Critique+of+Clybourne

// Clybourne Park //, directed by Paul Pierce, delves into issues of how differences between social groups affect human’s territorial nature through telling the story of a house in the neighborhood ClybournePark. The precision of the set and the exceptional timing of the actors in their speech develop the intensity of the argument to make the ideas put forth in the heated debates more believable. The proper characterization of Karl also compounds these heated debates to create a work which exceptionally conveys how differences between people’s worldview dictate their opinion of who they wish to surround themselves with.

The set in Pierce’s production of // Clybourne Park // almost tells a story in and of itself. Every detail of the set seemed meticulously planned out by the set designer, Cody Thomas, down to the fan which remained on throughout the first act due to the hot weather. The house resembles a typical white family’s suburban house in the 1950’s with its furniture and layout. The yellow and brown color scheme of the house paired with the bright yellow lighting in the first act gives the house a rustic, 1950s feel. The lighting is made a little dimmer and darker in the next act to create more run-down and decrepit feel. All the love and care devoted to the set design imparts upon the audience the importance of the home to the characters.

By more deeply understanding the importance of the home to the characters, the debates between characters over the path they wish the neighborhood to take become more heated and leave a deeper impression on the audience. The choice of such an intimate setting – the audience was within 10 feet of the stage – also added to the intensity of the arguments. All of the characters in the play have different attitudes of their ideal home; these conflicting interests lead to heated debates. Karl wants to live in a neighborhood surrounded by people with similar tastes and interests as him, Russ wants to live in a neighborhood that does not judge him for the tragedy that befell his son, and Lena believes history and sentimentality play a crucial role in the character of a neighborhood. Through these arguments, the audience is able to understand the territorial nature of each character.

The scripting of // Clybourne Park // attempts to capture the true way humans argue. The choppy speech and frequent interjections sprinkled into the script create a fast paced and intense play, which requires actors to be very focused and attentive to when they begin speaking. For this reason, the timing of the lines and the volume with which they are delivered is just as important as how the lines are delivered. Although certain characters timed their cues better than others, in general, the actors did an exceptional job interjecting at the correct times to create the feel of a natural argument. This enhanced the suspension of disbelief allows the audience to more thoroughly soak in the beliefs of the different characters.

Pierce’sPaul Pierce underlines the similarities between // Clybourne Park // and Lorraine Hansberry’s play, //A Raisin in the Sun//, through the characterization of Karl Lidner to more effectively expose how a racist in the 1950s justified their beliefs. // Clybourne Park // takes place in the house the African American family, the Youngers, who – in //A Raisin in the Sun// – move to the neighborhood Clybourne Park, a predominantly white neighborhood, to escape the poor living conditions of their predominantly black neighborhood. In //A Raisin in the Sun,// Karl Lindner from the Homeowners association of the neighborhood Clybourne Park offers the Younger family a counteroffer for their newly bought house; similarly, in // Clybourne Park ,// a man named Karl arrives at the house of Bev and Russ, who have recently sold their house to a black family, and tells of a counteroffer he offered to the black family for the house. The many references to a //Raisin in the Sun// remind audience members of the oppression of the African American race brought to light in //A Raisin in the Sun//. For this reason, Paul Pierce’s production of // Clybourne Park // tries to make Karl an exact copy of the Karl Lindner in the movie version of //A Raisin in the Sun,// played by John Fiedler. Both characters wear suit and tie, glasses, and carry a briefcase; both are of a similar stature; and both present their ideas in a very clinical manner.

Since it is difficult to put a unique spin on Clybourne Park due to the specifics of the scripting, Pierce crafted a play which adhered to the direction intended by the playwrights. However, the success of the play in the minor details (timing of the actors, set, characterization of Lidner, etc.) in developing the worldview of the characters differentiates the play from other productions of // Clybourne Park //.