CLUE – on stage

If you’ve ever been inveigled into playing Cluedo, you will already know the names of the characters and even some of the rooms in which this play is set. Based on the 1985 movie of the same name, Clue' is a dark, slapstick comedy and, in the hands of BMCDS it is a fast-moving laugh-out-loud show with exceptional comedic acting.

BMCDS blaze a new trail as they are among the first few amateur performances of Clue in the UK. It’s a classic whodunit tale - a dinner party in a spooky, isolated mansion which turns out to be a ruse to entice it’s guests into a bloody murder spree with a race to identify the killer — or killers, before they meet a similar fate.

Six guests are greeted by the staff at the mysterious Mr Boddy’s mansion, each having been given a pseudonym to protect their identities, although it becomes apparent some have already met. Set in 1954, in the midst of the “McCarthyist paranoia” that was to lead to the Cold War, each guest has something to hide and is in imminent danger of exposure by Mr Boddy, who reveals plans to shop each guest. Oddly enough, shortly after this announcement, he meets a grisly and untimely end.

Walking into the Venue, it’s immediately apparent that a huge amount of work has gone into this production. The interior of the mansion is a panelled crescent containing numerous doors, French windows and decorated with ornate gilt-framed portraits of Boddy ancestors. (Each looked suspiciously like the butler!) The set was incredibly clever, many of the panels were on castors and transformed magically into libraries and studies etc – there was no sight of crew in blacks, each scene change was a seamless sea-change and was occasionally carried out by the cast with some lovely quips. 

I want to mention the sound and lighting plots, each thought through in great detail with perfect music to which the cast moved from time to time and an eerie heartbeat which would heighten the tension. The lighting should never be obvious and this wasn’t but it perfectly complemented mood and set. 

This was thoughtfully and gleefully directed, a buffet of comic moments with the clear goal of maximising the suspense and humour. The moments where the cast moved through the house as a team in line were deliciously stylised and the farcical appearances in and out of doors were lovely but my favourite was the impossible moment where one character could be seen disappearing from one part of the house as they were reappearing a good 10 metres away!!

And the characters – the sauve, capable (and extraordinarily agile) Wadsworth was an absolutely command performance as he guided the audience through the maze of the story. Yvette, the saucy maid was delightful and clearly a very capable actress with lovely comic timing. The Cook, added spice and hilarity, a great performance with some serious manhandling, not to mention being covered in coats!

Each character had clearly put in a lot of work in creating their look and style – there was not a weak link among this cast. Prof Plum was wonderfully earnest, Col Mustard gloriously eccentric, a lovely performance and Mr Green really did keep you guessing as to his motives. Mrs White was deliciously evil with a string of dead husbands in her wake and Mrs Peacock’s screaming fits kept the audience entertained. Miss Scarlett was very difficult to ignore on stage, an archetypal femme fatale, this was a mischievous and compelling performance.  

As the play raced to its (various) conclusions, the scene built and built into a glorious waterfall of a denouement, orchestrated by the incredibly athletic and sprightly Wadsworth in a frenetic routine. 

Supported by the lovely characters of the singing telegram, Mr Boddy and the motorist, the unexpected cop and chief of police – Clue was an excellent evening’s entertainment. 

Congratulations, BMCDS – you nailed it!

Katie Jones

NODA 

 

Any observation made by the reviewer can only be based on what they see at the performance in question.  The reviewer may have received information in advance of the performance, and it is inevitable that their assessment will be affected by that knowledge.

The N.O.D.A. Representative’s intention is to give an objective critique of the overall production and in particular the performance viewed.  It should be remembered that any review of this nature can only be objective as far as the techniques used during the performance observed.  Any criticisms expressed may not have been valid at other

performances and are only made to encourage higher standards in Amateur Theatre.

It is hoped that the audience’s appreciation of your efforts will have given everyone a lift and encouraged you to greater achievements in the future and that the observations made by the reviewer will prove helpful in improving future productions.

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