There is fifth member of this cast that joined the company really late in the process, the audience. "God of Carnage" is a dark comedy without the setup/punch line of a more traditional script.

In rehearsals, especially as we got into full run-thrus, we (the actors) weren't all that sure if there would be laughs at all. Our characters were behaving atrociously. Would the audience be repelled by this or join in the mayhem?

Luckily, the play is so well crafted, we shouldn't have worried. Performing Yasmina Reza's romp is a delight. But every audience has proven to be different. What got a huge reaction on one night gets a few titters the next. Sunday matinee audiences laugh more at the "People struggle until their dead" utterance by Alan than any other performance of the week.

After a week of performances, I asked Darrin Doman who plays the attorney, Alan Raleigh, if he would have guess that his line, "I'm beginning to like you", said after my wife, Veronica, physically attacks me would be the biggest laugh of the show. None of us had any idea.

There are constant surprise audience reactions to the stage action and lines. Moans, "tsk tsk's", gasps, cheers, full sentence utterances have all made their way from the fifth cast member to us on the stage. It makes the show a constant juggling event for the four of us. This is beyond wonderful. It makes us present and alive. And why live theatre is so exhilarating to do and watch.

All four of us are realizing the richness of this wonderful work as we go along. If you saw it early in the run, you might want to revisit it.

SLAC audiences: Thank you for the opportunity to experience this.

GOD OF CARNAGE runs through November 6, 2011. Tickets available online or by calling the Box Office: 801.363.7522.