From Quaint to Ghetto

A production of Clybourne Park at the Mark Taper Forum in Las Vegas 

When I first learned I had to read a 180 page play I was initially shocked and was not looking forward to the read. I soon found out the play was placed in Clybourne Park in Chicago and that soon made me much more interested. I also truly liked the “A Raisin in the Sun” play and when I discovered it was a synopsis to that play I soon was much more interested in the play.

In the beginning of the play act 1 is set in the old well-kept home of Bev and Russ. The couple is planning on moving to a different home and as one could imagine the move is getting the best of both of them. During the scene the couple begins to fight about the origin of Neapolitan ice cream. Russ was eating a carton of Neapolitan ice cream so it would not go bad and that sparked the conversation.  A few other people arrive in the scene and the discussion on the origin of Neapolitan ice cream becomes a substantial issue. I feel that the discussion over an ice cream is such a slight issue to worry about when a black family will be moving into a white neighborhood and that could arise big issues. What I found to be interesting was learning the perspective of the white family on blacks moving into their house, while “A Raisin in the Sun” gave us the perspective on the blacks. Karl manages to put a guilt trip on the family trying to make them stay.

           

During the second Act of the play many twists and turns are taken while a lot of foul language and fights occur. A white family is put back into the black’s shoes and the roles have turned. The neighborhood in act 1 has changed from a quaint white neighborhood to a run-down black neighborhood. The pregnant couple of Steve and Lindsey are planning on moving into the home and plan on tearing down and redoing the home. We find out about Lindsey’s connection by blood to those who lived in the home earlier. At the end of the play emotions are high about the suicide of Kenneth and soon later Dan finds his suicide note. A very intense ending to the play!