By: Hays Blinckmann for Waterfront Playhouse
You won’t have a clue when asked “Whodunnit?”
That’s the joy of watching the play, “Clue,” at The Waterfront Theater. For 90 minutes, the audience is transported into the cult classic Hasbro board game for a mystery that’s impossible to solve. But it’s more engaging to be “clueless” and enjoy the orchestrated madcap mayhem. The play is campy, funny and it’s easy to surrender to the mischief on stage.
Based on the iconic 1985 Paramount movie that was inspired by the classic Hasbro board game, “Clue” is a hilarious farce-meets-murder mystery. The tale begins at a remote mansion, where six mysterious guests assemble for an unusual dinner party where murder and blackmail are on the menu. When their host turns up dead, they all become suspects. Led by Wadsworth, the butler, Miss Scarlett, Professor Plum, Mrs. White, Mr. Green, Mrs. Peacock and Colonel Mustard race to find the killer as the body count stacks up.
Some of our favorite Key West thespians bring the game’s treasured characters to life.
Naturally, it’s a dark and stormy night — there’s no other way to say that — and a dinner party is about to start in a deserted mansion. It’s the ideal setting for any time-honored mystery and the audience should expect nothing less. Anonymous guests are greeted by Wadsworth, the butler, played by Michael A. Aagland, a seemingly nice enough fellow; but he’s the butler after all, who declares, “If you expect nothing, you’re never disappointed.”
But expect the unexpected with this theatrical romp.
Audience members can always rely on the talent in Key West to “bring it” in colorful and lively ways. There is the Cook, a wry and slapstick Carolyn Cooper; Yvette the maid, an excellent ditz played by Jillian Todd; Miss Scarlet is a show-stopping Susannah Wells; and Professor Plum is the astute John McDonald. Colonel Mustard, played by Ross Pipkin, is always fun. Mrs. Peacock (Barbara Mundy) is as colorful as her name, Mr. Green (Mathias Maloff) is perfectly jumpy. The sly and cunning Mrs. White is played by Erin McKenna, and Motorist/Chief is the exuberant Zachary Franchini. And there is a character in name only, the deceased Mr. Boddy, who keeps everyone wondering until the end (no spoilers).
Director Tom Thayer does a marvelous job arranging and rearranging characters to keep the audience hooked. The ensemble is artfully choreographed and timed in unison as they frolic through another Michael Boyer set masterpiece.
“Clue” has all the elements of kitsch and nostalgia: old-time costumes, rough and ready accents, off-color jokes, scandal and bodies — lots of dead bodies, more than one would think. And that glorious reveal of the lead pipe or the rope in the billiard room or the library. Also, the script is not as PG as the game, instead mirroring the hit movie “Clue” on which it’s based. The play was written by Sandy Rustin, adapted from the movie screenplay by Jonathan Lynn.
The Waterfront Playhouse embraces and celebrates the fun we all need nowadays with wit and vigor. The cast outdoes themselves with funny one-liners and a bit of slapstick.
“Clue” satisfies the light-hearted theatergoer who wants to laugh and have the gratification of finally figuring out who wins the game. In the end, was it the colonel or the butler or Mrs. Peacock? Did they use the wrench or the candlestick in the lounge or the hall? You’ll have to see it to find out.
For tickets go to www.waterfrontplayhouse.org or call 305-294-5015.
‘Clue’ at the Waterfront Playhouse
8 p.m. through Mar 5
waterfrontplayhouse.org
