Director’s Note: Darren Yap, CLYDE’S
“CLYDE’S is a story about creativity. It’s about the way in which we can look at the tools that we have right in front of us and figure out how with very little, we can assemble all of those ingredients in order to build a life that perhaps needs resuscitation.” (Lynn Nottage, VOGUE interview)
When Mark and Claire asked me to direct CLYDE’S, I remember my heart burst with joy. The play has dark themes of incarceration and America’s shocking poverty, but somehow the light shines through the cracks in this story. CLYDE’S is a conversation about healing.
This story is fundamentally about community and kindness. It’s about forgiving yourself. On a universal level it warns us to be cautious, not to condemn people; that we don’t have the right to marginalise people.
Even though these five have all broken the law, we know their stories; they have been driven to ‘crime’ because of their personal circumstances. Somewhere in a truck stop diner in Pennsylvania they come together in this grimy kitchen. Through the simple act of sandwich making, they learn to rebuild their lives with creativity, mindfulness and resilience.
Thank you Simone, for creating this deliciously detailed kitchen. We had so much fun. I’ve been fortunate to collaborate with these beautiful theatre-makers; Max, Roger, Morgan, Lauren, Ayeesha, Jessica, Monica, Nigel, Linda, Claire, and the Production Team. Every step of the way they’ve brought their skill and passion to realise CLYDE’S. Finally, from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU Nancy, Ebony, Aaron, Gabriel and Charles for imprinting your souls onto these extraordinary people, and breathing life into this story.
If there is one message we can take from CLYDE’S it’s that we are not bound by our mistakes. We can re-build a life. We are worthy of love. We can have a second chance.
DARREN YAP
Hitting our stage 5 May – 10 Jun, don’t miss the Australian premiere of this recent Broadway hit. You’ll want a seat at this zesty comedic feast!