Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Steve Pemberton will star in a new production of Martin McDonagh’s play The Pillowman.
The black comedy is set in a totalitarian state where a writer is questioned by the authorities about a spate of murders that bear similarities to his short stories.
It has only been staged once before in London, at the National Theatre in 2003, and this production, directed by Matthew Dunster, will be the West End premiere.
Tweet 500! New profile pic (lots of love for David and Pauline, but it had to be Bewes.)
And if you're a fan of dark comedy/drama, I'll be appearing in The Pillowman by Martin McDonagh in the West End this summer.https://t.co/RVlnRPJfRj
— Steve Pemberton (@SP1nightonly) February 28, 2020
McDonagh said: “The Pillowman is a play that’s always been very close to my heart, in terms of its combination of the darkest of dark comedy with its exploration of the nature of story-telling itself.
“It’s a play that I haven’t wanted to have staged in London until I could find the perfect director and the ideal cast for it, and having worked with Matthew previously on Hangmen, and been an admirer of Steve and Aaron’s work for many years, I feel it’s the perfect time to find out what a whole new generation makes of this peculiar tale … ”
The play will begin at the Duke of York’s Theatre from July 24 for a strictly 12-week season, with press night on August 5.
Tickets will be available for every performance on a “pay what you can” scheme.
James Bierman, of Empire Street Productions, said: “I really hope that with this play, this cast and for this production, we can welcome both established and new playgoers into the West End, and that this pricing accessibility will give those audiences the thrill of live theatre at its very best.”