Known as "God of Carnage" in English language theaters.
Synopsis
Before the play begins, two 11-year-old children, Ferdinand Reille and Bruno Vallon (Benjamin and Henry in the Broadway production), get involved in argument because Bruno refuses to let Ferdinand join his 'gang'. Ferdinand knocks out two of Bruno's teeth with a stick. That night, the parents of both children meet to discuss the matter. Ferdinand's father, Alain (Alan in the Broadway production), is a lawyer who is never off his mobile phone. Ferdinand's mother, Annette is in "wealth management" (her husband's wealth, to be precise), and consistently wears good shoes. Bruno's father, Michel (Michael in the Broadway production), is a self-made wholesaler with an unwell mother. Michel's wife, Véronique (Veronica in the Broadway production), is writing a book about Darfur. As the evening goes on, the meeting degenerates into the four getting into irrational arguments, and their discussion falls into the loaded topics of misogyny, racial prejudice and homophobia. One of the central dramatic moments of the play occurs when Annette vomits onstage, all over the coffee table and books.
Characters
| Name | Age | # of lines |
|---|---|---|
| Alain Reille | 40s | 210 |
| Annette Reille | 40s | 202 |
| Véronique Vallon | 40s | 282 |
| Michel Vallon | 40s | 232 |
Production History
| Date | Venue | City |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 14, 2012 | Claudia Boettcher Theater | Dobbs Ferry, New York |
| Nov 26, 2012 | Sutherland House | London, England |
| Sep 20, 2012 | Clwyd Theatr Cymru | Mold, Wales |
| Sep 7, 2012 | Theater by the Sea | Matunuck, Rhode Island |
| Jun 20, 2012 | Cape May Stage | Cape May, New Jersey |
| May 11, 2012 | Kalita Humphreys Theatre | Dallas, Texas |
| Nov 4, 2011 | Tapia Theatre | San Juan, Puerto Rico |
| Apr 17, 2011 | Ahmanson Theatre | Los Angeles, California |
| Mar 2011 | Goodman Theatre | Chicago, Illinois |
| Feb 2011 | Gate Theatre | Dublin, Ireland |
| 2010 | Teatrul de Comedie | Bucharest, Romania |
| 2009 | Theatre Rugantino | Zagreb, Croatia |
| 2008 | National Theatre | Split, Croatia |
| Oct 2, 2008 | Alcazan Theatre | Madrid, Spain |
| Mar 8, 2008 | Gielgud Theatre | London, England |
| Jan 25, 2008 | Theatre Antoine | Paris, France |
| 2007 | National Theatre | Ljubljana, Slovenia |
| Dec 8, 2006 | Schauspielhaus | Zurich, Switzerland |