Clybourne Park

Synopsis

"But you can’t live in a principle, can you? Gotta live in a house. And so do they. Not in this house they don’t" In 1959 Russ and Bev are selling their desirable two-bed at a knock-down price. This enables the first Black family to move into the neighbourhood, creating ripples of discontent amongst the cosy white urbanites of Clybourne Park. In 2009, the same property is being bought by Lindsey and Steve whose plans to raze the house and start again is met with a similar response. Are the issues festering beneath the floorboards actually the same fifty years on? Bruce Norris’ satirical play explores the fault line between race and property. Clybourne Park first opened at the Playwrights Horizons in New York in February 2010. His previous credits include The Pain and the Itch (Royal Court, 2007), The Infidel, Purple Heart and The Unmentionables.

Latest User Review

David Baxter - 2 October 2010:

The Royal Court has replaced the Young Vic as my most irritating theatre. Not all its patrons live in Kensington and Chelsea so starting a matinee at 3.30 pm is inconsiderate at best. However, all is forgiven if all palys are as brilliant as Clybourne Park. I was in Chicago last week and a tour guide told us that although Chicago is now a well integrated city most ethnic groups still live in their own communities; China Town, Greek Town, Korea Town, etc. So Bruce Norris' incredibly funny play can also be said to be an accurate satire on racial and property prejudice across two time periods. He bravely confronts the truth that prejudice exists in all groups and communities but does so through an astonishingly funny script which contrasts favourably with the poor taste of Yes Prime Minister seen the day before. It would be iniquitous to single out any one member of a quite brilliant ensemble who deliver Norris' scathing prose superbly and with peerless Midwest accents. Clybourne Park has already been scheduled to follow Jerusalem and Enron into the West End which will provide an opportunity for a second visit to one of the best plays of the year....

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