When two 11-year-old boys get into a fight on a playground, most people would expect the adults to handle things better. That assumption is the joke at the heart of Yasmina Reza’s “God of Carnage,“ the Tony Award-winning dark comedy, which runs through June 28 at the New Jewish Theatre.
Before you go, here are five things worth knowing.
It’s not really about the kids
The playground fight happens before the play begins.
What audiences actually watch is a meeting between two sets of Brooklyn parents trying to resolve the conflict in a civilized way.
That plan doesn’t last long.
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As the conversation unfolds and the drinks begin to flow, alliances shift, tempers flare and the adults gradually start behaving worse than the children they are discussing.
How the play was inspired
Reza, one of France’s most celebrated writers, is known for taking seemingly small moments and exposing the tensions hiding underneath.
According to New Jewish Theatre Artistic Director Rebekah Scallet, the play was inspired by a real incident involving one of Reza’s son’s classmates.
“A boy was hit by a schoolmate who knocked out some of his teeth, and the mother of the injured boy was appalled that she didn’t even receive a phone call from the other child’s parents,” Scallet said.
Reza quickly imagined what might happen if those parents sat down together to discuss the incident.
The result became a worldwide hit, winning the Tony Award for Best Play and spawning productions across the globe.
Why the title matters
“God of Carnage“ sounds dramatic because it is.
Scallet believes the title points to the chaos lurking beneath the surface of everyday life.
“No matter how hard we try to control our environment and ourselves, the chaos, or carnage, is always waiting beneath the surface waiting for the chance to come out,” she said.
In the play, the parents work hard to do everything the “right” way. The fun comes when that control begins to unravel.
Why audiences still relate
The play premiered nearly two decades ago, yet audiences continue to recognize themselves in it.
Scallet points to an observation made during a recent discussion with Rabbi Elizabeth Hersh.
“We see ourselves in our children,” she said. “We so strongly identify with them, that it can become difficult to separate ourselves from them in these kinds of situations.”
If a child makes a mistake, parents can feel as though they have made the mistake themselves.
The play takes those emotions to an extreme, but its humor comes from a recognizable truth.
What conversations it sparks
For Scallet, the best outcome is that audiences leave talking.
“I hope the discussions are about how we can be our best selves around other people, even if we disagree with them,” she said.
Of course, she also hopes they’re talking about how much fun they had.
Because for all its sharp observations about human nature, “God of Carnage” remains what it promises to be: a very funny night at the theater.
Event information
What: “God of Carnage”
When: Through June 28
Where: Wool Studio Theatre, 2 Millstone Campus Dr.
How much: General admission tickets are $60.54 including fees. J member and senior tickets are $55.13 including fees.
More info: 314-442-3283 or https://jccstl.com/arts-ideas/new-jewish-theatre/2026-njt-season-productions/god-of-carnage/
