The Milwaukee Rep presents: GOD OF CARNAGE

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.
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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.