'God of Carnage' opens at Oak Ridge Playhouse tonight
When you’re a kid, immaturity is expected. Throwing tantrums, pointing fingers, and arguing when you don’t get your way is all excused behavior when coming from a child who doesn’t know any better. At some point, though, you cross over into the mundane "Land of Adulting." It’s here where societal responsibilities force one to grow up, put away petty emotions, and behave in a civilized manner. Well, these adults did not get the memo!
Opening tonight and running select dates through March 19, the aggressively funny "God of Carnage" examines how the straitjacket of a polite society cannot contain the primitive beast writhing to get out.
When a playground mishap between children leaves one with missing teeth, two sets of parents meet to resolve the matter. What begins as a straightforward discussion focused on problem-solving, quickly spirals out of control like a destructive tornado. Rum brings out the best and worst of everyone, unveiling cracks in parenting styles and the relationships of both marriages. What’s left is a chaotic spectacle of savagery that points a lot of fingers and packs a hilarious punch.
Playwright Yasmina Reza refers to her work as ‘theater of nerves,’ writing about people who are on edge, or close to a breakdown – "God of Carnage," is no exception. Michael and Veronica Novak (Martin Stone Hennessee and Stephanie Quist) go toe-to-toe with Alan and Annette Raleigh (Rollin Prince and Francesca Reggio). The increasingly heated exchanges all take place in the living room of a Brooklyn home, making it easy to corner one’s opponent. Audiences won’t always know who is on whose side, or who holds the power, making it all the more fun to watch!
Tickets for "God of Carnage" are $26.50 for adults/seniors, and $23.50 with any student ID, and are available for purchase online at www.orplayhouse.com, or by calling the Box Office at (865) 482-4877, Tuesday - Friday, noon to 5 p.m.
This production is made possible through additional support from the Tennessee Arts Commission and is being supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number SLFRP5534 awarded to the State of Tennessee by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
Ash Goodwin is the arts administrator at the Oak Ridge Playhouse.
This article originally appeared on Oakridger: 'God of Carnage' opens at Oak Ridge Playhouse tonight
