Ozaukee Living local
  • Home
  • Stories
  • Events
  • About Oz
  • #EditorOfOzReviews

#EditorOfOzReviews Wisconsin Live Theatre 

The Milwaukee Rep presents: GOD OF CARNAGE

4/24/2023

0 Comments

 
Picture

By Mary Boyle

When you hear the title of The Rep's season closer on the Quadracci Powerhouse stage, you might jump to the conclusion that it is something violent and terrifying involving war or murder, when in fact it’s simply about a meeting between two sets of parents regarding a fight between their eleven year old sons; a meeting that could happen to anyone who has children.  This meeting, however, does not go well and, while there is no war or murder involved, the GOD OF CARNAGE certainly makes an appearance.

Veronica and Michael (Heidi Armbruster, recently seen in Wife of a Salesman at The Rep, and Adam Poss) have invited Annette and Alan (Makha Mthembu, who makes her Rep debut, and Elan Zafir) to their home to discuss a fight between their sons.  Annette and Alan’s son, Benjamin, hit Veronica and Michael’s son, Henry, in the face with a stick, causing significant damage to two of his teeth, but Veronica and Michael see no reason why they can’t discuss the incident and come to a resolution like mature adults.  Unfortunately, the maturity levels drop rather quickly and it’s not just one couple against the other, but each couple fighting with each other, as well.

Originally written in French by playwright Yasmina Reza, who based it on a real-life experience she had with her own son, GOD OF CARNAGE was translated into English by Christopher Hampton and made its London premiere in 2008 and its Broadway premiere in 2009, starring Jeff Daniels, Hope Davis, James Gandolfini, and Marcia Gay Harden as Veronica, who won a Tony for Best Actress, while the play won a Tony Award for Best Play.  The play was made into a film in 2011 called Carnage, which starred Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Chistoph Waltz, and John C. Reilly, and has gradually made its way across the country.

Directed by Ryan Quinn, who returns to his hometown to direct his fourth production for The Rep, it seems that the point of this play is to make the audience as uncomfortable as possible while still making them laugh – and you most certainly will laugh, though some of it will be the nervous kind.  While the struggles of children being violent and the marital and family struggles each of the characters are experiencing are entirely relatable, some of their behavior is simply beyond the bounds of normal and entering into the realm of ridiculous – and yet, nobody could possibly complain about the acting in this production, as each of the cast members fully embody their characters, even when they’re behaving completely erratically.  What is certain is there will be plenty of fodder for discussion after the play, which is always a good thing.
​
GOD OF CARNAGE runs through May 14th at the Quadracci Powerhouse theater, located at 108 E. Wells Street in downtown Milwaukee.  Tickets may be purchased online at www.MilwaukeeRep.com, by calling the Ticket Office at 414-224-9490, or in-person at 108 E Wells Street in Milwaukee.  Group tickets are available for parties 10+ by calling 414-290-5340.
 
About Milwaukee Repertory Theater
Milwaukee Rep is the largest performing arts organization in Wisconsin with three unique performance venues in the Patty & Jay Baker Theater Complex– the Quadracci Powerhouse, Stiemke Studio and Stackner Cabaret. For over six decades, Milwaukee Rep has been a centerpiece of Milwaukee’s vibrant arts and cultural scene with productions ranging from Broadway musicals to Shakespeare to American Classics and New Works that are entertaining, inclusive, and impactful. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Mark Clements and Executive Director Chad Bauman, Milwaukee Repertory Theater ignites positive change in the cultural, social, and economic vitality of its community by creating world-class theater experiences that entertain, provoke, and inspire meaningful dialogue among an audience representative of Milwaukee’s rich diversity.

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Mary Boyle

    Reviewing live theatre in Wisconsin since 2014.  Proud member of the American Theatre Critics Association.

    americantheatrecritics.org

    #OzTheatre

    Memories Dinner Theater 
    Cedarburg Cultural Center 
    Cedarburg Performing Arts Center
    Cedarburg Children's Theater 

    Port Summer Musical Theatre 
     

    Dance
    Pommersche Tanzdeel 

    Music
    ​Lakeshore Symphonic Band 
    Ozaukee Chorus

    ​

    #MkeTheatre

    Milwaukee Repertory Theater 
    Milwaukee Chamber Theatre
    Skylight Music Theatre 
    Florentine Opera 
    Milwaukee Opera Theatre
    First Stage Children's Theater
    Next Act
    Renaissance Theaterworks 
    Theatre Gigante
    The Constructivists 
    Boulevard Theatre 
    Optimist Theatre

        Shakespeare in the Park 
    ​Bombshell Theatre Co. 
    Pink Umbrella Theater Co.
     
        Accessible theater for All
    Morning Star Productions 
    Kids From Wisconsin 
    ​Milwaukee Youth Theatre


    Dance 
    Milwaukee Ballet 
    Danceworks
    Kho-Thi Dance Company 
    Water Street Dance Company 
    Wild Space Dance Company 
    Warped Dance Company 


    Music
    Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
    Festival City Symphony 
    Present Music 
    Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra - MYSO 
    The Milwaukee Choristers

    #WITheatre

    American Players Theatre
    Spring Green, WI
    Fireside Theatre
    Fort Atkinson, WI
    Door Shakespeare
    Northern Lights Theater
    Peninsula Players Theatre
    ​Third Avenue PlayWorks

    Door County, WI 
    Summit Players Theatre
        Shakespeare in State Parks
    Forward Theater Company
    Madison Shakespeare 
    Children's Theater of Madison 
    ​Madison Opera

    Madison, WI
    Sunset Playhouse
    Elm Grove, WI
    Wilson Center
    Brookfield, WI
    Waukesha Civic Theatre
    Lake Country Playhouse

    Hartland, WI 
    West Bend Theatre Co.
    Musical Masquers 
    Spotlight Productions
    West Bend, WI
    Kettle Moraine Playhouse
    Campbellsport, WI
    Sheboygan Theatre Co. 
    TYA, Sheboygan
    Weil Center
    Sheboygan, WI
    ​Falls Patio Players 
    Menomonee Falls, WI
    Schauer Arts Center
    Hartford, WI
    Ghostlight Theatre Co.
    Fond du Lac, WI

    Music
    Kettle Moraine Symphony
    ​
    Umbrella Groups
    United Performing Arts Fund 
    Milwaukee Theatre Alliance
    Imagine MKE
    World Premier Wisconsin
    Mad Stage 
    Wisconsin Dance Council
    ​
    Wisconsin Arts Board


    Categories

    All
    Broadway
    Broadway At The Marcus
    Digital
    First Stage
    Forward Theater Co.
    Holidays
    Madison
    Milwaukee
    Milwaukee Chamber Theatre
    Musical
    Theatre
    The Rep
    Youth Theatre

    Archives

    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022

    RSS Feed

Published By:

Picture

Ozaukee Living Local
A Community Supported Publication

OLL is always looking for Contributing Writers and Photography, which is an excellent way to highlight what your business or organization is doing in Oz.  Not a writer but have a Story Idea or Event Submission?  Just contact us at:
 mary@ozaukeelivinglocal.com  

Contact Us

mary@ozaukeelivinglocal.com

Join our mailing list today!  One email newsletter a week, every Friday, with everything you need to know about what's happening in Oz.  
Subscribe Now
  • Home
  • Stories
  • Events
  • About Oz
  • #EditorOfOzReviews