting on the edge of my seat.
Same goes for Michael Stuhlbarg who gave a very chilling and disturbing portrayal of Billy's brother.

I wholeheartedly agree with Matt when he said that it's possibly one of the best plays he's seen in the last years... I would even say, it's definitely one of the best plays I have EVER seen.

QM

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 3/30/05 at 11:41am

Is it strange that I actually dreamt about the play last night?

Nope. I dreamt about it the night I saw it too.

[joniray]

Posted: 3/30/05 at 11:54am

So did I, which really surprised me because, as much as I loved it, I found it more disturbing than frightening. I guess I didn't realize when I saw it how much it was effecting my subconscious. But it definitely got in there.

[Razz77]

Posted: 3/30/05 at 5:28pm

The play, like most, left me completely speechless. It's genuinely unbelievable. I agree with being unsure about Crudup at the very beginning of the show -- I thought he was doing some serious overacting but soon found his way into the part. Goldblum was really quite wonderful - understated, hilarious, intense - not as big of a part as you would expect for such a marquee name. Row AA should be fine for that show -- because of the set design there seem to be very few bad seats in the theatre. GO SEE THIS SHOW -- I was blown away. Like nothing I've ever seen before.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 3/30/05 at 5:44pm

As I wrote last week, the play left me speechless. Yet I have been so drawn to it that I am going to see it again.

Brilliant.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 3/31/05 at 1:52pm

I'm bumping, because everybody HAS to see this show.