Three quick weekend recommendations
Two plays and a museum exhibit, in order of preference and urgency:
- “The Clean House” –a comedy at the Arsenal Center for the Arts, in Watertown. Nominated for a Pulitzer, written by Sarah Ruhl. Story of a dysfunctional family and a cleaning woman who hates to clean. Super cast, writing, and compelling story. Tragic notes to the plot, but completely uplifting in the end. Runs to March 23–hurry! This is one of the three best plays I’ve seen this season.
- “Birth of the Cool” exhibit at the Addison Gallery of American Art at Andover Academy. California art, design, and culture at midcentury. (Yes, it borrows its name from a Miles Davis album.) Big enough to merit the trip, small enough to see in a satisfying hour or so. Runs to April 13.
- “Shining City“, a play about a tortured Dublin therapist by Conor McPherson, at the Huntington. Delivers what the best Irish plays always do–a spare construction which depends entirely on compelling storytelling. Shining City has a monologue that our friend Anne said, “had me riveted to my seat like no monologue I’ve ever seen delivered.” (Such a contrast to the dreary blah-blah-blah in the recent production of “Streamers”, which made Anne, and me, want to put a bullet to our heads.) Ends April 6.
Jules Pieri 
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