During rehearsals the character I immediately identified with in God of Carnage was Veronica. The nicest comparison is that we are both passionate about art and we hope to make some impact on the world--while she is so entrenched in Darfur and other tragedies, I'm really adamant about recycling and earth stewardship. The charming comparison stops there; I can see that Veronica's faults are my own. I'm really bossy in my personal life about how I think things should be done. As a kid I would tell my family what clothing they were expected to wear. When things don't go the way I instructed, I get really worked up about it and often end up bawling about a really small issue. Recently, I even went so far to lecture my boyfriend, Max, on "proper adult behavior," which God of Carnage proves is a sham.
After Max saw the show, I did the usual interrogation about which parts were his most and least favorite, as well as which character he thought he was. While Darrin Doman jokes that his character is so annoying that he think's he'll need an escort to the car each night, that's exactly who Max identified with: Alan. Max first identified with Alan because Max wants to be a lawyer. Again, the pleasant comparisons end there. Both have an attachment to electronics and never let a business call or wrong-number go unanswered. Both are usually detached emotionally and retain an uncomfortable amount of composure, even when the situation has gone to hell.
These parallels don't make us necessarily like the characters or support their actions. Instead, they allow the play to act as a cautionary tale—pointing out our faults and showing what a giant beast they will become if we keep indulging them. God of Carnage has had such a warm reception because the audience can recognize Yazmina Reza's ability to communicate the universality of human flaws.
It makes me wonder what the play would be like if Alan and Veronica were together...
GOD OF CARNAGE runs from October 13-November 6, 2011. Tickets available online or by calling the Box Office: 801.363.7522.
