Saturday, November 22, 2014

Class Presentation on Post- Modernist play

The Pillowman by Martin Mcdonagh

Basic summary: A writer and a writer’s brother are arrested under the police force of a totalitarian government. The location is not specified. We just know that it runs as a totalitarian government, which already provides insight in to the concept that state has complete power over society. The writer is accused of murder because there have been murder cases resembling his violent stories.

Post modernist techniques: Post modernism is raw. The Pillow man is raw. The play focuses on very real life issues such as abuse, state inflicted oppression, and murder. The play also focuses on very real life feelings such as cynicism and struggles between the reality of truth and justice.


What I would do as a director: Whilse reading the play I imagined the play set in three different settings but all on the same stage. The lighting would be dim throughout most of the play and I imagined frequent use with shadows of Tupolski, Katurian, and Ariel during the interrogation. I also imagined the scene with Katurian and his brother Michal with more lighting so the expressions could be seen on their faces to highlight their tragic brother love. However, the most significant part of this play is the stories within the play. I imagine the flash back of the stories to take place on the stage right next to the reality of the police office in order to juxtapose “reality” and fiction. I imagine each transition to take place in the form of a spotlight landing on the scene/setting taking place.  

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