Mercury Theater Presents CLUE Review— A Play Based on the Movie Based on the Board Game

Mr. Green, played by Kelvin Roston Jr., enters nervously  in a pinstripe suit and green tie and doesn’t let up that neurotic energy as he is faced with situation after situation  challenging his nerves.

Mrs. Peacock, portrayed by Nancy Wagner, is adorned in plumes and never wants there to be a silent moment as she tries to play hostess with the mostess among the other guests. But she gets more and more exasperated as it seems they are never going to get out of the house.

Finally, Miss Scarlet, played by Erica Stephan, enters in what else but a show-stopping red dress accompanied by the purple accented Professor Plum, who is portrayed by Andrew Jessop. She’s putting up with no nonsense and enters with a confident air. Plum does his best to prove to everyone he is in fact a real doctor.

And of course, they are all led by Mark David Kaplan playing the butler, Wadsworth. He goes back and forth between matching the guests' energy with dry wit and seriousness to high energy, over-the-top antics. He steals the scene at almost every moment, in this writer’s opinion. He ushers in the guests like a proper butler but never misses a beat to throw a pun or a quip at their expense. 

Is it Like the Movie?

For the most part, yes. We find many of the classic lines from the movie, right down to the souvenir pack of tissues quoting Mrs. White, “Husbands should be like Kleenex, soft, strong, and disposable.” Here on the stage, the actors are able to punch up these moments and have the audience roaring with laughter. Instead of the quips being passing one-liners in the movie, each joke is told to the fullest. The lights change and there’s a dramatic beat as Mrs. White and Yvette (Tiffany T. Taylor) exchange murderous looks as they recognize each other. When the cook (Honey West) and Mrs. Peacock lock eyes, there is another dramatic pause, and we know it’s another pair that has met before.

There are other bits not like the movie that also have us rolling in the aisles. As the group separates off into pairs to search the house, we are treated to a kooky, running-through-the-halls montage. 

For the finale, Kaplan reenacts the whole night with great speed and energy. He has the audience’s eyes glued to him and enraptured during his final scene as he dies, — not once, not twice, but three times over, each more hysterical than the last. Though, in this writer’s opinion, we lose the ensemble in this part as it feels like we’re just watching a one man show as they all stand around him in the hall.

If you’re a fan of the original movie, this production of Clue would be a good fit for you. Even those who aren’t fans but still love a good ensemble show with lots of jokes and physical comedy would also find this show to be a fun night out. 

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