The Clean House

Brazilian housekeeper Matilde wants to do anything but clean. Since the loss of her parents, she is obsessed with finding the perfect joke, one that would pay homage to the life her parents shared. In her search to do so, the family whose house she cleans cannot help but be affected by the charms of this peculiar woman. They begin to toss off old patterns and expectations, journeying to find their own sense of joy. Winner of the 2004 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, The Clean House is Sarah Ruhl's paean to healing, forgiveness, and the essential power of laughter.