Martin McDonagh Teaming with Hangmen Director Matthew Dunster on West End Premiere of The Pillowman

The Pillowman is heading to London's West End for the first time, 15 years after its Broadway premiere. Martin McDonagh's dark drama will arrive at the Duke of York's Theatre this summer, in a production directed by Matthew Dunster, helmer of McDonagh's Olivier-nominated Hangmen, now on Broadway. The production will begin previews on July 24 and open on August 5; Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Steve Pemberton will star.

"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 storytelling itself," said McDonagh in a statement. "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."

Set in a totalitarian state, The Pillowman is set as a writer (played by Taylor-Johnson) is questioned by authorities about a spate of murders that bear similarities to his short stories.

The Pillowman arrived on Broadway in 2005 in a production directed by John Crowley and starring Billy Crudup and Jeff Goldblum. The production earned six Tony nominations including Best Play, taking home awards for Scott Pask's scenic design and Brian MacDevitt's lighting design.

The West End production will feature scenic/costume design by Anna Fleischle and sound design by Ian Dickinson. Additional casting and creative team members will be announced at a later date.