Veneer of civilization comes off in LCCC’s “God of Carnage”

Cheyenne, Wyoming – A play exploring the complexities of human relationships and how chaotic they can be is coming to Laramie County Community College this month. 

“God of Carnage,” or “Le Dieu du carnage” in the original French, is a 2008 play by Yasmina Reza and translated by Christopher Hampton. In the play, two married couples come together to discuss a fight their sons had on a playground. What the characters hoped would be a civil affair devolves as the veneer of civilization comes off and the parents end up behaving worse than their children. 

“In the play, over the course of an evening, we get to see how there are disagreements between the couples, there are disagreements within the couples — no one is really on the same page,” said Jason Pasqua, LCCC Theatre instructor. 

Ultimately, Pasqua said the play’s dilemmas are metaphors for the larger world of difficulties associated with human relationships. People in the audience are likely to see reflections of themselves in the characters and the problems they face attempting to work with others. But Pasqua said it’s all presented in a comedic way, making it enjoyable for the audience to watch the characters behaving badly. 

“It is 100% a comedy ─ there are incredible laughs, and a few surprising moments that I don’t want to reveal,” he said.

The cast of four LCCC students have done excellent work with complex characters and subject matter, Pasqua said. It’s critical, he said, for actors in “God of Carnage” to express the necessary subtleties, as well as explosive emotions. 

“It’s a very challenging play also because we’re in one room,” Pasqua said. “The hardest thing in the world to do on stage is to be present with the other person and listen to them. And this cast is fantastic at it.” 

“God of Carnage” has won several awards, including 2009 Tony Awards for Best Play, Best Actor in a Play, Best Actress in a Play and Best Director of a Play. Reza was also given the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Comedy in 2009. A 2011 film adaptation is titled “Carnage.”

Performances of “God of Carnage” are set for 7:30 p.m. on Apr. 20-22 and Apr. 27-29 in the Surbrugg/Prentice Auditorium. Tickets are $10 and will be available at lccc.wy.edu/theatreTickets. Admission is free for students. Tickets can also be purchased at the door, or by emailing boxoffice@lccc.wy.edu or calling 307.432.1626.

“God of Carnage” contains adult content and themes.

For more information about the LCCC Theatre program, contact Jason Pasqua at jpasqua@lccc.wy.edu or 307.778.4323 or visit lccc.wy.edu/theatre.