God of Carnage
by Yasmina Reza
Translated by Christopher Hampton
Directed by Gad Guterman
New Jewish Theatre
June 11, 2026
New Jewish Theatre’s latest production is an exercise in characterization, dark comedy, and a fascinating examination of human nature and social mores. Yasmina Reza’s God of Carnage, translated by Christopher Hampton and under the direction of Gad Guterman, is also an intricately paced, well-choreographed showcase in ensemble chemistry in this precisely staged production at NJT. It’s a relatively short play, running at about 90 minutes with no intermission, but a lot of action is packed into those 90 minutes, along with a lot of issues to ponder.
This is a meticulously crafted production, with the characters and situation being reflected clearly through means of the technical elements as well as the acting. The upscale Brooklyn apartment set by Rob Lippert, surmounted by an imposing abstract painting, gives a good idea of the world these characters inhabit. It’s the home of affluent couple Michael (Joel Moses) and Veronica (Christina Rios), whose school-age son has been injured in an altercation with a classmate, whose parents Alan (Nick Freed) and Annette (Bridgette Bassa) have come over to try to settle their dispute and craft a statement. It all starts with a veneer of politeness that gradually but surely disintegrates as the evening unfolds, revealing hidden aspects of the characters’ personalities, secret motives, attitudes, and biases as alcohol is brought out, contributing to the loosening of lips and revealing of truths. There’s also a somewhat graphic scene involving vomit, and usage of some offensive language that may bother viewers sensitive to such content.
It’s a well-crafted script, and the pacing is fantastic, with sharp comic timing and fasti-moving action. The acting is top-notch, with all four players turning in first-rate performances, with some–like Rios and Bassa, playing marvelously unusual roles for them, and Moses and Freed matching their energy note-for-note. These are well-defined characters but it also takes a bit to reveal who they really are underneath their carefully constructed veneers, and these revelations add to the comedy as well as the more disturbing aspects of the plot. It’s a statement about modern affluent society and social constructs of society as much as it is about raw human nature, and these players go all out to portray these characters in all their complex, and occasionally violent, elements. It’s a riveting show from start to finish.
The physical production also contributes much to the story, In addition to Lippert’s marvelous set, there are also perfectly crafted costumes by Michele Friedman Siler that do much to reflect who these characters are. There’s also excellent lighting by Jayson Lawshee-Gress and sound by Kareem Deanes, all working together to add to the tension and mood of the play.
God of Carnage is a lot of play in a short runtime. It’s a sharp examination of a segment of modern society that plays out in a darkly comic tone that works especially well for the story it’s aiming to tell. These characters are complex and not always likable, but thanks to the excellent performances of the actors, they are compelling from start to finish, and the plot descent to chaos is highly believable and fascinating. It’s another excellent theatrical effort from New Jewish Theatre.
Bridgette Bassa, Christina Rios, Nick Freed
Photo by Jon Gitchoff
New Newish Theatre
New Jewish Theatre is presenting God of Carnage at the J’s Wool Studio Theatre until June 28th, 2026
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