Albuquerque & Santa Fe - "God of Carnage"

Regional Reviews: Albuquerque/Santa Fe

God of Carnage
The Vortex Theatre
Review by Carole C. Sullivan

Aaron Black, Tristana Gonzalez, Wendy Barker,
and Joe Dallacqua
Photo by Broken Chain Photography

There is a lot to like about The Vortex Theatre's production of God of Carnage. Written by French playwright Yasmina Reza and exquisitely translated by Christopher Hampton, the play features four meaty roles for two men and two women. It has won several awards on both sides of the Atlantic and is often produced. Here, director Marc Comstock has decided to give eight actors a chance to shine, double casting the play. The Green and Red Teams, as they are called, rotate on a schedule posted online. Audience members can get twenty-five per cent off when coming back to see the other cast. This reviewer saw the Red Team.

God of Carnage was originally set in a Paris apartment and then moved to a London house and a New York location in subsequent productions. Director Comstock has set the play in a Santa Fe, New Mexico, home, where two couples meet to discuss their eleven-year-old sons' altercation on the school playground where one of the two was injured. At first the four individuals appear to be stock character types, the artistic stay-at-home spouse and her working-class husband contrasted with the high-powered lawyer and the classy fundraiser. But as the play progresses, we see these facades crumble and true personalities and feelings emerge.

The eighty-five-minute play is performed without intermission, and the action is nonstop. This is facilitated by ingenious script jumps aided by the use of cell phones. The set designer has enhanced the physical action by providing a lot of room to move on the living room set. The full width of the black box Vortex space is used. The outdoor entrance to the home, with appropriate Southwestern stucco and other design elements, is particularly clever and effective in establishing a sense of place.

Indeed, the entire production is very well designed, acted and directed. Every detail has been thought out and executed beautifully. The costumes immediately telegraph who each character is, and all the costumes fit the actors well. Props (and there is a lot of business with props) are managed well. The set and the lighting are appropriate without overpowering the action. Director Comstock has delivered a clean and straightforward production.

His actors collaborate with him splendidly. Aaron Black as the well-meaning Michael is perfect, with his antiquated flip phone and attempts to bond with the other father. Joe Dallacqua as Alan, the lawyer-father, fast-talking, attention seeker, is amazingly effective. Tristana (Barbie) Gonzalez is perfect as Veronica, the artistic "woke" one of the group. Wendy Barker, a standout in so many Albuquerque productions, is spot-on as Annette. This is an ensemble that works well together. They listen to each other and they connect.

I enjoyed the production enormously. This is well-written theatre done well. Given Mr. Comstock's expertise, I am sure both casts are equally strong. Don't miss God of Carnage at the Vortex.

God of Carnage runs through August 25, 2024, at the Vortex Theatre, 2900 Carlisle Blvd., Albuquerque NM. Performances are Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, 2nd and 3rd Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00 pm. General Admission $24, Discount Admission $19 (students, SAG,AFTRA). For tickets and information, please visit www.vortexabq.org or call 505-247-8600.

Directed by Marc Comstock, Set Design by Mary Rossman, Costume Design Louisa O'Neil Lighting Design, Ray Rey Griego. Cast: Red Team-Tristana Gonzalez, Aaron Black, Joe Dallacqua, Wendy Barker. Green Team-Aleah Montano, Bill Berg, Yannig Morin, Bridget Dunne.