Productions

Katurian, a writer of grisly short stories often showing violence against children, has been arrested by two detectives, Ariel and Tupolski, because some of his stories resemble recent child murders. When he hears that his brother Michal has confessed to the murders and implicated Katurian, he resigns himself to his execution but attempts to save his stories from destruction.

Act 1, Scene 1: Ariel and Tupolski interrogate Katurian in a police room. At first Katurian does not know why he is being questioned, and thinks he is under suspicion of ruining political messages against the totalitarian dictatorship through his stories. The detectives and Katurian discuss grisly stories involving children. Ariel leaves the room, and soon after Michal is heard screaming in the next room. Ariel returns, his hand covered in blood from apparently torturing Michal, and tells Katurian that Michal has just confessed to killing three children, in association with Katurian. The first two children were murdered according to the patterns of the stories "The Little Apple Men" and "The Tale of the Town on the River." Katurian denies the allegations, stating that although his stories are gruesome it is the job of a storyteller to tell a story.

The Grads won the Charles Rowland Cup (second place) at the Edinburgh Divisional Festival and competed in the Eastern Division finals.


Cast:
Tupolski: David Grimes
Ariel: Gordon Craig
Katurian: Chris Condie

Crew:
Andy Ellis - Set
J Gordon Hughes - Sound and Lights
Caroline Mathison - Properties
Matt Davies & Esther Gilvray - Rehearsal Prompt


Transcript of public adjudication from Brian Marjoribanks, Edinburgh District Finals

Then we come on to Act 1 Scene 1 of The Pillowman by Martin McDonagh by EGTG. This past 8 months if I were to say anything, has been a Martin McDonagh 8 months for me. This is the 3rd 3 act play by Martin McDonagh I’ve seen. I want to say to The Graduate theatre group that I actually placed Beauty Queen of Lenanne 1st in the all Ireland finals about 7 months ago. But, just incase there’s anyone from Killing of Sister George tomorrow night, I placed the Killing of Sister George 1st in the Ulster Final.

So a year of McDonagh for me: Beauty Queen of Lenanne, Cripple of Inishman was also on in that same festival. This play was first performed at the Cotlesloe in 2003 with David Tennant, Dr. Who, playing the leading part in it. McDonagh was born in England with Irish parents, and he went back to Galway. And he tended to be impressed by the plays of G.M. Sing, Pinter, and David Mammet, who influenced his writing. Its really dark, black humor he uses. The symbolism comes through. The use of coarse language to shock us at times, comes through. And I thought to myself the key to the production would be: how do you actually play black humor, black comedy.

So, the curtain went up. Table was set squarely on stage. Anyone who’s heard me adjudicate in the past few years, I always say, “set your table diagonally.” It gives you more theatrical opportunities. This was the exception to the rule. I think the table was absolutely ideal being square on. There were two chairs facing upstage. I would always be critical of that as well. Again, here was the exception to the rule. The chairs facing upstage, I thought, were again spot on.

I thought the lighting was quite good. The use of strip lighting that you had up here effectively conveying the room where he was being interrogated. All though I did have problems with the lighting towards the end of it.

The costumes were simple, straightforward and effective.

Coming on to the production, where were the weaknesses? Well, I felt there was a need that spoke to point the black humor just a little bit further than they did. For example, “That would be considered police brutality” It was thrown away. While I liked it light, I thought they lost the humor and wit behind that. So at some openings its necessary to show different points in it.

I felt the ending was quite slow and not effective. I felt the lighting contributed to that. I also felt that the long walk as he went out of the hall was the only occasion with the walks we had in it that didn’t really come across.

But as with other productions, this was filled with so many lovely things in this production tonight. The opening was absolutely excellent. I thought we took in the blindfold and plight of the actor on stage. Then the footsteps as they came through the audience were threatening. And this was repeated throughout the production again to very good effect, except that last sequence. I felt the director had thought the movement out extremely well and there were some lovely theatrical moments in it. Tupolski, for example, had some lovely circular moves on stage. I don’t like people walking in straight lines. Always use curved moves if you can. And this came across in this production tonight rather well.

This was another production where I felt there was the use of meaningful pauses. They paused in just the right place, to allow us to digest what had happened, what was about to come and they always meant something, which I thought was good. Lovely changes of mood and atmosphere. We went from tension at times, where I could have heard a pin drop in the audience, to the humor and the audience responded to the black humor. I thought that the direction of the highwayman story, that plus the actors talent, was extremely well handled. When I say the highwayman story I mean the one where he was in the cage, and the highwayman shot him – I thought that was beautifully related, and very very theatrical and it was extremely well done.

The open the box sequence, I also thought was excellent as well. Heightening the rhythm a bit, you took a pause there. As I mentioned, I felt throughout the production there were times and tense moments where you could have heard a pin drop and yet as a nice counterbalance to that with the humor coming through.

The performances themselves:

Katurian – I would have liked at the opening just a bit more projection from you. You were static at the table and quite far back on stage, you just needed a bit more mental projection because later on you got that in barrel loads. Physically I thought it was a good performance. You were in a seated position. Your movement, specifically gesture, reinforced with some lovely facial expressions, which I thought came from the inside, I thought came across dramatically well. You handled the pauses you had very well indeed. Especially the one on “You know what I mean?” and your pause was just absolutely beautiful from it. You needed a bit more vocal control. When you got excited, your voice was going up into your upper register. You need to extend your vocal register down and up to get the clarity that is require. But I thought you balanced that well with an amiable performance. I identified with you. There was smile on your face that made me think, yes I’m interested with what happens to you and made me very very sympathetic with your character. I thought your story telling sequence, the Pide Piper one, despite the comments about your vocal register, was absolutley spot on. It was the one time you were allowed movements and you came across extremely well in it.

Tupolski – Splended vocal range. Lovely quality of vocal tones to listen to it. When the two of you came up on stage. I thought you looked an absolute nasty piece of work. And I thought that you were going to be Arial and was surprised to find it the other way around. Liked Tupolski’s stage movement. It was extremely authoritative and I could believe he was the boss. I liked the way he handled his comedy lines too. Remember at times that playing upstage needs just an element of more projection – and you played up stage quite a lot. Lovely variation of pace and volume at times though and you came across to me as a very relaxed and talented actor on stage. I thoroughly enjoyed your performance.

Ariel – The good cop, bad cop. I thought your performance fairly fired into life on that line. You handled that remarkably well. I initially thought to myself you didn’t look particularly nasty enough to want to gouge his eyes out, as you were doing on the floor, nor beating up the guy next door. But, you strengthened the character developed as the play went on. Your story telling was excellent and your timing on the “talk to the brother” was extremely good.

So, I thought the three of you handled it remarkably well together.

Overall, I think the blackness of the comedy was balanced by some splendid theatrical moments. We saw three talented actors and a good director manipulate the audience effectively. I thought you gave us a most splendid ending to the evening. So well done, Edinburgh Graduate Theatre.


Edinburgh Evening News
Amateur drama is still setting high standards
Friday, 27 February 2009
By Liam Rudden

"...Closing the first heat, The Pillowman (Act 1), performed by Edinburgh Graduate Theatre Company, boasted two strong performances, as good as many you will see on the professional stage, in Chris Condie's Katurian and David Grimes' convencing Tupolski."