‘Clue Live on Stage!’ Revitalizes A Childhood Game for Adult Audiences!
I remember playing Clue frequently throughout my childhood. There was something about collecting bits of information and attempting to solve the murder of Mr. Boddy before anyone else that was so much fun. While we had every board game that Hasbro and Parker Brothers made, I was always drawn to the whodunit game, as it tickled the part of my brain that enjoyed solving puzzles and figuring out mysteries. From years of cutting my sleuthing teeth within the walls of Boddy Manor, it’s now ingrained in my psyche to look for clues and put the pieces together as quickly as possible across many different settings in my life. With this deep love for the game and film adaptation, I was excited when it was announced that Clue Live on Stage! was coming to The Fisher Theatre as a bonus show to Broadway in Detroit’s season.
I knew generally what to expect from the play, having seen the 1985 Tim Curry-led film of the same name. It is easily adapted for the stage, thanks largely to the groundwork in Jonathan Lynn’s original screenplay, by Sandy Rustin (with additional material by Hunter Foster and Eric Price). The world of Clue comes to life in this murder-mystery farce, as our colorful pieces take on their human personas and the sprawling rooms of Boddy Manor are set ablaze with death around every corner. Who’s to blame for the body count piling up? All the information we need is right in front of us and with Clue Live on Stage! audiences are welcomed into the mansion as the seventh invitee to Mr. Boddy’s wicked game.
Can you solve who the murderer is before it’s too late? Or are the audience members in just as much danger as everyone on stage? Perhaps the better question is: is death from laughter possible? Clue is looking to put that last one to the test with non-stop jokes that will hopefully have everyone with a stitch in their side.
[Warning: Spoilers from Clue Live on Stage! are below!]
Wicked secrets unite our players in Clue Live on Stage!
Stage adaptations of films aren’t a new concept in the slightest, but it seems to be picking up speed to some degree. Every new cycle on Broadway comes with a new musical adaptation of a beloved film from decades past or a cult classic finding new life on stage. That being said, many of these adaptations attempt to point their own stamp on the story, sometimes featuring significant differences from the source material. However, Clue didn’t try to reinvent the wheel with its story, which ultimately worked in its favor.
Much like the film that predates it, Clue Live on Stage! begins with the arrival of our key players to Boddy Mansion under mysterious circumstances. Six individuals arrive at the door to the manor with explicit instructions. Arrive on time for the dinner party, and don’t use your real name; otherwise, your secrets will be exposed to the world. In modern times, we might be more skeptical of a random letter arriving with instructions such as that, but this is 1954, and the world is a different place.
Greeted by the easily excitable Butler, Wadsworth (Jeff Skowron), the guests are given dinner before being graced by their host, Mr. Boddy, who threatens to expose each and every one of them unless they do something for him in return. While all parties are hesitantly debating what their next steps should be, there’s a flicker of the lights, and Mr. Boddy is no more than a corpse, as someone in the room has murdered him.
But who could it have been? Whose secrets were so diabolical that they would stop at nothing from being exposed? Every guest has a motive, but who had the guts to go through with murder? As the body count continues to climb at Boddy Manor and the suspect list dwindles down, it’s the end of the line for the murderer. Can our colorfully named guests get to the bottom of the case, or are they the next victim?
A strong emphasis on acting and comedy carries Clue
Again, in the same vein as the film that it’s based on, Clue Live on Stage! emphasizes the comedic abilities of the actors, as that is what the people are there to see. Clue doesn’t require a lavish set, although there were quite a few intricacies within the staging and design, as the show is truly one about the dynamics between people and the hilarity that ensues from their interactions. Audiences are watching as these six characters descend into utter madness and terror, making those observing the ridiculous howl with laughter. Truly, Clue is a strong show because of the acting abilities of its stars, who strike a balance between the farcical nature of the play and some sense of reality.
Jeff Skowron gives a scene-stealing performance as the wacky Wadsworth, who also serves as a sort of narrator of the show. He’s present from the first scene of Clue until the very end, helping the six guests solve the murder before it’s too late. Skowron’s performance involved quite a bit of physical humor amongst the endless slew of jokes that he kept sprouting off. He gives a masterclass on what farcical humor can and should be. As the leader of the pack, he astounds with his performance, as you can’t stop watching him romp around the stage.
Matching Skowron’s bombastic energy is that of John Shartzer, who plays the overly timid and equally hilarious Mr. Green. I remember watching the film and being pulled towards Mr. Green, which also happened in Clue Live on Stage! He has the most physical humor in the show comparatively, leading to many sidesplitting scenes. I’ll never know how Shartzer slow motion dropped to the floor during the chandelier scene, but throughout this show, Shartzer repeatedly proved his comedic chops. He was quickly my favorite character for many reasons, largely thanks to Shartzer’s quirky energy, giving one of the funniest performances I’ve seen in quite a while.
David Hess brings a calmer humor to the show as the rigid and rather clueless Colonel Mustard. This character toes the line of a more serious character whose comedy comes from misunderstandings and deadpan jokes. I don’t know about everyone else, but I love it when an actor deadpans because it makes the joke even more hilarious. At times, you’re not quite sure if Colonel Mustard is an idiot, obvious to the world around him, or playing everyone in the room. It’s a fine line, and Hess does a fantastic job with it. He never breaks character, which feels like a feat in itself, as so many others would chuckle giving a performance such as this one.
The sultry and sexy Miss Scarlet has a fierceness to her that I don’t quite remember her movie counterpart having. In the film, she feels more like the temptress, but Christina Anthony brings depth to his otherwise one-dimensional character. She’s not a damsel in distress or a lady of the night but a business owner and someone who has just as much power as everyone else in the room, perhaps even more, depending on how you look at it. Miss Scarlett is also one of the smartest in the room, which also makes her the most likely to solve the crime… or the murder. Anthony commands the stage with her presence, bringing to life this iconic character in a never quite expected but now can’t live without.
Foiling Miss Scarlet are the likes of Mrs. Peacock and Mrs. White. Each woman brings something different to the dynamics of the show, along with their own brand of comedy. Joanna Glushak’s Mrs. Peacock garners laughs through her moral rigidity and the slow unraveling of them. As Clue begins, she’s straight-laced and god-fearing, but as one person after another dies, she becomes increasingly more drunk, leading to further antics.
Is this a ploy to throw people off her scent, or is she truly just coping unhealthily with the amount of stress thrust upon her? I recently read that playing drunk is one of the most difficult things to do as an actor, and if so, then Glushak gave a world-class performance. Her skills and craft are apparent in every scene she’s in, even when you want to roll your eyes at Mrs. Peacock’s antics.
Mrs. White is more a black widow in terms of characters, with Donna English appearing to have the most fun in the role. She’s a woman of some status, with some of the biggest secrets among the group, and she holds her cards close to her chest. Mrs. White holds herself in high esteem, believing she has gotten away with so much. English plays the part to a T, giving Mrs. White a rigid stature and lacking any warmth. For that reason, it feels like Mrs. White would be one of the toughest characters to play, as she’s so inflexible in a show full of twists and turns, but English never wavers in her commitment to the bit.
Last but not least is my childhood favorite, Professor Plum. He’s nothing like the man I had in my mind since a young age. I always pictured him as incredibly intelligent and perhaps straight-laced to a fault, although the one in the stage show is vastly different. Graham Stevens’ portrayal of the character is a bit more sleazy, a character of what you’d expect a man to be from a 1950s film. He’s crude and sexual, with many of his jokes leaning towards the latter. Debuting as Professor Plum right here in Detroit, Stevens had an energy in the role that was electric to watch, toeing the line between making this iconic character unlikeable and still somehow charming. Think Tony Stark in a bow tie, living in the ’50s, and you have Stevens’ performance in this show.
There’s no mystery that Clue Live on Stage! is a fun night out at the theater
There’s no denying the fun that Clue brought to the Fisher Theatre, as the entire audience at our show was roaring the whole time. That isn’t to say that the show doesn’t come without its issues, as this is a niche show targeting nostalgia in those who grew up watching the film. Not that you couldn’t enjoy the show if you haven’t seen the movie, but it seems you have more of an appreciation for it if you have. This feels in the same vein as shows such as Rocky Horror Picture Show, which may be harder to jump into as an adult without the love that comes from years of consuming it.
Am I glad I saw Clue Live on Stage!? Absolutely, but it probably wouldn’t be one that I set out to see multiple times unless I’m going with someone new and can experience it through their eyes. Some of the humor hit me as hilarious, and some of the farcical bits made me roll my eyes and wonder how it made it into the show. So, if you grew up watching the 1985 film, then Clue Live on Stage! is the perfect night out for you.
Clue Live on Stage is currently in Detroit at The Fisher Theatre and will be there until February 9th! Get your tickets from Broadway in Detroit! Also, catch this show when it comes to a city near you on its North American tour! Have you seen this show? Let us know on social media @mycosmiccircus or @boxseatbabes or CosmicCircusBroadway on Bluesky!
Exclusive Interview: Graham Stevens & Jeff Skowron of Clue Live on Stage!
