BOYS will be boys... but adults can be so much worse, as Yasmina Reza's Tony and Olivier Award-winning play God Of Carnage, shows.

The French playwright's satire on modern manners was a huge hit on Broadway and in the West End before Roman Polanski directed Jodie Foster and Kate Winslet for the film version, retitled simply Carnage.

It's the latest production tackled by the Lace Market Theatre. Director Graeme Jennings explains more...

What is the basic story?

When a playground fight between two boys results in one of them losing his teeth, both sets of parents decide to meet and resolve the matter. What starts as a civilised debate amongst the grown-ups about the best way to calm the situation soon descends into chaos and anarchy as the gloves come off and the accusations fly.

Why is it called God Of Carnage?

It's a line used by Alan, one of the four main characters in the play. He uses it to describe the kind of God that he believes in. By this he means that all politeness, civility and altruism is a pretence and that underneath the surface all we are really interested in is ourselves. It's a cheery philosophy of life!

What makes this play a "must see" for theatre-goers?

Yasmina Reza's wonderful script is a sharply observed and hilariously funny satire on middle-class manners (or lack of them!) If you like fast-paced comedy based on characters you will recognise, performed by an experienced and highly talented cast then come and see this show!

What have you and your cast found most enjoyable about producing this play?

The licence to behave very, very badly. These characters do and say the sorts of thing that many of us have wished to at some point in our lives but few of us have had the gumption (or the stupidity) to. We've all thought it – these characters say and do it.

What was the biggest challenge?

Without wanting to give too much away, there is some, how shall I put this, 'interior pebble-dashing' that occurs that has proved as challenging to our technical resources as it has demanding for our carpet cleaner! We've also provided plenty of trade for the local florist with what can only be described as some extreme flower arranging.

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