God of Carnage is a compelling story about how our supposedly civilized society can spiral into madness. It highlights the recent focus on being “Better Angels of Our Nature,” a term psychologists use to describe our inclination toward cooperation, empathy, reason, self-control, and conscience instead of violence. This play revels in the fragility of these qualities and explores the chaos lurking beneath the surface.
At Dayton’s only professionally registered Shakespeare Theater Company, “The Gem City Groundlings,” presents an intriguing and intimate production of the global Tony-Award winning play by French playwright Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton, which is now showing at The Lift Venue in Dayton, Ohio the first weekend–and Brick and Beam, 5571 Far Hill Ave., Centerville, for the second weekend.
The Story
As middle-class parents agree to meet to resolve a dispute over their sons’ playground fight, their attempt at civility quickly descends into a chaotic, sharp, and brutal clash of personalities, parenting styles, and marital tensions, exposing the fragile facade of modern manners. The initial polite discussion spirals out of control as the alleged ‘liberal parents’ Michael and Veronica Novak, played by Don Smith and Corinne Zimmer, invite more conservative parents Alan and Annette Raleigh, played by Dylan Lee Jackson and Racheal Tingley, into their home, revealing principles and hidden resentments that surface, leading to insults, accusations, and a complete breakdown of decorum, amplified by a spent bottle of rum. Alan’s cellphone (as he’s a lawyer) acts as an inanimate fifth personality in the story.
The story explores themes of hypocrisy, the fragility of civility, class, sexism, racism, and darker aspects of human nature, all while serving as a sharp satire of modern parenting and social norms that border on the absurd. It’s a lot to unpack in a compact 90-minute play.
The play offers an intriguing portrayal of the chaos in an intimate setting. The group enhances the Lift venue’s sparse, open format by placing the set in the middle of the space, with the audience chairs arranged around it, creating a participatory atmosphere.
The Production – Great Attention to Detail
Cofounder and director Andrew Mitakides, along with his wife and executive producer Riki Mitakides, does a great job presenting and managing the logistics of the unique production, with props placed directly behind patrons to keep the actors within the intimacy. Andrew also handled the charming set design of the Novaks’ living room, complete with real food and drinks and a lovely bouquet of real flowers. He also provides an uncredited custodian role, tidying up his clever set after havoc is wreaked. With no intermission, everyone can share the pandemonium.
The small group includes assistant director Greg Fosthoefel, who also demonstrated a commendable ability to multitask as the stage manager and managed sound and technical elements during the show. Costumes are contemporary and provided by the actors themselves.
Overall
In exploring Gem City Groundlings’ God of Carnage, as a parent, one is left asking: What would you do in the same situation as these helpless parents if it happened to you? That is the lingering question after experiencing the ups and downs of this play, well presented by the Gem City Groundlings.
For tickets and more information, go to this link: God of Carnage tickets. The show runs until March 14, 2026. Performances for March 12-14 will be at the Brick & Beam, Centerville, Ohio.
