Thursday, August 04, 2005
The Clean House--Love, Laughter for Everyone But Me
First, everyone loved "The Clean House," by Sarah Ruhl, currently playing at Woolly Mammoth's new space. (Which will forever be known as Woolly Mammath's "new" space until they decorate it so it looks finished, not like a prison under construction). The theater itself, as opposed to the lobby, is cozy and welcoming. I spend time on this because what really steals the show in The Clean House is the set--cool, clean and as blinding as a hospital operating room.
As to the play, well, if you like jokes told in Portugese, untranslated, it's really funny. If you are looking for a play about sisters who come together while cleaning a house, and then make a home together, which is what I expected, see "Three Sistahs," a lovely musical that played a few years ago at MetroStage.
If you want a play that STARTS OUT being about sisters and a Brazilian maid, but ends up being about a woman whose husband falls in love with someone else and then leaves for Alaska to find a yew tree to cure a fatal illness, then this magical realist drama is for you. I felt hijacked after the second act began. Where was the play about the Clean House? Had Woolly made me sit through untranslated material this time---a new low for Woolly and me?
There are two theories for audience members: to read up on the play before you go, or to go cold. I went cold to this one, comfortable with the word of mouth this play received. (It was an Ushers pick, and Potomac Stages posted its usual informed review, at http://www.potomacstages.com/Woolly.htm#clean). And I was still caught off guard. The best thing was that the people I was with liked it, or pretended to--they liked the Yiddish allusions to finding one's beshert, or destined beloved, which came out of the blue--and we picked up a copy of the script of "I Am My Own Wife," which is the last great play I've seen. Wouldn't mind seeing that again.
I'm determined to see Jenny Chow at Studio. Friends whose taste I do not share said they couldn't relate to, or much like, the main character. People who rave about things raved about this. I am grateful to live in a city where the major newspaper's drama reviews are irrelevant. We're on our own, making our own mess, in our own cluttered houses.
As to the play, well, if you like jokes told in Portugese, untranslated, it's really funny. If you are looking for a play about sisters who come together while cleaning a house, and then make a home together, which is what I expected, see "Three Sistahs," a lovely musical that played a few years ago at MetroStage.
If you want a play that STARTS OUT being about sisters and a Brazilian maid, but ends up being about a woman whose husband falls in love with someone else and then leaves for Alaska to find a yew tree to cure a fatal illness, then this magical realist drama is for you. I felt hijacked after the second act began. Where was the play about the Clean House? Had Woolly made me sit through untranslated material this time---a new low for Woolly and me?
There are two theories for audience members: to read up on the play before you go, or to go cold. I went cold to this one, comfortable with the word of mouth this play received. (It was an Ushers pick, and Potomac Stages posted its usual informed review, at http://www.potomacstages.com/Woolly.htm#clean). And I was still caught off guard. The best thing was that the people I was with liked it, or pretended to--they liked the Yiddish allusions to finding one's beshert, or destined beloved, which came out of the blue--and we picked up a copy of the script of "I Am My Own Wife," which is the last great play I've seen. Wouldn't mind seeing that again.
I'm determined to see Jenny Chow at Studio. Friends whose taste I do not share said they couldn't relate to, or much like, the main character. People who rave about things raved about this. I am grateful to live in a city where the major newspaper's drama reviews are irrelevant. We're on our own, making our own mess, in our own cluttered houses.
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I was pleased to see Carol Schwartz there, a member of the DC City Council, with her two daughters! (One of whom is a stand-up comic in NYC! We have sit-down comics on the DC City Council, though Carol Schwartz is a wonderful, serious politician who should really switch parties so I could vote for her).
Anyway, it was heartwarming to see a politician at the theater, a cutting-edge show at that. I wonder if they liked the show more than I did...
Anyway, it was heartwarming to see a politician at the theater, a cutting-edge show at that. I wonder if they liked the show more than I did...
Oh, Cheryl, you and I have so much to talk about! I completely support the (voluntary) ban on smoking in restaurants--I have asthmatic friends who literally have trouble breathing if there's too much cigarette smoke.
I do understand why people vote for Carol Schwartz, who is a principled politician (and was quite friendly at Woolly!) We need good people in every political party, and if DC can show that it has a few Republicans living here, then we might inch forward on full voting rights and even statehood. (I can dream).
Someday we can have politicans who can cast meaningful votes! After all, we have more residents than Wyoming. And much better theater, I bet. (I will grant that Wyoming has better skiing and cattle, however).
Anyway, it was nice to see a Republican at the theater!
I do understand why people vote for Carol Schwartz, who is a principled politician (and was quite friendly at Woolly!) We need good people in every political party, and if DC can show that it has a few Republicans living here, then we might inch forward on full voting rights and even statehood. (I can dream).
Someday we can have politicans who can cast meaningful votes! After all, we have more residents than Wyoming. And much better theater, I bet. (I will grant that Wyoming has better skiing and cattle, however).
Anyway, it was nice to see a Republican at the theater!
Perhaps true, Anonymous. I had imagined a certain type of play in my head, based on what I'd heard--a funny, wonderful play about sisters cleaning and learning to love one another.
And I got a magical realist drama about a dying woman who had stolen the husband of one of the sisters.
Two methods to cope with disappointment: either go straight back to the theater (Jenny Chow awaits), or stay away for a while until I recover. I can't think of other options--my imagination fails me.
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And I got a magical realist drama about a dying woman who had stolen the husband of one of the sisters.
Two methods to cope with disappointment: either go straight back to the theater (Jenny Chow awaits), or stay away for a while until I recover. I can't think of other options--my imagination fails me.
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