SELL-OUT SHOW!
The Really Small Theatre Company is proud to present
The God of Carnage, by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton.
2-4 & 7-11 March 2017 @ 19:00
Tunturikadun Vierailunäyttämö (Puoli-Q)
There are a very small number of limited-view seats available for sold-out performances. If you wish apply for one of these, contact us at tickets@rstc.fi.
The Vallons and the Reilles meet up to discuss the altercation that took place between their sons, their hearts full of the art of co-existence. There are tulips, there is clafoutis (is it a cake or a tart?), and emotional cul-de-sacs are to be avoided. There are also missing teeth, the Darfur tragedy and thump guns, not to mention the regrettable fate of the Kokoschka. And then there’s the hamster...
The God of Carnage will make an appearance in March, and it is darkly funny. Don’t miss it.
Featuring Mira Berglund-Fitzpatrick, Marietta Chela, Christian Jull, and Daniel McMullen.
Directed by Joan Nordlund.
Live music during the interval from The Really Small Band.
Malvolio’s Downfall
Adapted by Joan Nordlund from Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.
Staged by Christian Jull.
A bonus 30 minute prologue, as our tribute to 400 years of Shakespeare.
Cast as above, plus introducing Hosanna Megumi as Olivia.
Rather than give the usual brief and boring actors' histories, we've asked our team to provide a their own thoughts about the show.
Click/prod to expand.
In late summer 2016 I promised time to myself, to do something I love and enjoy. Little did I know in August that I’d have the opportunity of joining the cast of The God of Carnage! After some years’ break from the stage, I am so happy to be working alongside Christian, Daniel and Marietta, and of course Joan whom I first worked with in Edward Bond’s The Sea. It has been a wonderful journey with these funny and talented people. I have enjoyed every moment, and I thank you for having brightened my Sunday mornings. I hope you will enjoy the passion that we’ve put into this play, sit back and enjoy the show!
I first read The God of Carnage last year when it was proposed as a production. This was as a reading with the proposed cast reading aloud their characters. It really came alive in this situation! I have subsequently watched the film adaptation of the US variation of the play, Carnage (as I often do). Being close to the original script, this got me even more excited – by the dialogue, themes, and humour. To be able to perform this with beloved friends is going to be wonderful. The last time I worked with Marietta on stage was during The Woman in Black, so it will be good to have her earthlier presence this time and enjoy her full talent. With Mira, Daniel, Joan, and our talented crew, it’s like getting the band back together! I know that you the audience are going to have a fabulous theatre experience!
Sometimes I feel there is a theatre angel hovering over me, waiting for me to get really excited about a play, and if for some reason at first I don’t get the part I’m so eager to do , the angel somehow manages to conjure up the part for me.
Many years ago I saw the filmed version of The God of Carnage, which was given the name Carnage and directed by Polanski. I thought it was brilliant and remember thinking I’d love to do the play one day. Somehow or other I never got round to talking about it with anyone, but it came to mind again after I saw a production of The Really Small Theatre Company over a year ago: they would be perfect for the play.
As luck would have it, they decided to do it before I ever mentioned it. The only problem for me, was that they had it fully cast. I was both happy that they were doing it, knowing they’d do a wonderful job with it, and at the same time thoroughly disappointed I couldn’t do it with them. I have seldom felt so strongly about wanting to do a play as I have with The God of Carnage. The last play I felt like this about was Pinter’s Betrayal, and I couldn’t believe my luck when I was offered the part of Emma in The Finn-Brit Players’ production in 2009. So, when fate, or the theatre angel, decided to give Riikka Faucher an addition to her beautiful little family, and I got an email from Joan asking me if I’d be interested in taking Riikka’s place, I burst into tears of joy.
Acting with Mira, Daniel & Christian is a dream come true. They are my dream team: talented, passionate, witty, fun. When you add our director, Joan, with whom I have a long theatrical history and who I also love dearly...well, I feel really lucky.
For me every production is a learning experience, and I know working with these talented friends, I will be learning more about the craft of acting than I have in a long time. With Yasmina Reza’s shrewd humour and acutely insightful observations on modern society, the text itself is a joy to act. Can’t wait to start working on it. This is one you don’t want to miss!
I have been “chomping at the bit” to get back into the swing with a so-called Full Production. So it almost goes without saying that I am extremely excited to be working on this brilliant show with all my good friends at The Really Small Theatre Company. For the past few months I have been active with the RStC participating in the performances of a few stage readings and working with the other members to continue to grow our small Theatre Company. In addition I have been giving dramatic workshops to classes of students at a couple of the local high schools - they have been so stimulating, fun, and great learning experiences! One focus in the workshop is that of relationships between characters and how they use differing roles and statuses for interaction. Boy howdy do we have that in The God of Carnage! Performing is an absolute delight and I endeavour to continue to learn and grow as a performer working with the wonderful team here at The Really Small Theatre Company. Clafoutis anyone? I look forward to a double helping!
When I first discovered the Really Small Theatre Company and heard about their very talented members, I was eager to attend their productions. So, it was a huge surprise and honour when I was asked to audition for the part of Countess Olivia in an abridged adaption of Twelfth Night (Malvolio’s Downfall), and an even greater honour to be cast!
I am thrilled to be working with such a professional, skilled and lovely group of people and am eager to learn and grow as an actress through this experience.
Having been blown away by one of their earlier rehearsals of The God of Carnage, I cannot wait to watch the actual production! You’ll definitely want to come and see both performances in March!
JOAN NORDLUND - DIRECTOR
I was very happy that we decided to stage Yasmina Reza’s The God of Carnage, as part of our second full RStC production, and to be entrusted with directing it. Art by the same playwright impressed me when I saw a performance in London’s National Theatre, and I went on to direct it in various venues as an early RStC venture. Both plays are challenging and fun for all involved: witty and fast-moving dialogue; strong characterisation; sudden bursts of frantic activity; not allowing comedy to descend into mindless farce; giving the themes and sub-themes the right emphasis; and conveying the writer’s message in our own inimitable manner. We have a wonderful cast and crew: our audiences are in for a treat!
Cast photos © Curt Richer
Well-deserved success! These were excellent productions! I enjoyed both very much.|
Awesome acts both! Can't wait for plays to come!|
Thank you so much for 'God of Carnage'! Great play, great performance!|
That was a really fun night out. Both performances were brilliant. Thx and I hope you all enjoy the rest of the run as much as I enjoyed last night.|
Thank you for a super performance!|
Congratulations RStC, one and all! You have cause to be proud.|
Fantastic performances: a gilt-edged portrayal of characters in entertaining and often trying circumstances. The aperitif of comedic, accessible Shakespeare left one hungry for more, in all senses. The main course - God of Carnage - was a guilt-edged (sic) portrayal of parents in the face of their offspring's contretemps. The parents are at war within and without. Families, class, wealth, taste, culture are all exposed in Yasmina Reza's play. Roman Polanski liked it so much he filmed it with Kate Winslet, Christof Waltz, Jodie Foster and John C. Reilly playing the roles. I would recommend they go to see the RStC production rather than the RStC-ers rent Polanski's version. It was that good.|
God of Carnage by the RSTC is a gripping and funny play, delivered by very talented actors. We had so much [fun], we kept laughing even after we left the theatre!|
Just great ... I think I lived the similar situations! - Estupendo...cómo en la vida real!|
Very layered and fun to be a fly on the wall. Enjoyed it thoroughly.|
Fantastic pair of plays, superbly put together with excellent acting! Thanks!|
"Malvolio" is just such a hoot you forget it's Shakespeare. "God of Carnage", which follows, starts as a quite gathering of friends having a civil discussion about the kids and ends as an adult version of an ugly schoolyard brawl. The moral might be that there's a lot of nastiness beneath that thin veneer we call civilization.|
Off Broadway comes to Helsinki. The cast is terrific, it's a great production. Wonderful to see theater in an intimate venue. Hurry up before the last performances sell out.|
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