The Clean House: you could die laughing

Andrea Steinwood’s scenic design is a wonderful depiction of an upscale home where everything matches and has been chosen to provide balance and tranquillity for a couple that  leads a hectic lifestyle. Upstage there is another performance area that represents a seaside condominium balcony. At times the action even spills out into the house as the actors effectively explore the full space of the theatre.

The premise of the story revolves around a pair of married doctors. As life becomes more hectic a Brazilian maid who absolutely dislikes cleaning, and  aspires to be a standup comedienne, is hired. Enter a sister who defines herself and her worth by cleaning. Now further complicate things when “the other” woman enters the mix.

 

Puja Uppal as the Brazilian maid Matilde is delightful. She has a little difficulty with the consistency of the accent but is strong emotionally, particularly in her reactions to the other cast members. Her large expressive eyes are always charged with feeling. You wait in anticipation of her thoughts. You’re never disappointed.

 

Robin Guy as Lane, a  doctor driven by success but unravelling with stress is brilliant. She goes from laughter to tears and back again with a deft skill that makes it look easy. Her anger, hurt and frustration are worn on her sleeve in a way that anyone can relate to and her timing is impeccable.

 

Cindy Beaton as Lane’s sister Virginia is a perfect foil in the sibling rivalry. The dynamic between the two sisters is terrific. The two have made polar opposite choices in their lives and both are now realizing that they are unsatisfied. Beaton plays an upbeat cheery disposition that masks her disappointment, so that the breaks in her facade are funny and revealing.

 

Ana as played by Rebecca Benson is not the typical other woman. She is not a malevolent force as is often depicted, but a woman trying to live her life fully and grab on to whatever joy is left. Benson plays Ana with a gentle warmth that makes her completely empathetic.

 

Guy Buller plays Lane’s husband Charles with well intentioned awkwardness. The character has betrayed his wife but has to win the audience over and make them believe that it was the stars and not any selfishness or lack of depth on his part. Obviously the writing sets that tone and we do see some weakness in Charles. Buller’s natural earnestness pulls the audience in and keeps him from just being a villain.

 

A big part of what makes the play stand out is that there are no real villains. The play explores how difficult it can be to navigate life. Life is the challenge and we are just people on the journey. Director Mary Ellis has done a fabulous job moving the cast through the most difficult moments. There are a lot of  awkward moments. Ellis confidently has the cast take their time. Comedy is all about timing. Without skill, pace can be confused with speed, but not here.

 

This is a very special play that looks at life with intelligence and wit. Too often comedy comes at the expense of story telling but the balance of humour and poignancy makes the Clean House powerfully funny and completely profound. See it if you can. It is wonderful theatre.

 

 

Cast

 

Matilde                                  Puja Uppal

Virginia                                 Robin Guy

Charles                                 Guy Buller

Ana                                        Rebecca Benson

 

Production Team

 

Director                                 Mary Ellis

Production Manager          Robin Guy

Assistant Director                Sarah Finn

Stage Manager                    Lydia Taljic

Assistant Stage Manager  Kellie MacDonald

Scenic Design                     Andrea Steinwand

Lighting Design                  David Magladry

Costume Design                 Michelle Ferranti

Theatre Ninja                       J Katrina Wong

Sound Design                     Robin Guy