BWW Reviews: Stray Dog Theatre's Hilarious GOD OF CARNAGE

I first saw playwright Yasmina Reza's play, God of Carnage, at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis before catching Roman Polanski's film adaptation (screenplay by Reza), which was simply called Carnage. It's an undeniably strong story that tells us a lot about how people behave, especially the feelings that we keep buried beneath the surface. Simply put, it's a comedy of manners that utilizes an unfortunate occurrence to bring together two sets of parents for a civilized discussion about the matter. But, once the alcohol begins to flow emotions and points of view start to skew in interesting directions that lift the veneer of civility. Stray Dog Theatre has put together an entertaining production of this fine work (translation by Christopher Hampton) that never fails to engage. A thoroughly game cast and sharp direction combine to produce superb theatre.

Veronica and Michael invite Alan and Annette to their home in order to talk about a situation that involves their son having his front teeth knocked out by a punch from Alan and Annette's son. Their attempts at conversation are awkward at first, with Alan's cell phone amusingly interrupting the proceedings at precise points. But, as they gradually move forward, and after Annette gets violently ill and the couples begin drinking, things take some truly interesting turns that are better left witnessed than revealed.

The show is very well cast, and that's especially important for this particular ensemble piece. Sarajane Alverson delivers a strong performance as the peace-seeking Veronica, who desperately wants to see that the parents do the "right thing", even if she's a bit vague about what that would actually entail. Michelle Hand is wonderful as the wildly over-stressed Annette, patiently dealing with her's mentally absent husband, before finally confronting him in a most delightful fashion. Michael Juncal amuses greatly as Michael, who describes himself as a "regular guy", and who would rather see this entire meeting come to a hasty conclusion than see it dragged out into some kind of nasty battle. Stephen Peirick is terrific as the perpetually condescending and preoccupied Alan, who shares Michael's wish for the evening to pass by as quickly as possible.

Gary Bell's direction is smartly executed, with just the right amount of movement and balance needed to keep this piece from ever becoming static. Rob Lippert's scenic design neatly captures Veronica's taste, and Tyler Duenow's lighting is on par as always. Bell's costume designs work well for each distinct characterization.

Please check out Stray Dog Theatre's current production of God of Carnage at the Tower Grove Abbey. It plays through February 21, 2015, and tickets will surely go fast for this hilarious show.

Photo Credit: John Lamb