Gallery Players, Gallery Theatre Ipswich 19th – 24th May 2025
A Guest Review by Rob Aldous
Yasmin Reza is possibly best known for her play Art which was a sensation in the late 1990’s. Gallery Players bring her later play God of Carnage to the Gallery Theatre this week. In the home of Veronica (Brooke Parrat) and Michael (Forest Morgan) we find them in conversation with Alan (Joseph Alexander Rawlings) and Annette (Charlotte Curtis) after their sons have had a coming together at school. Veronica and Michaels son Bruno has been attacked by Ferdinand, son of Alan and Annette, resulting in the loss of two teeth.
What ensues is the uncomfortable, and often hilarious, unravelling of two couples with different ideas on how the matter should be resolved. Should the two school friends be left to sort it out or is accompanied formal apologies the order of the day. In to all of this Alan is constantly on the phone trying to sort a major work issue. He’s a corporate lawyer for a drugs company. On the other side, Michael is consistently phoned by his elderly mother needing advice and re-assurance. Both men handle their stresses very differently.
Joseph Alexander Rawlings is the perfect corporate lawyer, calm and assured, guiding colleagues over the phone. Something he can’t seem to replicate in regards to his son and supporting his wife. Charlotte Curtis as Annette, frustrated by her husband, sinks in to a panic attack ending with the unenviable task of vomiting on stage.
Brook Parrat wonderfully brings across the social warrior Veronica who like Alan can argue her causes better than she can deal with the repercussions of a domestic incident. Michael, who tries to be what his wife wants slowly falls to despair, frustration and anger and Forest Morgan really makes us feel for him.
Masks slip, arguments are made and though written before the days of social media the same element of arguing your corner and your corner only are as apparent here and this makes the final line a killer.
What is society, what is expected, should we all react the same? Nothing is black and white but can we see our way through the grey.
Buy your ticket now for this excellent production, tightly directed by Matt Jewson, where the tension never lets up but the laughs are plenty.
Age Guidance: 12+
Trigger Warning: Not suitable for emetophobics
God of Carnage is playing until the 24th of May at the Gallery Studio – tickets are available to book online at The Gallery Players Website
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