God of Carnage

An afternoon conversation between two sets of parents whose sons have had an altercation at school sets out at the height of civility.  Veronica and Michael Vallon (caroly Eccles and Josh Wiseman) are of course concerned that their boy will require dental surgery and a permanent tooth replacement, and Annette and Alan Reille (Lainie Hart and Jim Adamik), whose son is responsible for the dental damage, completely understand their concern.

But some characters are unable to resist having a dig here and a dig there, and soon there’s tension over who holds the moral high ground and who’s merely trying to have his or her way.

With a cast that works well together on a well-lit set that supports the upward middle-class home of the Vallons, Echo Theatre has done a fine job in making accessible and audible a play that stretches some of the cast’s voices and uses their emotional range.

The play itself is not perfect. It leaves many questions dangling, triggers twitching, and changes in direction without cause or explanation, and thus leaves the audience wondering at various events’ inclusion at all.  As well, its characters learn nothing, their secrets remain undiscovered, and their behaviour toward one another, especially toward their spouses, appears to be without reasonable cause.  But, under fine direction by Jordan Best, the cast made the play engaging, surprising, and at times amusing — an especially impressive performance given the extremities of behaviour the play calls upon.  Echo Theatre’s God of Carnage will give you an undemanding but energetic ride to its dubiously conclusive finish.

John P. Harvey

Image: [L–R] Carolyn Eccles and Josh Wiseman, in God of Carnage. Photographer: Photox Canberra Photography Services.