THE PILLOWMAN to Play Brisbane Powerhouse

A fusion of puppetry, physical theatre, shadow play and intense, razor-sharp dialogue, Shock Therapy Productions' dynamic interpretation of acclaimed Irish playwright Martin McDonagh's black comedy The Pillowman will have audiences at the Brisbane Powerhouse laughing inappropriately in August.

The Pillowman is the story of Katurian, a writer who is questioned by police over the content of some short stories which bear an uncanny similarity to real-life murders of children. Set in a police interrogation room in a totalitarian state, it explores themes of oppression, control, censorship, and the role of trauma in shaping human behaviour.

Directed by Sam Foster (The Forwards, Shock Therapy Productions; Monkey, Brisbane Festival 2002; The Apology, Anywhere Festival; The Stones, AHA International Theatre Festival), The Pillowman stars Hayden Jones (The Forwards, Shock Therapy Productions; The Apology, Zeal Theatre; The Tempest, CIRCA/Bell Shakespeare; A Midsummer Night's Dream, Grin and Tonic), Ben Warren (Absurd, Epic, Warning: Small Parts, Grin and Tonic; Sleep, Rest & Repose, La Boite; The Railway Man feature film), award-winning Brisbane actor and director Tama Matheson (Amadeus, Classic Productions; The Love of the Nightingale, Opera Australia; Design for Living, QTC) and Foster.

Foster says The Pillowman is a juxtaposition of two worlds. It flips between the harsh reality of Katurian (Warren) being interrogated by police (Foster and Jones) while his brother Michal (Matheson) waits next door and Katurian's re-telling of the stories he has written, portrayed through puppetry, physical theatre and shadow play.

"It is tragic and heart wrenching but it's also really funny," he said.

Jones explains The Pillowman contains some dark and, at times disturbing content, as well as coarse language.

"However, the language and content serve a vital purpose in the story, reflecting the themes of censorship, art and freedom of speech," he said. "It also contrasts nicely with the theme of innocence and innocence lost. This content is dealt with masterfully, using laugh out loud comedy and a form of contemporary absurdism, to have the audience laughing uncontrollably at the most inappropriate of times."

Known for the physicality of their performances, in The Pillowman Shock Therapy Productions' co-owners Foster (who recently performed in the movie Mad Max - Fury Road and King Kong the musical) and Jones have given the acclaimed work a new physical dimension.

"The play is full of dialogue and it is very fast-paced," Foster explains. "We love great text - we have all performed Shakespeare - but we have fused text with action and physical theatre to make a rich, vibrant and very visual show."

Shock Therapy Productions has worked with renowned puppet-based visual theatre company, Dead Puppets Society to re-enact Katurian's stories. However, while there is puppetry, The Pillowman is suitable for a 15+ audience. Presented by Shock Therapy Productions in partnership with Brisbane Powerhouse, The Pillowman's Brisbane season follows a sell-out and much acclaimed season at the Gold Coast Arts Centre in 2014.

Performances are 19-29 August 2015; Tue-Fri, 7pm; Sat 2pm and 7pm at the Brisbance Powerhouse, Visy Theatre. Tickets are $20-$35 and additional fee applies to each booking transaction (single tickets $3/ Multiple tickets $6). For more information visit here: www.brisbanepowerhouse.org