Clybourne Park

“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.