Daniel Goldstein, DIRECTION: Despite its popularity, I’d never seen or read God of Carnage before directing this production, so it felt like a completely new experience. Our view was that the Novaks, in whose home the play takes place, are the kind of people who would buy a beautiful Brooklyn brownstone and renovate it to the point of elegant decimation. When the audience came in, they saw the set through a scrim, on which we projected the video image of a hamster scurrying around—to plant the idea of these adults as hamsters running around in a cage. The large staircase for scampering up and down helped create the idea that they were behaving like little animals. Also, the treacherous, open staircase and sharp-edged shelves and uncomfortable chairs create an environment not hospitable to children, which seemed right for these people. It was a challenge to create this luxurious setting on our budget—those chairs would cost $2,500 apiece, and that lacquered table might go for $20,000—but all these expensive-looking things (except the couch, which we found on Craigslist and reupholstered) were replicated in the Huntington’s prop shop, which was an incredible accomplishment!
Dane Laffrey, SCENIC DESIGN: We started designing with specific architecture in mind—not just New York, not just Brooklyn, but a four- or five-block radius in Cobble Hill. How big was this multi-story townhouse? How extensively had it been renovated? The front door, which you can see in the photo (which shows the full width of one level of the set), remains original, but from there everything else is redesigned. Ultimately, our approach to the design became a lot about architectural satire. The space has poured concrete floors and a wall motif of yellow Plexiglass; the elements add up so you feel that form has overwhelmed function—in fact, the use of space is completely non-functional, and treacherous for children. There was a quality to the space that might even feel like a rodent habitat.
Kris Holmes, PROPS: Both Daniel and Dane approached this show with a wealth of fun ideas. The budget was a big challenge—we wanted the set to be appointed with amazing, high-end stuff—and the Huntington prop shop and its terrific team of craftspeople and welders and assistants made it happen. Even the light fixtures were built there. Of course, this is a show in which some of the props get a workout—we had the books covered with airtight plastic, and there was a $1,200 flower budget. This is my 20th season doing props, and on this show I had to really scratch my head to figure out how to pull it off right.
Yasmina Reza’s God of Carnage, in a translation by Christopher Hampton, ran Jan. 6-Feb. 5 at the Huntington Theatre Company of Boston, under Daniel Goldstein’s direction. The production featured scenic design by Dane Laffrey, costume design by Charles Schoonmaker, lighting design by Tyler Micoleau, props design by Kris Holmes and sound design by Brett R. Jarvis. Kevin Robert Fitzpatrick was production stage manager and Amy Louise Spalletta was stage manager.
