Review: God of Carnage

By Paul Walsh

There was an air of excitement in the Gate theatre as people took there seats among the packed attendance. The plays director Alan Stanford flitted around nervously among the audience as people prepared to watch a much promoted play from the queen of “big ideas lite” as some critics have unkindly dubbed its writer Yasmina Reza. Miss Reza is a French writer but this particular production was translated to English by Christopher Hampton and has had West End and Broadway productions starring Hollywood heavyweights such as Ralph Fiennes, Jeff Daniels and James Gandolfini. So despite previous critical maulings which Miss Reza has received she can point to the fact that her work has grossed $200m, been translated into 35 languages and attracted some acting heavyweights as those mentioned above. So why the critical hostility? Does popularity equal artistic compromise? An exhibition of Picasso’s work in The Metropolitan Museum of Art attracted 700,000 in 2010 or 6,700 people per day. So great art can also be popular and with this in mind I prepared to embrace “God of Carnage”.

The set which our actors emerge on to can only be described as show house quality. Our four protagonists are meeting in one of the couples homes. The sitting room looks like the ultimate fantasy room of a middle class family yearning to be upper class. It was like something you would of seen profiled in The Irish Times property porn section that was a must have during our Celtic Tiger property bubble period.

This perfectly pristine set designed by Eileen Diss is an appropriate vehicle for the story of two sets of middle-class parents that meet to discuss a dispute between their 11-year-old sons in a civilised manner to enfold upon. While Paul Keogan’s lighting also brings out the almost flawless condition of the home which is Veronica’s and Michaels outward presentation of their perfect family life. Like with most things that appear perfect at first, you don’t have to scratch much below the surface to remove the perfect shine and reveal the grubby dirt underneath. This play touches on a lot of issues but none in any great depth as time and time again it’s the delivery of the next clever one liner or quip that guides the actors and script. The polite meeting of mature adults soon gives way to childish squabbling before all out war erupts, between husband and wife then between the men and the women. Each couple questions the others parenting skills and even holds up their life’s to ridicule or perhaps more accurately the contented life’s they portray to their circle of friends and families. By the end of the play we are pretty sure all the characters are phoney in one way or another even the liberal idealist Veronica played by Donna Dent.

Veronica’s liberalism is held up as a point of ridicule for much of this play. Not for the causes she supports because who could not support justice for the people of Darfur but there seems to be a suggestion that her ideals are woolly and false. Her crime is to on the one hand care about the genocide of Darfur but at the same time be as angry by a bit of vomit staining her beautiful home. One wonders if she worked herself up into as much of a rage when considering the indeed more serious problems of the world. She wants a genuine apology from the son of Alan (Ardal O Hanlon) and Annette (Maura Tierney) for the damage he inflicted on her child. Alan, a lawyer who takes calls mid sentence to assist in a pharmaceutical company cover up, says such an apology is pointless, as the child wouldn't mean it. His opinion is that boys will be boys. Veronica insists the child should mean it and around and around they go as Annette and Veronica's husband Michael (Owen Roe) try to find a middle ground or lighten the mood. Veronica's nagging and Alan's refusal to commit to any opinion eventually lead the characters to boil over and the ensuing blame game rivals anything their respective children could have engaged in for childish foolishness.

The play is amusing and there are some clever lines delivered by some genuinely good comic actors but the 90 minutes spent in the Gate will not linger long in the mind when you emerge into Parnell St and make your way home. Yasmina Reza has complained in the past that her work is played for laughs and this is not her intention, she sees her plays as modern tragedies rather then broad comedies. Well this play is certainly a broad comedy almost more like an old fashioned farce. Characters drink, swear, vomit and a racist term is also thrown into the pot. The use of a racist term which you would assume was designed to shock and show the nasty side of Michael’s character had the Gate audience in tears of laughter. Jim Davidson’s career may not be over after all, he just needs a slot in the Gate. Although I may have spoken to soon Jim Davidson has just written a play called “Stand Up and Be Counted” about a bigoted comedian, maybe we will see him grace the Gates stage after all. Back to the present play occupying the Gate and despite its attempts to tackle serious issues it never has the required emotional depth and despite the protestations of Miss Reiza it’s the writing that fails to sparkle. It is witty and well observed in parts but ridiculing middle class people for the falsity of their existence has been done before many times and with far superior writing. For example Mike Nichols film “The Graduate “which was based on a 1963 book by Charles Webb. If you are going to tackle a theme previously explored by many different writers across many art forms you need to bring something new or even approach from a different angle. The sharp writing of Miss Reiza is as much of a facade as the middle class world she is attempting to satirise. It is all show and no depth.

The performances are good with Donna Dent playing her liberal yet up tight character with well observed comic timing, while Owen Roe, who steals the show for most of the play provides humour but also stretches his acting muscles when his character transforms into a brutish Neanderthal by the plays end. Maura Tierney no doubt was picked for the box office recognition factor; ER after all was one of the biggest TV programmes in the world. Good news was she played an American so at least her accent was not the main focus of her performance. The show I attended was the fourth of the run so maybe nerves played a part but for the first half of the play she seemed completely out of place opposite Dent and Roe who are more natural stage actors and veterans of the Gate. Her nerves seemed to dissipate as the play went on and in the second half she was amusing as a drunk who really shouldn’t drink. Ardal O Hanlon meanwhile was a pleasant surprise. For many of us he will always be Father Dougal McGuire the dim witted priest who could not tell the difference between small plastic cows and ones that are far away but there is no doubt he can deliver a line and has great comic timing. He was really quite believable as the slimy corporate lawyer.

So although there is a lot to criticise about this play credit must also be given to the production values and the pace of direction by Alan Stanford which means you certainly don’t have time to be bored. With solid performances from the cast the play is entertaining rather than inspiring.

The Extra Factor- The who, what and why of life as an extra.

They waited in the bushes for their target to arrive. Both men were nervous as the car pulled up. They knew it contained £25,000 collected from the bank for the weekly dole payments at the exchange office. They pulled the balaclavas over their faces and checked their weapons. Both men then jumped over a wall and ran towards the car. As one of the raiders let a shot off into the air, he could see the look of terror in the employment exchange employee’s eyes. He pointed his gun with a firmness that indicated that if the money was not handed over now the next shot would not be up in the air.
This scene is a normal day in the life for extra actor Neil McManus. One day he is a ruthless INLA man and the next he is a painter and decorator in the background of a Colin Farrell movie scene.
There are thousands of extras in Ireland. They come from a cross section of society and have varying reasons for being involved in the work. The extras on set are a mixture of aspiring actors, the recently unemployed looking for cash and retired people just looking for something to do.
Neil McManus is an aspiring actor currently studying in the Gaiety School of Acting and this is the reason he became involved in work as an extra. “I wanted to see the ins and outs of what happens on a film set and the difference between stage and screen work,” he says as an extra you are moving to the same direction as the actors- you are just not doing the character work.”
Neil, who is a full-time electrician, is realistic about what extra work can do for his acting career.
“Some part-time actors come along to a set thinking they will get picked out of the crowd by the director and given a proper role. They are living in a fantasy land, this doesn’t happen.”
Stephen Gaffney like Neil, has appeared in TV programmes and has also done some work on advertisements. His reason for becoming an extra was because of an interest in being behind the camera rather then in front of it. Stephen is a student in Trinity College studying to be a film Director. “I am interested in making short films and TV programmes,” he says as an extra, you are standing around a lot. So you have time to observe how things are made.”
For Stephen the banter and craic on set is a big part of why he keeps doing extra work. He recalls one episode of Garda An Lar he worked on which generated a lot of interest in the local area they were in. “We were doing a reconstruction in a block of flats in the North Inner City. The presence of all the film crew brought out a big crowd of local kids. Once the kids saw some of the extras dressed up in Garda uniform the shouting and roaring started. It was all good natured although I couldn’t repeat some of the stuff they were saying to us.”
Derek Quinn, director and co-founder of MovieExtras.ie, deals with the very wide range of people working as extras on a daily basis. “Our database includes aspiring actors, students looking for cash and we have a couple of millionaires who are just doing it for the craic.”
This mix of people that work as extras is exactly what MovieExtras.ie are looking for. “We look for people aged from 4 months to 85 years. We have a mixture of looks and ethnicity.” This mixture means they will always have someone on their books that fits the profile of whatever movie or TV production is going on. The productions they are involved in include Fair City and The Tudors, numerous advertisements and large-scale movie productions.
So is the extras industry the place to earn some good money? Well MovieExtras.ie charge a yearly subscription of €89 to be registered with them but Derek Quinn argues that this is excellent value for the work opportunities provided. “The pay is between €77 and €150 per day for background work but we have had people paid up to €6,000 for working on advertisements.”
Although the money that can be earned can sometimes be modest enough both Neil and Stephen are complementary of how well you are treated on set. You don’t get your own personal stylist flown in from LA or a 40-foot trailer fitted with hot tub but they do put on a good spread. According to Stephen “depending what time you are there from you get breakfast and lunch. If you have to work late, you get dinner also. In most extra work I have done you are treated as in integral part of the production which makes you feel special.”
With over 400,000 unemployed in this country, is this affecting the work available to extras such as Neil and Stephen? Neil has noticed a big difference between this year and 2008. “There are loads of new people working as extras since the downturn in the economy. Many of the people I meet on set now are recently unemployed. In 2008 I was getting calls every couple of days about extra work. It has changed in 2009 on average I only get work once a month.”
There has been more bad news for those working as extras recently as filming of the final series of The Tudors is ending soon. This series was a lavish production and has provided steady and enjoyable work for extras over the last number of years. According to the Irish Film Board, there is no panic in the industry despite this recent setback. Popular ITV drama PRIMEVAL has announced that the fourth and fifth series of the programme will be filmed in Ireland. This was followed by the announcement that a new comedy thriller ‘The Guard’ starring Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle has started filming in Ireland. These announcements will be welcome news for Stephen, Neil and all the other extras throughout the country.

Jedward the Kings of Saturday Night.

X Factor is a much derided programme by intellectual snobs. It is criticised for being a soap opera full of karaoke singers with no real talent. I am not going to argue with any of those views because they are valid but why take everything so seriously? X Factor is a TV programme and a entertaining one that appeals to a mass audience across class, gender and age.

This brings me to this year's show and the Irish twins that are grabbing all the headlines. One is called John the other Edward and together they are the powerful force know as John and Edward. When I was first saw these two in auditions they struck me as talentless and very annoying. I could not believe they made it to the live final and felt there performances would be cringe worthy. But then something strange began to happen. The night they performed Britney Spear "Oops! I did it again" everything changed. It was genuinely the most hilarious piece of television I have ever seen. Granted these boys cant really sing but they are entertaining. And since when was X Factor about finding the next serious music artist. Its a show designed to find a popstar and the ratings for the show are up because of Jedward. People are tuning in to see what they will do next. They didn't disappoint with Ghostbusters in Movie week which was a performance that fit neatly into the category of so bad it was good. In the latest show their performance of "Under Pressure" spliced with "Ice Ice Baby" moved into the category of just being good on its own merits.

The most impressive thing about these two young lads is the way they have reacted to the vile hate campaign that has been orchestrated by some sections of the British media. It really has been unprecedented. Previous novelty performers that appeared in X Factor never got this level of abuse. Chico who appeared in a previous show couldn't sing or dance and was considered a bit of a joke act. He made it to the eighth week of the show and he never had a foaming mob whipped up against him. The live audience booing them after they perform is really a sad reflection on the people attending these shows. I don't agree with alot of what Louis Walsh does but giving that audience the V sign two weeks ago was the least they deserved. I really feel there is an anti-Irish element to some of the reaction to the twins and is surprising that this still exists in 2009. Despite all they have faced the Grime's brothers come out week after week with a smile on their faces and on a mission to entertain. That's why this Saturday I am strapping a pineapple to my head and watching the X-Factor to support the best thing to come out of Ireland since the Carter Twins. Come on Jedward.

Mary Robinson for the European Presidency.

A campaign has started to have former Irish president Mary Robinson considered for the new post of president of the European Council which will be established under the Lisbon Treaty. You can sign a petition at http://www.maryrobinson.eu/petition.html and the campaign has a website www.maryrobinson.eu.

Mary Robinson was President of Ireland from 1990-1997. She then chaired the United Nations Commission for Human Rights from 1997-2002. She has always been an advocate for human rights and equality throughout her political career. Most importantly she has never had a problem challenging authority. In her political life she has challenged the dominant forces in Irish society and also internationally she challenged both the United States of America and the state of Israel.

She may not be perfect but if you need more convincing think about the other candidates in the field. Bertie Ahern's name was mentioned previously for this job. Luckily stores of unaccounted suitcases of money passing through St.Luke's may have tainted his reputation. The name being pushed by most commentators presently is Tony Blair. Blair's legacy to the world is the illegal invasion of Iraq. His appointment would be another sign that the EU is gearing up to be a military power in the future.Lets get behind someone who might actually listen to the people instead of conducting backroom deals with their political buddies.

Ten Things you didn’t know about Neil McManus

Neil McManus is a 29-year-old actor from Dublin. He has been an actor for two and half years and is currently studying in the Performance Theatre Company in the Gaiety School of Acting. He has appeared in two episodes of Garda An Lar and will be appearing alongside Colin Farrell in his new film Triage.

Q1.If you could meet one person alive or dead for dinner or a drink who would it be and why?

I have always wanted to meet Eric Cantona.He is passionate about many things and wasn’t afraid to experiment to get where he is today.

Q2.If you where an animal what type of animal would you be and why?

I would be a lion because it’s King of the Jungle. On the other hand, maybe a jaguar because of my reflexes and it’s a beautiful creature.

Q3.If you where stranded on a desert island what three things would you have to have?

A football, a sharp knife and some flint for lighting fires.

Q4.If you where granted three wishes what would they be?

(1) Eternal youth.
(2) Infinite money.
(3) The ability to return to the stage before I made the first two wishes if I got tired of eternal youth and infinite money.


Q5.What did you have for breakfast this morning?

I was with my football team so I had toast, scramble eggs, beans, glass of milk and a cup of tea.

Q6.Where in the world would you like to see before you die?

I have always wanted to go to the Arctic in an icebreaker ship.

Q7.What is your earliest childhood memory?

Maybe pretending to cry when you couldn’t get what your own way. Realizing that if you cried you could get your own way when you where out shopping with your ma in Crazy Prices. I also remember losing that power when I got a bit older.

Q8.Who is your idol?

That is a tough one. Let me think about that. Probably Ryan Giggs or David Beckham. They didn’t become scum when they got money. They have always wanted to achieve the best that they could. Wait a second my idol does not have to be someone famous so I think I will go for my Dad. I admire the way he has carried himself and the job he done rearing his family. Considering where he came from there are other roads he could have taken but he gave his time to his family.

Q9.If you where a cartoon character who would you be?

Bart Simpson because his is always scheming but never tries to intentionally hurt anyone.


Q10.What is your favourite saying?

Winners don’t quit and quitters don’t win.

Did you hear the one about Tommy Tiernan being an anti-Semitic goose-stepping Nazi?

Tommy Tiernan is no stranger to controversy. He has made comments throughout his comedic career which have offended various groups. I think the fact that he is very talented and for the most part very funny has saved him in the past. All the previous controversial incidents he has been involved in before have been dwarfed by the storm of outrage that has landed upon his doorstep in recent weeks.

The particular offensive comment was taken from an interview with Tommy Tiernan by Hot Press at Electirc Pinic and the quote is as follows:

"These fuckin’ JEW CUNTS come up to me! Fuckin’ Christ-killin’ bastards!!! Fuckin’ six million? I would have got 10 or 12 million out of that. No fuckin’ problem! Fuckin’ two at a time, they would have gone! Hold hands, get in there! Leave us your teeth and your glasses!!!"

Now I know what you are thinking when you look at it in print it looks pretty damning. Like everything that is said particularly by comedians we have to look at the context.So I got myself a copy of Hot Press and read the interview in full. First thing that I will say is that the interview was really funny. As someone who has not found Tommy Tiernan's recent material very funny I was pleasantly surprised at how funny he was. Secondly his answers in the interview were both humerous and intelligent.He had some interesting things to say about life in general and Irish society in particular. Then I came to the offending comment which was at the end of the interview. A member of the audience asked him:“Have you ever been accused of anti-Semitism?”. Tommy told a story about a Jewish couple cornering him after a gig and accusing him of being anti-Semitic. He described their indignation, their fanaticism and their inability to laugh at themselves. He then launched into the quote described above. It was clearly a joke in the context of the story he had told previously. He was not preaching these beliefs himself but rather ridiculing the anti-Semitic's that hold such beliefs and fanatics in general.

Criticism has followed from Alan Shatter Fine Gael TD, the Archbishop of Dublin and numerous Jewish groups. Tommy Tiernan has had to pull out of the Just for Laughs comedy festival in Canada. I have even heard George Hook on Newstalk calling for a boycott of Tommy Tiernan. Alan Shatter and George Hook two of Tiernan's biggest critics had something in common neither of them had bothered to read the article in full by there own admission. Tommy Tiernan is not Bernard Manning and he is certainly not Joseph Goebbels. He is comedian and I admit he does thread a fine line between edgy and offensive. His comment when taken in the context of his interview was not even close to being anti-Semitic. Anyone who is making this argument is wrong either due to ignorance of the full facts, or are being dishonest to increase there own profile. I would urge all fair minded people to read the article before you join the lynch mob out to crucify Tommy Tiernan.

Lisbon Treaty 2: A victory for fear.

So Ireland approved the Lisbon Treaty at the second time of asking. I would love to think the reason for this is because as citizens we were better informed this time around but sadly this does not seem to be the case. As I watched RTE news interviewing the voters emerging from the polling centres the same message emerged. People voted for jobs, for investment and to continue Ireland's membership of the EU. I found this all very confusing as I thought we were voting on the Lisbon Treaty. The treaty according to the Referendum Commission involved the changing of the rules that governed the EU to allow greater efficiency in an expanded Europe. Let's put aside the fact that we are in the EU and we still have 397,000 unemployed people and that this treaty was not about our membership of the EU. How did the Yes side manage to change the debate to everything except what was contained in the treaty.

To be fair some elements of the No side did not help. I don't think any sane person would be comfortable positioning themselves on the same side as COIR (the Germans are coming for your babies). Then again on the Yes side we had Michael (screw the workers) O'Leary so if people where looking for leaders it was a tough one.

So what about the issues. Surely a logical debate between the political class through the media would inform and enlighten us. Throughout what passed for a campaign the Yes side did everything they could to avoid discussing the treaty. The saner elements of the No campaign to be fair attempted to discuss elements of the treaty. There were important issues that needed to be debated. This campaign was an important chance to discuss the direction that the Lisbon Treaty was taking the EU. That debate never came I am afraid to say. The victory on the Yes side was built on lies. The failure of the Yes side to actually debate the treaty did a disservice to democracy. The most worrying part of the whole campaign was that the media became a cheerleader for the Yes side. Journalistic balance and fairness were put aside for the campaign (with a small number of exceptions)and we witnessed opinion masquerading as fact. In a democracy the vote of the public has to be respected (unless they say no) but this campaign was not a fair one. As citizens voting on an important issue we are entitled to a reasoned debate and a media to facilitate it. We know politicians will attempt to manipulate us and without balanced and fair coverage by the media it becomes an easy task.