The boy and I went out last night to see a play called The Pillowman. We only knew about it because one of the actors is the husband of a friend, and we only went to see it because it sounded like some kind of early-Grimm adult fairy tale. Well, it was really good.
It's about a writer who's being interrogated by a good cop/bad cop team, over some child murders that have taken place recently. He's there because the murders bear close resemblance to some of his grisly - but highly inventive - short stories. But it's not all dark and depressing (and it does get even darker and more depressing than I've just outlined). Because it's full of really funny dialogue. And the stories he tells are Clive Barker-esque. I'm not completely sure that the mix of comedy and horror is a comfortable one (which reminds me a little of the movie Life is Beautiful). But I came away with my head full of memorable, shocking images and ridiculous ideas. To the writer character, his stories are the most important thing - worthy of living on after he dies, powerful enough to turn harmless people into monsters. Hmm...perhaps The Pillowman is making fun of those people who take literature so seriously?
This link will give you plot summaries of the play itself and of the stories told within it. Go have a look.
3 comments:
Sounds like a good time.
Glad you got some ideas to think about.
I like it when I go and see something and then take time to think about it later, because it was worth thinking about.
A date. Lovely. Not to mention intellectually stimulating.
angela and nigel: yeah, though in hindsight, a story involving little kids being tortured is may not be the best choice if you're a parent of a little kid...
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