Theater Review: "God of Carnage" at Darien Arts Center

Do you ever fantasize about forgetting the niceties and showing people how you really feel? Keeping it real, uncensored and unforgiving? Does the thought of telling it like it is without censure bring a Cheshire cat smile to your face? Then Darien Arts Center’s production of Yasmina Reza’s God of Carnage is the play for you. This refreshingly feral and ferociously funny show just might be the cathartic release you need. Running through November 22, this delightful exploration of what lies beneath the façade of civility among the upper middle class is a brutally honest look at the instinctual animal natures that manners and etiquette merely mask.

Lawrence Reina, Jessie Gilbert, Eileen Lawless, and Gary Betsworth in
God of Carnage at Darien Arts Center
Photo credit: Jeffrey R. Wyant

God of Carnage tells the story of a meeting between two sets of parents whose children were involved in a playground incident that resulted in a fat lip and the loss of two teeth. This meeting devolves into an unfiltered and uncensored confrontation that strips away pretention, revealing the true nature of the couples and the individuals involved. Parents will find it easy to relate to the situation, and we can also easily recognize the traits and characteristics of each individual member of these couples.

Under the brilliant direction of Mark Graham, this play is also a seamlessly fluid study in small group dynamics as the parties take sides, alliances are sundered and reformed in various permutations, and the adults end up acting like the very children they are meant to defend. Under Mr. Graham’s vision, the simple, yet elegant set designed by David Eger becomes more than just the living room of a well to-do couple; it represents a playground setting where the adults form and reform their own cliques, gang up on or strike out against each other, have tantrums, argue, and eventually strike an uneasy truce. With creative blocking, the temporary alliances and images of these adults in conflict are memorable.

The strong cast brings these couples realistically to life, in all their full three-dimensional glory. Gary Betsworth and Eileen Lawless convincingly play Michael and Veronica Novak, the parents whose child was struck. It is evident from early on that Veronica is the dominant individual in this couple, and Ms. Lawless is perfect in the role. She is the epitome of the pretentious and judgmental parent whose dictates and suggestions to the ‘offending’ parents seem to be an indictment against their parenting style. To Veronica, this is more than just a playground scuffle – her perfect son has been disfigured due to thuggish behavior brought on by poor parenting and neglect. Her contempt is thinly veiled in polite smiles and condescension. Ms. Lawless is so good at playing the role, that at one point, I threw up my hands in frustration, wanting to smack her myself. Well done!

Like his character, Mr. Betsworth’s portrayal of Michael starts out slow and grows over the course of the play. As the peacemaker and more conciliatory member of the couple, Michael is easily overlooked at the start, but as the play progresses, we learn more and more about the character, and Mr. Betsworth is able truly inhabit Michael’s world. Not to be dismissed, we learn that Michael is rude, has a racist attitude toward the children of Darfur whose plight is his wife’s chosen cause of the moment, hates children and parenting, was a former “gang” member in the loosest sense of the word, and is, to the horror of all, a hamster murderer. It is fun to watch Mr. Betsworth as he finally lets loose, allowing a glimpse of the real Michael that has been kept under wraps, and his wife’s domineering nature, for what we suspect has been a long frustrating marriage.

On the other side of the playground kerfuffle are Annette and Alan Raleigh, the parents of the boy who wielded the stick that took out the Novak son’s teeth, perfectly played by Jessie Gilbert and Lawrence Reina. Alan is a high-powered pharmaceutical attorney in the midst of a business crisis, and Annette is his mousy, quiet wife who is left to deal with most matters regarding their child and home. Annette, we learn, is subject to panic attacks that cause her to throw up and Alan seems to have more of a relationship with his cell phone than to his wife and child.  

Besides a convincing portrayal of a woman who seems to suddenly grow a spine to defend her child, Ms. Gilbert deserves special recognition for acting out a hysterical, yet squeamishly realistic, vomit episode. Mr. Reina deserves special recognition for his non-verbal displays of incredulity and frustration at being put in the uncomfortable situation of defending his son for what amounts to rough child’s play to begin with, and for having to put up with the Novaks’ pretentiousness. At one point, Alan throws Veronica a look that says, “Who the (fill in the blank) do you think you are?” It is priceless.

This dark comedy is not for everyone. If your tastes run more to nice, polite, old-fashioned manners and ideals, do not see this play. Although brilliantly rendered, hysterically funny, and highly entertaining, God of Carnage contains strong language, profanities, and adults acting like unruly and petulant children. Look closely and you may even find that it is a reflection of your own hidden dark side.

God of Carnage runs through November 14, 15, 21, & 22 at 8:00 pm and November 16 at 2:00 pm at Darien Arts Center, 2 Renshaw Road, behind the Town Hall, Darien.  Tickets are $20. Call 203-655-5414 or visit www.darienarts.org for tickets.