God of Carnage

“Bird and her actors convey a sure feel for the ebbs and flows of conflict, and for the ever-shifting alliances that develop among the four characters…Bird has also gone for a striking and ingenious design. That’s entirely fitting not only for the characters'  juvenile antics but for a story that begins in a schoolyard.”

- Jim Hebert, San Diego Union Tribune Critic

 “Best of all, director Jessica Bird knows how to squeeze, from her excellent cast, the most out of the verbal and non-verbal absurdities that characterize this viciously funny play.”

- Carol Davis, Critic

“As director Jessica Bird sees it, our journey to adulthood forces us into a black and white world, with emotions tamped down, angry outbursts perpetually held in check. So her dazzling production at New Village Arts is all black and white – from the props to the costumes, to the stunning set. When frustration and resentment mount – within and between the couples — and the veneer is stripped away, the impassioned acts are physicalized in bright primary colors – projectile vomiting in electric blue, vase water in screaming yellow, etc. The infantile behavior creates a Crayola-colored mess…Watching it is somehow liberating and fun, more fun here than in prior productions I’ve seen. Bird’s take on the play is not realistic from the get-go. Things devolve, but not in expected ways, and that makes it even more entertaining, however horrifying.”

- Pat Launer, Center Stage Critic