God of Carnage at Marin Theatre Company
 Rachel Harker (Annette Raleigh) and Stacy Ross (Veronica Novak)

Photo by Ed Smith

A schoolyard bully knocks out another boy’s tooth; that’s the back-story to Yasmina Reza’s play the God of Carnage, just opened at Marin Theatre Company. The action unfolds in the living room of the aggrieved boys’ family where the parents continue the fight without the boys. Of the two couples, only one person sincerely seeks an answer to the question of responsibility. Everyone else dodges it in some very funny way. Reza’s four characters are each distinctly different, and director Ryan Rilette has very sensitively highlighted those differences.

The Raleighs, parents of the presumed attacker, come to visit at the home of the Novaks, parents of the victim. Warren David Keith plays Alan Raleigh as a pompous high-powered lawyer who couldn’t be bothered with the minor altercations of his “savage” boy and would rather discuss shady dealings on his cell phone. Rachel Harker as his wife Annette becomes progressively ditzy as the 75-minute play progresses.

Alan regards hardware dealer Michael Novak as pathetic rubbish and makes little effort to avoid condescension. Michael, played by Remi Sandri, seems at first not to have a dog in the fight. He generally goes along with what anybody says, until he finally decides to stand up for himself. Stacy Ross as Veronica, not Ronnie, Novak tries to organize the discussion and acts out her frustration on the sofa in hilarious ways.

Veronica reads a written narrative of the event while they quibble over words. Stacy makes the prepared statement sound serious while pussyfooting around the major issue. Hypocrisy seethes through the opening, but Alan just passes over it as “the art of coexistence.”
                   
“Your son has disfigured my son,” Veronica continues to point out, but nobody cares. Stacy makes Veronica extremely conflicted. She seems to be the only one present with any parenting skills.

Jokes about spontaneous physiological functions are usually crude but can be funny. When Annette has a problem, the director and cast handle it very sympathetically. It still gets several big laughs.

Cell phones can also be a big source of amusement. Alan’s rings repeatedly, and at well-timed moments, generating oh-no-not-again laughter. The biggest guffaw comes when the phone meets the Veronica stomp.

The production clearly delineates the distinct personalities as they are enacted. The cast is clearly comfortable in their roles, but Stacy Ross plays her character’s discomfort close to the breaking point. The ensemble plays well and tightly together, but Stacy is a comic focus.

Reza has put real people into a ridiculous confrontation which they try not to take seriously. This production slickly and humorously develops the conflict of the situation and its absurd non-resolution.

Because of increased ticket demand, God of Carnage has been extended for eight more performances through June 24 at Marin Theatre Company, 397 Miller Avenue, Mill Valley. Tickets ($34 to $55) are available on-line at marintheatre.org or by phone at 415.388.5208.