Ever hosted one of thosssse dinner parties? You know, where everything goes wrong, or the guests are absolute beasts, or both? Well, you’ve certainly never come anywhere close to the social disaster that hysterically implodes in the world premiere of Hunter Gatherers by local writer Peter Sinn Nachtrieb. Produced by Killing My Lobster at the Thick House, the wonderful script is aided and abetted by a first-class cast, dynamite directing, and terrific tech. WOW!

What begins as a 10-year reunion dinner party in a trendy Soma loft for two very close couples, it all quickly devolves into a battle of the alpha male and female against their mates and each other. Richard, inarguably the alpha male, is the evening’s chef, and because he likes the absolutely freshest meat possible, he coerces his upbeat, puppy dog wife Pam into assisting with the slaughter. When Wendy and Tom (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? knock-off’s) arrive, long-buried secret lusts emerge. 'We took life by the balls,' Richard proclaims about their younger years, 'and we swallowed.' Throw in some red wine, and suppressed passions explode. A bevy of social taboos are eagerly violated. And actually, throughout the play, artist Richard is dead-set on making a Jackson Pollack in amiably passive Tom’s guts.

Jon Wolanske as the certifiably maniacal alpha male grabs the audience’s attention and never lets go. He’s a force of nature. He quickly morphs from eccentric husband into an absolutely primordial, insane, and completely out-of-control fuck machine. And he’s hot. (What IS the sex appeal of the crazies?) Melanie Case as his eager-to-please wife Pam diligently puts forth a happy face that cracks under the inhuman pressures around her. Alexis Lezin as the clinically depressed alpha wife runs roughshod over her passive husband portrayed by John Kovacevich. Lezin’s comic timing works perfectly with the abundance of bitchy banter, and Kovacevich’s forlorn depiction dutifully garners audience sympathy.

Playwright Nachtrieb writes about two straight couples, but gay audiences will get it to the point of screaming aloud in shock and awe. Nachtrieb digs deeply into the animal natures that lurk beneath our civilized surfaces. And he seems to suggest that, given the (im)proper circumstances, the beast within each of us (complete with primal urges) will eventually tear free of our self-imposed civility. His dialogue is packed with punch lines suffused with just enough truth to force some painful realizations. And the script is tighter-than-tight with never a dull moment. Once the trajectory is set, outrageous disaster must and does befall.

Tracy Ward directs with a clear understanding of the play’s insane world, yet she grounds it just enough to keep us identifying. She honors the strengths of the script, keeps the pacing bullet-swift, and creates a bounty of strong stage pictures. Erik Flatmo’s Soma loft set design is perfectly constructed, instantly communicating the socio-economic strata of its inhabitants. Lighting by Christopher Studley and costumes by Sally Thomas solidly complete the look of the play.

After ten years of theatre production, Killing My Lobster has mounted their first full-length play. And what a glorious mounting it is. For a scream-out-loud good time, Hunter Gatherers receives the highest recommendation. Hunter Gatherers continues until July 9 [editor's note: the show has been extended to July 23] at the Thick House Theater, 1695 18th St., SF. For mature audiences only! Tix ($20-$25) at the door or go to www.killingmylobster.com