Theatre Review: Cluedo
(AD Event Invite*) Take one humble board game. Add a sprinkling of fun, frivolity and murder. Mix with a 1985 cult classic movie. Now pop that on stage with a talented ensemble; the brand-new comedy thriller Cluedo is heading to a theatre near you. We headed to the Alexandra Theatre to see if we could guess “whodunnit”.
Was it Miss Scarlett in the study with the candlestick? Or Professor Plum in the cellar with the dagger? The characters, rooms and weapons of Cluedo need no introduction. Cluedo is, in fact, a Brummie invention, created by Anthony Pratt during air raids on the city during WW2. It was then sold to games behemoth Waddingtons, who christened the game with the name “Cluedo” (Clue + Ludo – I Play in Latin).
Mark Bell, of Mischief Comedy fame directs this farcical mayhem, with a script by Sandy Rustin. Taking it’s cue from iconic stage thrillers such as The Mousetrap, the storyline centres on a group of revellers at an English country house, Boddy Manor. Each guest, personally invited by the mysterious Mr Boddy, is given a pseudonym, a potential murder weapon and a murderous task to complete in order for blackmail charges against them to be dropped.
There’s femme fatale Miss Scarlett (Michelle Collins), pompous Professor Plum (Daniel Casey), dapper Colonel Mustard (Wesley Griffith), refined Mrs White (Etisyai Philip), chaotic Reverend Green (Tom Babbage) and grand dame Mrs Peacock (Judith Amsenga). They are greeted by the all-seeing butler Wadsworth (Jean-Luke Worrell) and put-upon “French” maid Yvette (Laura Kirman).
It doesn’t take long before the body count begins to mount up. Each guest becomes not only a sleuth, but a suspect. After all, they all have dark secrets that they don’t wish to be exposed, and a motive for murder. A slow Act 1 sets the scene, introducing our cast of colourful characters, but the pace quickens in Act 2 as we come closer to uncovering the truth.
This is a truly ensemble production. Michelle Collins, probably the most recognisable of the cast from her time in Eastenders and Coronation Street, is given little to do aside from a few suggestive lines, hinting at Miss Scarlett’s role as a Soho madam. Griffiths portrays a commanding Colonel Mustard, with wonderful little mannerisms and quirks which build his character.
The best performance of the night though comes from Jean-Luke Worrell. Worrell is energetic and prone to exaggeration, engaging the audience and milking each dramatic pause. Babbage is also a stand-out thanks to his perfect comic timing. He is the fall-guy for many of the mishaps; the slow-motion chandelier scene being the one that springs most to mind. A special mention goes to Harry Bradley, who plays a plethora of short-lived characters – never has one performer died so many times in one show.
Bell’s background in manic mayhem – he has previously directed The Play That Goes Wrong and A Comedy About a Bank Robbery – is reflected here in Cluedo. Indeed, some of the other performers (Babbage and Kirman) are also from the Mischief Comedy stable. A production with a farcical premise, chaotic execution and flamboyant characters is right from the Mischief playbook, although this doesn’t quite reach the same level of clever wit and warmth.
(Did you know that the wonderful The Play That Goes Wrong is coming to the Alex Theatre later this month?)
The atmosphere is set from the moment the audience enters the auditorium. Cleary enunciated advertisements and swing music ring out from a 40’s style wireless. Naturally, it is a dark and stormy night – is there any other backdrop to a thriller such as this?
The set, designed by David Farley, takes the form of the grand Main Hall of Boddy Manor, with a multitude of doors seamlessly leading us into one of the nine rooms. It is pleasing to watch it open up to mirror the familiar board game layout. The slapstick and seemingly chaotic movements are exquisitely choreographed by Anna Healey, no mean feat with so many performers often on the stage at the same time.
Some of the transitions from scene to scene are a little laborious, with repetition of lines, and some of the funniest lines don’t always have an opportunity to land with the audience before moving on to the next.
It’s not particularly sophisticated, but it is light-hearted, good fun and doesn’t take itself seriously. Did I guess “whodunnit”? Let’s just say that the clues are scattered throughout the show if you can spot them.
Cluedo plays at Birmingham’s Alexandra Theatre until Saturday 7th May before it continues on its UK tour. For tour dates and tickets, click here.
