TITLE:

The Clean House

AUTHOR(S):

Sarah Ruhl

TYPE:

A comedy in two acts

SYNOPSIS:

Clean houses, messy lives, and surprising relationships. With hectic jobs as doctors, Lane and Charles have little time to keep up with the dishes and laundry, so they hire a Brazilian housekeeper named Matilde. The problem? She would much rather spend her day trying to write the perfect joke. So when Lane’s “tidy” sister Virginia approaches Matilde about taking over these dreadful duties for her because she is so obsessed with cleaning, she can’t help herself. Matilde’s prayers seem to be answered. Yet, when Charles falls madly in love with one of his patients, things quickly start to turn messy in this absurd and wickedly inventive dark comedy from one of the most unique voices in American theatre today.

CHARACTERS:

NAME: Lane

AGE RANGE:

A doctor. She wears white.

Early 50's

NAME: Matilde

AGE RANGE:

Lane's Brazilian cleaning lady. She wears black. She has a refined sense of deadpan. Loves a good joke.

Late 20's

NAME: Virgina

AGE RANGE:

Lane's sister.

Late 50's

NAME : Charles

AGE RANGE:

A compassionate surgeon. He is childlike underneath his white coat. In Act I, he plays Matilde's father, also an enthusiastic joke-teller.

50's

NAME: Ana

AGE RANGE:

An Argentinean woman. She's impossibly charismatic. In Act I, she plays Matilde's mother, yet another fervent joke-teller.

Older than Lane

NOTE: EVERYONE IN THIS PLAY SHOULD BE ABLE TO TELL A REALLY GOOD JOKE.