EGG Theater Company Presents : Martin McDonagh’s The Pillowman (Cast and Characters)

OVERVIEW 

The Pillowman is a 2003 play by Irish playwright Martin McDonagh. It received its first public reading in an early version at the Finborough Theatre, London, in 1995. It tells the tale of Katurian, a fiction writer living in a police state who is interrogated about the gruesome content of his short stories, and their similarities to a number of bizarre child murders occurring in his town. The play received the 2004 Olivier Award for Best New Play, the 2004-5 New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best New Foreign Play, and two Tony Awards for production. It was nominated for the 2004 Evening Standard Award for Best New Play. (Wikipedia.com)

In the Philippines, The Pillowman had a stage reading by the Sandbox Theater Collective in the 2014 Imaginarium Theater Festival at the PETA Theater Center and during the first Fringe Manila Festival in 2015 at the Tanghalang Huseng Batute at the CCP. This production is the first full staging of The Pillowman translated in the Filipino language.



CAST & CHARACTERS

KATURIAN, A writer of gruesome short stories often involving children. His disturbed imagination was the result of having heard his brother being abused when they were younger. Consequently he killed his parents and looked after his brother. He is shocked by his arrest.

The role will be portrayed by GABS SANTOS.

Gabs’ theater credits include I Love You Because, Mulan, Fiddler on the Roof, Love’s Labour’s Lost for Repertory Philippines; N.O.A.H. (No Ordinary Aquatic Habitat) and The Little Mermaid for Trumpets, Lulu and Orosman at Zafira for Dulaang UP, and Bona  for PETA.


MICHAL, Katurian's brother, who is "slow to get things" following his years of abuse at the hands of his parents. He is also taken into jail along with Katurian.

PAOLO O’HARA and PAUL JAKE PAULE will portray the role.

Paolo, a graduate of BS Mathematics, is a former member of Tanghalang Pilipino’s Actors’ Company. His theater credits include Ang Mga Huwad, Bakaretta, Godot: Wer Is U?, Magno Rubio, Merchant of Venice, Orfeo sa Impyerno, Rhythm Method, Crime and Punishment, Ang Sinungaling, Ang Ulo ni Pancho Villa, Insiang, Carmen, Makbet among others. Paolo also acts for movies and television and teaches in colleges, workshops and networks. Other productions include Dulaang UP’s Amphitryon and just recently, Tisoy Brown: Hari ng Wala, both directed by Jose Estrella.

Paul Jake is an actor, director and workshop facilitator. He was a former member and training director of PUP Sining-Lahi Polyrepertory.

For Film, He appeared in KAPATIRAN directed by Pepe Diokno, Mula Sa Kung Ano Ang Noon(From What is Before), HELE SA HIWAGANG HAPIS a film of Lav Diaz, THE GIFTED directed by Chris Martinez REquieme directed by Loy Arcenas and Ang Lagda entry to CINEBERDE 2015 wherein he won Best Actor.

He has also performed for Dulaang UP, Dulaang Laboratoryo, HeroesSquare Intramuros,Young Artists Production, Teatro Expedicion de Filipinas, Pro.Pro., Dulaang Kalay, Treehouse Theater Company,   Theater Artists Organization, and UP Theater Council wherein he won “Best Actor” for the play Room 4 Rent during the 2007 Curtain Call Play Festival.

He recently earned his first Best Stage Director non musical nomination for  Artist Playground's The Riddle of the Sphinx in the 2015 ALIW AWARDS.

TUPOLSKI, The lead detective and the "good cop" in the interrogation. Cold and uncaring, he sees himself as detached from the people he aims to save, shocking his younger partner Ariel.

RENANTE BUSTAMANTE will portray the role.

Renante was among the select students of Stella Adler Studio of Acting in New York from 2006 to 2008. He played Omar in John Patrick Stanley’s The Big Funk at the Stella Adler Studio marking his New York stage debut. He also played Wes in Ryoji Kajiwara’s Home. He is the founding Artistic Director of Tanghalang Tatsulok, an active community theater in Bataan and has appeared in PETA’s production of Haring Lear and Noli/Fili Dekada 2000.

ARIEL, A brutal and violent detective who has a vendetta against anyone who commits crimes against children because of abuse in his own past. He ends up being more sympathetic towards Katurian and his stories than Tupolski.

ACEY AGUILAR will portray the role.

Acey is a Theater Arts graduate of the Philippine High School for the Arts. He has worked with Dulaang UP, Tanghalang Pilipino, Tanghalang Ateneo and Sipat Lawin Ensemble, and among his theater credits are lead and supporting roles in Orosman at Zafira, Sala Sa Pito, Batang Pro, Pragres, Shock Value, Lulu, Kafatiran, Waiting for Godot and Ang Goldfish ni Professor Dimaandal

Aside from television and theater, he has also appeared in several indie films including Rekrut, Colossal, Lugaw, Kawal, Melodrama Negra, Islands, among others and most recently, the CineFilipino entry Star na si Van Damme Stallone.