The God of Carnage

My overall impression

Darjeeling, you had me at Woof-Woof.

I want to begin by admitting that I have been a member of the theatre community for over thirteen years and as a result I have found that it has become very difficult for shows to make an impact upon me. It is very easy to feel jaded with theatre after viewing a streak of bad plays, and I am willing to admit that I have fallen victim to it countless times, but plays like The God of Carnage are the kind that keep me coming back to the theater.

Directed wonderfully by Melody Rahbari, Yasmina Reza’s The God of Carnage unfolds in a absurdly, yet believable manner. The play whimsically showcases the pitfalls of marriage when we all continually wear masks to hide who we really are, all thanks to the societal norms our lives are dictated by. The play is fun, dark, and maddening at times for all the right reasons.

Many could say that the play is considered “director proof”, a show that needs a strong cast, regardless of the director’s talent. Though I consider the script strong, I would be doing Ms. Rahbari a huge disservice by not acknowledging her talents as a director, or even as a shepherd in this case. Surrounded by a talented cast, Rahbari has masterfully built a world filled with realistic performances. With strong performances by Tanya Wilkins, Katy Jacoby, Stephen Kline, and Kristopher Bicknell, Rahbari entices the audience with an endearing feeling of encroaching jeopardy that any audience member will readily accept.

I cannot recommend this show enough. For those of you on the fence, not only are you denying the the cast and crew a deserved audience, but you are also depriving yourself of a wonderful time. Considering the running time is a little over an hour, take some time out of your day and go check this damn play out!

Yasmina Reza’s The God of Carnage continues it’s run tonight (tickets are $15) at 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 10 p.m., after which doors close on this astounding production.