The Pillowman - Duke of York's

I prefer Keith to Lily personally.

Matthew Dunster seems to have decided Lily Allen is an actress with zero evidence, and I'd rather we stopped pretending she is.

Pillowman is a knock out play, that first time round was THRILLING. This could have also been thrilling, and I'm borderline angry they've gender flipped it AND cast someone sub-par. This should be an EVENT getting a production of this again, and as hard as I imagine Steve Pemberton is working, he can't do it all.

I echo the above - Denise Gough if we must.

Wanted to be positive, the play itself was the highlight let down by a hole in the centre, Allen could not carry the play which her character needs to do, Pemberton, Kaye and especially Tennyson as Michal almost make up for the vacuum.

Will look out for this play again as with a strong Katurian this play would be transformed, made me think of Kinnear in the Trial at the Young Vic a few years ago and what he would have done with the part.

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would

Lily Allen was fine. The play nerds a great lead actor, which she isn't, but she didn't stink the place out or anything. Co stars are better

Saw this evening of 24 June. I did not enjoy this. Tempted to leave at the interval but remained curious where the play had left to go - there was one story title that seemed important that had not yet been "performed."
But, overall, I found this just sick. And I was more sickened by the laughter in the audience - it wasn't widespread laughter but one or two people who just found somethings uproarious and had big big laughs. 
I dd not see this is a great play hidden by poor performances.
Llly Allen was fine, I guess. But, she had basically two notes - semi-hysterical/on edge in book scenes and flat unemotional n the narration scenes. I can see how a different characterization could change how the story feels - But I just doubt it would have changed my reaction much.
I can see the theme of "stories" we tell to get us past trauma - but that idea is presented early and then just repeated constantly to not great end. 
Mrs NCBears missed that this was a "totalitarian fascist state" - although Pemberton says it almost as a joke about police - as in, people always see the police n that fashion - not that these police are actually part of a totalitarian fascist state. Indeed, I did first take it as a joke. Nor is it clear that the "State" objects to KKK's stories - such that only 1 has been published. They could be viewed as cautionary tales - or could be viewed as threatening by encouraging individual action against oppression. But, they are, in the end, just "stories" and while important to KKK, there is no indication why KKK feels her stories will be a legacy hat anyone will care about. 
I was really looking forward to this play - so much that we booked from the States, got single seats in the back of the stalls (Clear view, by the way T8 and U7) - and even with the comments about Allen, I thought I'd still see what was reputed to be a great play. I didn't see it. Not recommended. Your views may (and will) differ.
Lastly, to me, and perhaps I missed the answer, but there is a huge plot question: 

Relax

Yes, I thought it was the direction that let it down overall. Personally thought Allen was fine, but the big heavy set added nothing, and so much was stylistically dull. Sometimes the stories were just... read at us, but others were staged in full or partial. The animation in The Little Jesus section was great, I feel that should have been a running design idea for all the stories, even Topolski's, but it was only used on one. Given how imaginative the play itself is I felt the direction consistently lacked the imagination to match.

Oooooh I remember this Decadent production, it was very good. They actor who played the priest in Derry Girls, Peter Campion I think, was Katurian. It was the first time i saw the play and think they got the comic timings spot on. I also remember the dramatisations of the stories being beautifully stark. It's such a twisted, darkly comic play, the directing really is so critical, makes me see how very important good directors are.

Totally off topic, but this does not warrent a threat so I do apologize.....Rory will you be able to catch Druid's mammoth staging of all the O Casey Dublin plays this summer when they play the Lyric in Blefast? Or any of the other Irish dates?

He's the play equivalent of Laurence Connor, reliable but no style of his own. 

I went to this expecting the worst, based on what I had read here and in reviews. But while I definitely would not call this a good play, I was quite entertained by it, mainly with the first act. However, neither the text nor the direction seem to know where they're going.

I think the whole thing lost focus, and I left the theatre longing for what this could have been.

Talent free zone.

Avoid or bring your own pillow.