To say I was excited about being cast in this show may be a bit of an understatement. As soon as I heard final word, I started telling people I was going to be in a play called GOD OF CARNAGE at Salt Lake Acting Company. The response to me being cast was universally positive. The response to the plays' title however, was a bit more mixed. One of my friends asked if I was playing the title role (I believe her exact words were, "Are you the God, then?"). Like OMG, I was a bit confused because there isn't a god character in the show. I figured she must have been joking so I just responded with a little chuckle and a sheepish headshake. Just so you know, as misleading as the title may be, the play is a big, fat comedy (of the dark kind). For you carnage lovers, oh you'll find something to like about the play, too. I promise.
Okay, hold on as I update my status or whatever it is you active bloggers and Facebookers do...Darrin is now zooming out for the big picture perspective.
When it comes to the subject of gods, there is no shortage of discussion fodder. On a recent trip to India, I learned the Hindu religion has 330 million different gods. Whoa! Personally, I'm partial to Hercules from the Greco-Disney tradition. I don't understand the need for a God of Carnage. What, are parents really lacking in graphic conventions meant to terrify their children into submission?
Still, there is no getting around it; plenty of really old societies have gods of war. The Greeks have Ares who is also known as Mars to the Romans. The Egyptians believe in Anhur, in charge of slaying any enemies to the sun god Ra. The Aeron River in Wales (translation literally means carnage) is named after Agrona, who is the Celtic god of strife and slaughter. By the way, Agrona is a girl. You don't want to be messing with her, now. The Hindu god Kali is also female and is the ultimate figure of annihilation. Hachiman is from Japan (shout out to our friends from the Orient, woot!). He is symbolized by a vortex with three heads...Interesting. Aesma Daeva comes from Persia. This god seeks wrath and revenge and will chase the souls of dead people to heaven. What a picture that paints. It's also the name of a musical group. At this point, I'm going to pass on a listening to any samples of their music from iTunes. There is also a very popular video game called God of War. (Irony alert, Irony alert) Thank goodness there are people keeping the bloodthirsty tradition of the ancients alive.
The human race is a warring type of creature. I'm no history buff, but I can't think of a period of time in which there wasn't a war or conflict going on somewhere.
Anyone else thinking "...Fight, fight, fight! Bite, bite, bite! THE ITCHY AND SCRATCHY SHOW..." or is it just me?
GOD OF CARNAGE demonstrates just how thin the veneer of diplomacy and kindness can be in the present day. There is always a dark side waiting, lurking just under the surface and waiting for just the right moment, just the right spark or set of circumstances to reveal itself. For heaven's sake Gods aren't immune to this nature, how on earth can humans be? (Get it--Gods and heaven, humans and earth? Brilliant blogging, if I do say so myself!)
If nothing else, I hope this production of GOD OF CARNAGE sets off a storm of critical thought and discussion about the whys and wherefores of morality, ethics and/or social conduct. Who determines it? Who enforces it? Why do we need it? As we "advance" as a society, are we loosing grips on it?
I have a hunch people are going to be laughing on the outside while cringing on the inside as the scenes of this show play out. Like 'em or lump 'em, there is something of each of the show's characters in all of us.
COME SEE THE SHOW!!!
GOD OF CARNAGE runs from October 13-November 6, 2011. Tickets available online or by calling the Box Office: 801.363.7522.
