God of Carnage dominates the stage at The South Simcoe Theatre (SST) in Cookstown at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights, and 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon until March 17. This Tony Award-winning play by Yasmina Reza is a bold choice for the local theatre, and the production is impactful.
The play is described as a “delightfully savage satire." The effective presentation by each of the four actors at SST pushes beyond comfort zones as it comments on some of humanity’s base tendencies.
Answering why he chose to direct this play, Richard Varty said, “The characters are so well crafted, and I found myself relating to all of them and then being absolutely disgusted by all of them at different times. God of Carnage takes the characters and the audience into some dark waters but does it with humour. That intersection between savagery and comedy is very intriguing to me.”
It all stems from a playground fight between 11-year-old boys and two sets of Brooklyn parents who meet to resolve the matter. The synopsis says, “At first niceties are observed, but as the meeting progresses, tensions emerge and the gloves come off, leaving the couples with more than just their liberal principles in tatters.”
Actors Chris Cluff, Franca Ianni, Stephen Dobby, and Puneet Bajawa are believable and distinct in each of their roles. The action runs 85 minutes without a break. This keeps up the intensity of the interaction in one couple’s living room. There is a lot of movement and use of the stage that keeps the play alive the full time.
Varty explained, “An intermission would interrupt the flow of the production. These characters are trapped and I want the audience to feel complicit in that. The play does not have any established acts or scenes so it is written to be performed without a break. I would like patrons to know that, in the event that they require a break or to leave, they absolutely can.”
While there are certainly challenging moments of discomfort, there are also some laugh out loud moments. Being in the audience is a strong experience of the power of theatre.
Varty said he hopes the audience has genuine moments of fun, discomfort, surprise, empathy, and some disgust. “Whatever the audience experiences, I hope it sparks further conversation with other people about some of the themes within the play,” he added.
“I would like to offer my gratitude to the South Simcoe Theatre for selecting this play and allowing me to direct it. It has been a wonderful experience and I hope the audience enjoys it. God of Carnage may not sound like every patron's preferred cup of tea, but I applaud anyone who chooses to stray out of their comfort zone and experience something a little different,” said Varty.
God of Carnage is one of the opportunities SST offers this season. It will be followed by the musical comedy, Honeymoon in Vegas, May 3 to 19 and Four Play: A showcase of play readings, May 30 to June 2.
The theatre at 1 Hamilton St. is celebrating 40 years in the Old Town Hall in Cookstown. It has just announced its 2024-25 season: The Secret Garden, Having Hope at Home, and Pippin as well as That December Show and Four Play.
Throughout the year, SST offers courses in various aspects of theatre production, including acting, directing, stage management and beyond. It also has sponsorship and donor opportunities.
To learn more about all SST has to offer, or to volunteer, audition or take a course, visit thesouthsimcoetheatre.com.
Tickets to God of Carnage may be purchased online or by calling the box office at 705-458-4432 or emailing [email protected].
Rosaleen Egan is a freelance journalist, storyteller, and playwright. She blogs on her website: rosiewrites.com.
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