GOD OF CARNAGE Echo Theatre - Arts on Tour.

Lainie Hart (Annette)- Jenna Roberts (Veronica) - Arran McKenna (Michael) - Jim Adamik (Alan)
in "God of Carnage".

Written by Yasmina Reza – Translated by Christopher Hampton

Director, Set & Costume Designer – Jordan Best

Lighting Designed by Jacob Aquilina – Music by Will Best

Stage Managed by Brittany Myers.

The Q, Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre. 29^th – 31^st August 2025.

Performance on 29^th August reviewed by BILL STEPHENS.

Lainie Hart (Annette) - Jenna Roberts (Veronica) in "God of Carnage"

Artistic Director, Jordan Best, could hardly have chosen a better vehicle with which to introduce Echo Theatre to the Arts on Tour circuit.  

Yasmina Reza’s God of Carnage is a brilliant satire on modern mores. The play focuses on two married couples who meet to decide how to deal with a situation brought about by an altercation between their two eleven- year-old sons in which one son hit the other with a stick, causing him to lose two front teeth.

Initially the meeting begins cordially, with both couples scrupulously observing contemporary etiquette, engaging in introductory small talk and avoiding addressing the real purpose of their meeting.

However, as they begin to relax, lubricated by the host’s best rum, the conversation moves into loaded topics such as sexism, racial prejudice, homophobia and perceived cruelty to a guinea pig, the talk becomes more pointed and irrational as couples continually swap allegiances.

Jenna Roberts (Veronica) - Arran McKenna (Michael) in "God of Carnage"

Perfectly cast with four of Canberra’s most accomplished actors in Jim Adamik who plays Alan, never off his mobile phone as he negotiates business throughout the evening and Lainie Hart as his embarrassed wife, Annette, forever trying to compensate for Alan’s boorishness.

Jenna Roberts and Arran McKenna play their hosts, Veronica and Michael. Veronica is a mistress of passive-aggressive manipulation while Michael’s solution to all problems is to offer more rum.

Arran McKenna (Michael) - Jim Adamik (Alan) in "God of Carnage"

All four actors are so on top of their roles that their delivery of, and response to, Reza’s razor-sharp dialogue appears so natural that it’s easy to forget that they are acting.

Best’s direction is masterly as she takes full advantage of her own cleverly designed setting to keep the action moving rapidly, punctuated by judiciously placed pauses almost as telling as the dialogue.

Sparse but elegant this setting has everything needed for some adroitly staged and brilliantly executed physical business, including projectile vomiting by Annette and an hilarious wrestling match when Veronica attacks Michael.

Performed without an interval, God of Carnage engages totally from the very opening sentences, and although it deals with serious subjects, as performed by this outstanding cast, it’s unlikely you’ll leave the theatre without your jaws aching from laughing.

Following these Queanbeyan performances God of Carnage will continue its tour to Coffs Harbour (Sep.3^rd) – Belrose (Sep.5^th & 6^th) – Dubbo (Sep.10^th)- Springwood (Sep.12^th) – Gosford (Sep.13^th).

                                       Photos by Ben Appleton - PHOTOX




             This review also appears in AUSTRALIAN ARTS REVIEW. www.artsreview.com.au