The Clean House

Black Swan State Theatre Company and Queensland Theatre Company present: The Clean House By Sarah Ruhl Season: 29 May – 19 June 2010 Venue: Playhouse Theatre Director: Kate Cherry Featuring: Carol Burns, Vivienne Garrett, Sarah McNeill, Hugh Parker, Brooke Satchwell The Clean House is a comedy about clean homes and messy lives. Matilde has moved to the United States after her parents - the funniest couple in Brazil - literally died laughing. She is hired as a live-in maid by Lane, a successful doctor who values order in every aspect of her life. But cleaning proves to be a thoroughly depressing occupation for Matilde, who would much rather spend her time concocting jokes in the tradition of her beloved parents. As luck would have it, Lane's modest sister Virginia thrives on cleaning and secretly begins to take over the maid's duties, allowing Matilde to create the world's funniest joke. When Lane's husband, a surgeon, unexpectedly falls in love with Ana, one of his cancer-stricken patients, everything that was clean and tidy for Lane - her house, her emotions, her relationships - is thrown into disarray, and Matilde must come to her rescue. Forced to pick up the pieces and closely evaluate their lives, Matilde, Lane, Virginia and Ana come to find an uncommon bond filled with comedy and tragedy as they begin to discover what living and dying are all about, and how shared laughter can heal almost everything. "…wondrously mad and moving…” Variety “…visionary, tinged with fantasy, extravagant in feeling, maybe a little nuts.” The New York Times Tickets: Standard $54.50, Concession $44.50, Groups 8+ $42.50 (plus 1 free ticket for every 10 tickets purchased), Previews $39.50, Students $19.95 Bookings: BOCS Ticketing, ph (08) 9484 1133, Groups 8+ ph (08) 9321 6831, www.bocsticketing.com.au/events/clean_house.shtml More info: www.bsstc.com.au/the-clean-house/