The Pillowman

by Martin McDonagh
Sight Lines
KC Arts Centre, Singapore

Martin McDonagh’s dark, disturbing drama is no stranger to Singaporean audiences. It was staged by the Singapore Repertory Theatre in 2007 and, more recently, by Pangdemonium in 2017. This new, all-male version by award-winning playwright and director Chong Tze Chien (who will be helming the Singapore International Festival of Arts from 2026-2028), presented by Sight Lines, is notable for having each actor rotate all the roles in the play.

Set in an unnamed totalitarian state, we follow a writer, Katurian, who is being interrogated by two detectives – self-proclaimed "good cop" Tupolski and his hot-headed, sadistic partner Ariel – in connection with a series of gruesome child murders that bear an uncanny similarity to his short stories. His mentally-challenged younger brother, Michal, is locked up in a nearby room. As the scene goes on, we see an identical one taking place behind a translucent wall that bisects the stage, the three actors on the other side mouthing and occasionally saying the same lines aloud. Midway through, a pair of actors smoothly move through gaps in the wall and switch places. And it happens again and again throughout the play, actors deftly replacing one another in the middle of scenes and even sentences.

Chong’s concept may initially prove confusing but it adds another layer of storytelling to a play that is about the power of stories to mould our imagination and the narratives that confront us every day of our lives. The lines between accuser and accused, between villain and victim become increasingly blurred as they are inhabited by different bodies. Each member of the dynamic ensemble (Shrey Bhargava, Irsyad Dawood, Joshua Lim, Krish Natarajan, Jamil Schulze and Lian Sutton) brings a different physicality and texture to their interpretation – whether anguished or flippant, vehement or verbose. Simple accessories like jackets and scarves are used to distinguish the characters they play. Admittedly, some actors make a stronger impression than others and not everyone gets the same amount of time to sit with each character. However, the multiplicity of perspectives has the effect of destabilising one’s bias and making us increasingly question what we see. 

Do we pity Katurian for having suffered an abusive childhood and seeking escape by writing violent stories? Was the impressionable Michal simply trying to impose a sense of order in his life by taking a cue from his brother? Are the police inspectors, apparent arbiters of justice, blameless for forcing everyone to accept a version of the truth that only they seem to see? In an age of uncertain laws and leadership, where the seemingly impossible can so easily become a reality, the play takes on a fresh relevance. The all-male dynamic drives this home, making it impossible to ignore the dangers of toxic masculinity and the primordial urge to control others, whether by words or actions.

Photo Credit: Crispian Chan

Chong extracts compelling performances from the cast. Despite a run time of nearly three hours, the pacing is tight and edgy. The brooding aesthetic is heightened by Grace Lin’s stark, minimalist set in shades of black. Rather than opting for larger-than-life theatrics and multimedia, scenes from Katurian’s short stories are played out in the background with a child-like innocence, aided by Genevieve Peck’s evocative lighting and Jing Ng’s unnerving soundscapes. In a particularly chilling sequence, a light goes off on Katurian just as he is about to be tortured while another actor playing him in the background screams and writhes in pain. In another scene, a detective paces back and forth across the length of the stage, played by a different actor each time he emerges from the malleable wall. Even for repeat viewers, the twists and turns in the plot come as a shock and when a gun is fired, it genuinely sends a ripple through the audience.

Is there light at the end of the tunnel? There‘s no doubt that The Pillowman is a bleak, intense play that makes one desperate for a drink. However, it is a story that deserves to be told - one which makes us alive to the embedded narratives in our society that continue to distort and oppress. I am glad Sight Lines and Chong have risen to the task of reviving this gripping psychological thriller.

The Crystalwords score: 3.5/5