THE AUDIENCE at Malvern’s Coach House Theatre was taken on an emotional roller-coaster during witty comedy God of Carnage.
The show, written by Yasmina Reza and staged by Here to There Productions, centred on two couples arguing about their sons and their partners.
It portrayed the raw side of relationships with the couple not going to the extreme of killing each other but coming very close to ‘carnage’.
Those watching were completely absorbed in the production, laughing, feeling the characters’ frustrations and wondering how the plot would end.
Simple tricks, such as the constant ringing of a phone interrupting the characters’ rows, also helped build tension and stressed out the audience.
Ben Andrew gave a perfect portrayal of split-personality Michael, switching from laughter to anger in a heartbeat and leaving us wondering what would happen next.
Philip Jennings and Laura Ashcroft were both strong as Alan and Annette and, while Sarah Gordon had a difficult task playing the ‘annoying’ Veronica, the character could have been conveyed with a touch more believability.
Overall, God of Carnage felt as though you were looking through the window of real-life relationships and no parts felt overly dramatised, making for an interesting and thought-provoking evening.
Here to There Productions will be back at the Coach House Theatre with the play The Permanent Way by David Hare from November 30 to December 3.
