Austinist Reviews <em>The Pillowman</em> - Austinist: Austin News, Food, Arts & Events

Ken Webster has been having a mighty fine time of things lately. He was ushered into the Austin Arts Hall of Fame last summer. He was the subject of a big ol' cover article in the Austin Chronicle in April. Just last week he won an acting award from the 2007 Austin Critics' Table for two of his recent solo stage appearances, Thom Pain (based on nothing) and St. Nicholas (we can't help but think of that production every time we spill some rice). With all that going on, you'd think the man might take a break, but nooooo. He's still at it.

And it is as great as ever. We make no bones about our affection for Webster's work, but even if you don't like his style—for some odd reason—Hyde Park Theatre's current production, The Pillowman, is something you won't want to miss. We ran into Kathy Catmull at the Critics' Table awards, and she gushed, "Oh, it's so good! I try to tell people what it's about and it's like a mystery, and a black comedy, and there's a crucifixion...and I finally just say you have to see it!" Apologies to Catmull for the embellished paraphrase, but she's right. You do just have to see it, and because the script is one of those where giving things away is something of an issue, it's hard for a critic to say much more than that...you just have to see it. But here's our best shot.

First and foremost, Jude Hickey has finally, deservedly, come into his own with the heavy-duty lead role of Katurian, the center around which the play's vortex swirls. Katurian writes ghastly stories most of which involve the gruesome deaths of children—the kind of work Chuck Palahniuk would be proud to call his own. He is detained by generic gestapo-like detectives in a generic fascist state, facing accusations that he's responsible for the recent, real-life realization of his work. This work is what The Pillowman is all about. Stories and storytelling are the backbone of this play, and as Katurian, Hickey shows us the writer and the storyteller, the defensive artist and the protective brother. In all of these personas and more, he shines. We've always enjoyed Hickey's work, but it's a thrill to see him take on such a huge role and master it with ease.

Not that he doesn't have an amazing supporting cast to play with. As the aforementioned cops, Ken Webster and Kenneth Wayne Bradley kick things off at a brisk pace with Katurian's first interrogation. In less observant hands, this would easily be played as yet one more cop-pummels-perp scene in an episode of Law & Order. However, Webster's direction is apparent from the word go, with Bradley's Ariel making frightening accusations of seriously beating the crap out of Katurian from a static position on the other side of the stage. Webster loves to stick his actors under a pool of light and make them deliver their most powerful lines with thick stillness and riveting physical presence. This is one thing we appreciate about his style, and throughout The Pillowman it works so very well.

Bradley excels at it, and we were captivated by his work in this production. With a shaved head, looking gaunt, scary, and intense, Bradley oozes "bad cop" from head to toe. In the role of "good cop" Tupolski, Webster is all wry sarcasm and snide remarks. The two actors feed off each other to great effect, and the interrogation scenes are all the better for having such experienced men at the helm. It's an unexpected reward when their characters play out, successfully, to be so much more than the stereotypes delivered at the start.

The other key player in The Pillowman is Mark Pickell. We're new to Pickell's work, but if this performance is any indication, he's an actor to be watched. Playing Katurian's mentally challenged brother, Michal, Pickell is simple without being dull, and doesn't fall back on caricature to bring life to Michal. From his velcro-enclosed shoes to the rumpled red sweater that he constantly tugs and frets over, Pickell physically embodies his character effortlessly. His scenes with Hickey are gentle and sweet. The genuine affection between these men—the chemistry of brothers who rely on each other for everything and love one another with fierce devotion—is some of the nicest work we've seen in a long time.

The remaining cast members have small but important bits of business to accomplish. In multiple roles, Liz Fisher (who we loved so much in The Sweetest Swing in Baseball) and Scott Tesch paint their parts nicely with broad, mime-like brushstrokes. Child actors Austin Bouse and Haley Wilson have the presence of thespians beyond their young ages.

But raves about acting aside, it's the words that should bring you to this work. The power of stories—the power of words—is The Pillowman's central theme. The play lingers as it unravels Katurian's stories, but that's not to say the pace slows or stalls in any way. Each time a story break occurs, you find yourself riveted by the tale being told. Several actors get the chance to spin the yarns that playwright Martin McDonagh has inserted into this work, but we found ourselves looking forward to the next time Jude Hickey would be the one to tell us a story. Perhaps this is because Hickey plays the author of the works, but we think it's because Hickey is so good as telling tales. It was like a twisted, warped afternoon at some kind of library storytime for sickos every time he took the helm. And it was delightful.

The Pillowman is an exceptional work, and Hyde Park Theatre has done everything right with it. As advertised, it is a very black comedy blended with a touch of mystery. It adds up to one fascinating, entertaining night of theatre that we can't recommend highly enough.

The Pillowman
Continuing through June 30, Thu-Sat at 8pm
Hyde Park Theatre [map]
Call 479-PLAY for reservations.

Photo by Bret Brookshire.