Review: The Stage Adaptation of the Classic Game CLUE Takes the Stage at Center Rep

With lightning flashes and an ominous score, a mysterious dinner party at Boddy Manor begins with the arrival of an assortment of guests very familiar to anyone who ever played the Parker Brothers board game Clue. Based on the popular game and the 1985 cult film, this delightful production helmed by director Nancy Carlin and her talented cast and crew is a visual treat chock full of word puns, slapstick shtick and broad comic caricatures.

The black comedy has quite a complicated backstory, each character being blackmailed for past crimes by the mysterious host including murder, homosexuality, bribery, running an escort service and sexual misconduct. Each has received an invitation to dinner and the ensuing farce-murder mystery turns into great fun executed beautifully.

Brady Morales-Woolery heads the cast as Wadsworth the butler in charge of the evening's shenanigans. It's a broad comic performance including physical comedy that director Carlin also draws from the entire ensemble. Each character exaggerates their particular personality quirks from Colonel Mustard's (Dorian Lockett) inability to understand nuance, to Mrs. Peacock's (Wilma Bonet) imperiousness, to Miss Scarlet's (Sarah Mitchell) snarky retorts. Keiko Shimosato Carreiro (Mrs. White), David E. Moore (Mr. Green) and Corey Reiger as Professor Plum round out the excellent cast.

Murders happen in quick pace with plenty of slapstick all played out on Kelly James Tighe's gothic mansion with a trio of revolving stages. Jennifer Fok's spooky lighting and Cliff Caruthers' sound design enhance the productions overall ambience. Jessie Amorosa's costuming is spot on for the 1954 Red Scare era. Nancy Carlin does a masterful job of direction; having the characters jog around the set as they move from room to room in a conga line and staging a series of reverse time sequences at the final mystery reveal.

Clue is silly fun all the way around and engaging throughout. If you like the Agatha Christie type murder mysteries with the added joy of broad comedy, this production is a pleasant treat.

Clue continues through November 20th. Tickets available at https://www.lesherartscenter.org/ or by calling 925-943-7469.

Photo credit: Kevin Berne

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