THEATRE RESPONSE: THE CLEAN HOUSE

Last night I attended a preview performance of the Northern California Premiere of The Clean House by Sarah Ruhl, directed by Juliette Carrillo and presented by TheatreWorks. It is a truly moving & charming production with lots of twists & turns.

The brilliant ensemble cast of 5 actors are a match made in heaven. Act I is hilarious with lots of quick pace. Every actor has a lot to work with. Act II has its moments where the action seems to lag a little bit but that didn't stop me from enjoying the production. I loved how much symbolism the word "clean" has in the play.

Stephanie Beatriz is perfect as Matilde, a Brazilian maid working for a married doctor couple who doesn't seem to like cleaning. The rest of the cast is truly gifted with all of them having wonderful moments - Heather Ehlers as Lane, the uptight married doctor, Lucinda Hitchcock Cone as her sister Virginia, who possesses a rare attachment to cleaning, Michael Cooke as Lane's husband and Olivia Negron as Ana - a wonderful character that stirs a lot of the action in the play.

As always, the production values of every TheatreWorks show was first rate - especially the set design by Kate Edmunds - simple, elegant and even surprising when in Act II a stunning balcony scene is added to the set. Simply brilliant. Steven B. Mannshardt (who did our Into The Woods lighting) works wonders with his lighting design that help accentuate the set.

It is a wonderful production with lots of good laughs. I recommend it.

It opens this Saturday and plays at the Mountain View Center for the Arts until February 12th.
www.theatreworks.org