Martin McDonagh's The Pillowman Opens in London's West End June 21

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International News Martin McDonagh's The Pillowman Opens in London's West End June 21

Lily Allen leads the Olivier-winning play in its first major revival.

By Leah Putnam

June 21, 2023

Paul Kaye, Steve Pemberton, and Lily Allen in *The Pillowman* Johan Persson

The Pillowman opens its first major revival June 21 in the Duke of York's Theatre. The Olivier-winning play by Martin McDonagh began previews for its strictly limited West End engagement June 10, and will run through September 2.

Lily Allen has been subversively cast as the first woman to play Katurian in an English staging. She is joined by Steve Pemberton (She Stoops to Conquer) as Tupolski, Olivier nominee Paul Kaye (Matilda The Musical) as Ariel, and Matthew Tennyson (A Monster Calls) as Michal.

The dark comedy is set in a totalitarian state, and follows Katurian, a writer who is being questioned by authorities about a series of murders. Why is the writer suspected? The murders are eerily similar to her short stories.

Allen made her West End debut in 2:22 - A Ghost Story at the Noël Coward Theatre under the direction of Matthew Dunster, and reunites with Dunster with The Pillowman. This production marks Dunster's third time directing a McDonagh play, including Hangmen in 2016 at Royal Court Theatre, and A Very Very Very Dark Matter in 2018 at London's Bridge Theatre. Hangmen transferred to Wyndham's Theatre, before crossing over to Broadway's John Golden Theatre. That production earned two Olivier wins, a third Olivier nomination, and five 2022 Tony nominations.

Anna Fleischle (Hangmen, A Very Very Very Dark Matter) once again joins Dunster on a McDonagh play as set and costume designer. Other creative team members for The Pillowman include lighting designer Neil Austin and sound designer Ian Dickinson for Autograph. Casting is by Amy Ball.

Empire Street Productions produces The Pillowman, and previously produced the West End production of Prima Facie which will soon arrive on Broadway.

For tickets and more information, visit PillowmanPlay.com.

Check out the production with new photos below.