Out of Box Theatre’s production of ‘The Pillowman’

When a writer’s imagination becomes a crime scene, the line between fiction and responsibility blurs. Out of Box Theatre opens its fall season with Martin McDonagh’s The Pillowman, a darkly comic and unsettling interrogation of storytelling itself, running September 25–October 4 at the Creator’s Den in Marietta. Some stories entertain you. Some make you uncomfortable. This one may haunt you.

First produced in 2003 and winner of the Olivier Award for Best New Play, The Pillowman is one of McDonagh’s most provocative works — a black comedy set in a police state where a writer named Katurian is arrested because several gruesome child murders resemble the plots of his short stories. The play unfolds in an interrogation room, where detectives Tupolski and Ariel question Katurian about the disturbing tales he’s written, many of which involve children and violence. As the investigation deepens, the stories themselves are reenacted, revealing a childhood shaped by trauma and a brother, Michal, whose own confession complicates the truth.

McDonagh’s script is known for its rapid tonal shifts — moments of horror followed by absurd humor, followed by emotional devastation. Director Zip Rampy leans into that volatility. “What I love about The Pillowman is that it never lets the audience settle into one feeling,” Rampy said. “It can be frightening, funny, heartbreaking and completely absurd, sometimes within the same scene. You get pulled into these stories and before you realize it, you’re asking yourself some very uncomfortable questions.”

The production features Dani Herd as Katurian, Emily Marie Lester as Ariel, Ben Barlow as Michal and Nicholas Tycho Reed as Tupolski. The creative team includes fight choreography by Kevin Roost, stage management by Nailah Dabon and lighting design by Julian Barrientos.

Out of Box Theatre’s staging adds an additional layer of intensity. This marks the company’s first full production inside the Creator’s Den, its new 40-seat performance space. With the audience seated close to the actors, there is no separation between spectator and story — no raised stage, no protective distance. Viewers sit inside the interrogation room as the detectives press Katurian for answers, heightening the claustrophobia and moral tension that define the play.

Since its premiere, The Pillowman has been widely discussed for its exploration of imagination, censorship, trauma and the ethics of storytelling. McDonagh drew inspiration from the dark undercurrents of fairy tales and the ways childhood narratives often mask violence beneath whimsy. The play asks whether an artist can be held responsible for the impact of their work — and whether stories can be dangerous, healing or both. It also examines the bond between Katurian and Michal, shaped by years of abuse, and how storytelling becomes a survival mechanism for both brothers.

The result is a work that is as philosophical as it is theatrical. It challenges audiences to consider why humans tell stories, what we hide inside them and how they shape our understanding of truth. As fiction becomes evidence, The Pillowman forces viewers to confront the uncomfortable possibility that imagination has consequences.

Performances run Friday, September 25 and Saturday, September 26 at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, September 27 at 2:30 p.m.; Thursday, October 1 through Saturday, October 3 at 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, October 4 at 2:30 p.m. The Creator’s Den is located at 585 Cobb Parkway South, Suite G1, in Marietta. Tickets are $25, with seating limited to 40 guests per performance. Tickets are available here.