Clue On Stage: This Murder-Mystery-Comedy Is A Winner! [Review]

A dark and stormy night. Six mysterious guests. And a body in Boddy Manor. Get ready to figure out whodunnit in the stage adaptation of the fan-favorite murder-mystery, Clue! The theatre production, written by Sandy Rustin, is based on both the 1985 Paramount film and the classic Hasbro game.

The play stars John Treacy Egan as Colonel Mustard, Michelle Elaine as Miss Scarlett, Joanna Glushak as Mrs. Peacock, Tari Kelly as Mrs. White, John Shartzer as Mr. Green, and Jonathan Spivey as Professor Plum, as well as Mariah Burks as The Cook, Mark Price as Wadsworth the Butler, Alex Syiek as Mr. Boddy, Teddy Trice as The Cop, and Elisabeth Yancey as Yvette the Maid.

First, the set design for Clue was amazing! One of the main components of the game Clue is being able to explore the many rooms of the mansion. Given the natural confines of a stage, this could prove a challenge to adapting the story. But this production definitely rose to that challenge, creating a series of manor rooms that swing onto and off of the main stage when someone opens their door. I loved the way this design made the manor come to life, and allowed the characters to explore their surroundings. The set construction also added to the feeling of “secret passageways” reminiscent of the original board game. 

When the guests at Boddy Manor did need to all move to a room that required a full set change, Clue leans into the shift in the best way. The whole cast lines up and exaggeratedly creeps along together, dialing up the goofy physical comedy aspect like they’re playing out a Scooby-Doo montage. (Which, to be clear, I mean as the highest of compliments.)

Overall, this is where Clue really shines: it brings a winning combination of wit and physical comedy that its ensemble cast knows how to work from every angle. Every actor knows how to make their character’s distinct personality shine throughout the production.

When you have seven or more characters in most scenes, it can be difficult to make it feel like each one is contributing enough to solidify their place in the story and make their own individual impression on the audience. But everyone in Clue is fully immersed in their character in every scene, reacting to their fellow actors or the set itself. This is always a hallmark of a great production, but it’s especially appealing coming into something like Clue where people in the audience likely already have a favorite character. Whether you live for Mrs. White’s haughty, scathing looks or Mr. Green’s nervous reactions, you’ll always have something to grab your attention or draw out a laugh here.

I think my only nit-picky complaint about this production is that it can be almost too similar to the film version at times. Quite a few of the jokes and quips are directly taken from the film and used in the show. Sometimes this feels like a fun callback, but other times it feels like the stage production wasn’t differentiating itself enough from the feature. (After all, isn’t part of the fun of the game that it’s a different mystery every time?)

Still, Clue fans will undoubtedly have a good time with this theatre adaptation. There are plenty of nods to the original game, and the show’s sets and stars know how to immerse you in the heart of the murder mystery. It keeps a tight runtime (under an hour and a half, no intermission), moving snappily from scene to scene, and it always keeps you laughing. If you love Clue, you’ll love this play!

You can catch Clue at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles now through August 25. 

Don’t forget to snag some themed merch in the lobby, too!