(Cover Photo: The CAST of "CLUE: LIVE ON STAGE" playing at the Hanover Theatre in Worcester, MA. through April 6, 2025. Photo Credit: Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade)

By Kevin T. Baldwin

METRMAG Reviewer

# 774-242-6724
 

"Mrs. White, no one in their right mind would be alone together with you." 

             - ("Wadsworth") / Jonathan Lynn, Sandy Rustin

The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts

Presents the Hilarious Comedy

"CLUE: LIVE ON STAGE"

Original Screenplay by Jonathan Lynn

Book by Sandy Rustin

Based on the Paramount Pictures Motion Picture

Based on the Hasbro Board Game Clue

Additional Materials by Hunter Foster and Eric Price

Directed by Casey Hushion

Cast Includes: Jennifer Allen as “Mrs. Peacock,” Christina Anthony as “Miss Scarlet,” Mariah Burks as “The Cook,” Donna English as “Mrs. White,” David Hess as “Colonel Mustard,” John Shartzer as “Mr. Green,” Jeff Skowron as “Wadsworth,” Alex Syiek as “Mr. Boddy,” Jamil A.C. Mangan as “The Cop,” Elisabeth Yancey as “Yvette,” Evan Zes as ”Professor Plum.” 

Understudies: Greg Balla, Mary McNulty, Cassandra Marie Murphy, James Taylor Odom

Additional Creative Team: 

Set Design - Lee Savage; Costume Design - Jen Caprio; Lighting Design - Ryan O’Gara’ Sound Design - Jeff Human; Hair, Wig, & Make Up Design - J. Jared Janas; Original Music And Music Supervision - Michael Holland; Fight Director - Robert Westley; Associate Director - Steve Bebout; Casting - Pearson Casting CSA CDG; Tour Booking, Marketing & Publicity - Bond Theatrical; Production Management - Port City Technical; Production Stage Manager - Margot Whitney; Assistant Stage Managers - Maria Bella Divittorio, Sarah E. T. Jackson Company Manager - Maggie Swahl.

Performances:

April 4, 2025 through April 6, 2025 

(Contact Box Office for Exact Times) 

Presented at the Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts, 2 Southbridge St., Worcester.

TICKETS:

For More Information:  877-571-SHOW (7469) info@thehanovertheatre.org

BUY TICKETS

COVID 19 PROTOCOLS

Contact Venue for Most Updated COVID-19 Safety Protocols and Information.

(Warning: The following review contains spoilers)

The Hanover Theatre exposes the murderously funny "CLUE: LIVE ON STAGE" to the unsuspecting city of Worcester and the hilarity that ensues just slays. 

"CLUE: LIVE ON STAGE" is a preposterous parody of murder mysteries and the only thing really missing in this absurd comedy is the sound of rim-shots for all the incredibly sophomoric jokes. 

That is why "CLUE" is also incredibly funny. 

Inspired by the classic Hasbro board game, the stage adaptation of "CLUE" - as it now plays at The Hanover Theatre in Worcester, MA. - will no doubt bring about comparisons to the Landis film and its all-star cast that included Tim Curry and the late, legendary comedienne Madeline Kahn. 

The Sandy Rustin stage adaptation of "CLUE" is faithfully based upon the John Landis 1985 movie's dialogue written by Jonathan Lynn, with additional material supplied by Hunter Foster and Eric Price. 

In the story of "CLUE," six mysterious guests assemble at “Boddy Manorfor” where murder and mayhem abound. 

It is a dark, dank and dismal evening. 

An ominous night, one perfect for...clues. Also a night providing the perfect ambience for this gathering of multiple suspects, totally in need of...clues. 

However, the staging for this latest National Tour is probably one of the most uproarious "killer comedies" on the road these days - and with the way things have been going lately, the ability to laugh from insanely funny shows like "CLUE: LIVE ON STAGE" helps keep us all sane. 

So, just how closely does the show follow the board game? 

The game takes about an hour to play while the play runs about 90 minutes with no intermission. 

The game calls for players to investigate a murder by gathering evidence while the show as the audience deduce the guilt or innocence of characters of the board game brought to life. 

The plot of "CLUE" brings with it no short order of twists and turn....and those twists and turns don't just happen in the dialogue. 

Often the cast must contort themselves as part of the taxing physical comedy and, thanks to the fine direction of Casey Hushion, what we witness is a delightfully controlled chaos. 

The show never falls into the dangerous trap (as seen in other productions of "CLUE") of stumbling over itself in the attempt to be funny. 

It IS funny. 

It is also campy, silly, preposterous and thoroughly delightful. 

In "CLUE," six suspects have all gathered at a remote mansion managed by a sinister butler, Wadsworth (Jeff Skowron). 

Skowron holds our attention and is both fully in command and relentlessly funny in the Tim Curry-defined role.

Wadsworth claims to manage the estate with a staff that includes Yvette (Elisabeth Yancey), a maid who, with her sardonic wit, is equal parts seductive and suspicious, and one, grim "Cook" (Mariah Burks) who has more on her mind than just dinner. 

The six suspects arriving at the mansion are: 

Miss Scarlet (played at the April 4^th performance by Mary McNulty), Professor Plum (Evan Zes), Mrs. White (Donna English), Mr. Green (John Shartzer), Mrs. Peacock (Jennifer Allen) and Colonel Mustard (David Hess). 

(Photo: The CAST of "CLUE: LIVE ON STAGE" playing at the Hanover Theatre in Worcester, MA. through April 6, 2025. Photo Credit: Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade)

None of the guests appear to have anything in common…at first. 

So, what is the reason for this unique assemblage? 

Wadsworth reveals that they are all blackmail victims of one Mr. Boddy (Alex Syiek). 

Boddy soon arrives at the mansion and has Wadsworth give each of the suspects a "gift" of obvious murder weapons (many players of the board game should recognize - more on that in a moment). 

The creative team for this National Tour excels at opulent sets and costume/prop color coordination, especially when each of the above "gifts" are presented to their color corresponding human recipient: 

A candle stick, a dagger, a hangman's noose rope, a wrench, a lead pipe and a revolver. 

As the play unfolds, the audience watches the board game play out live "on stage" where EVERYONE soon becomes a suspect while hold one of the above objects:   

• "On stage with a candlestick" - McNulty as “Miss Scarlet” brings out not only the seductive quality to the character but also effectively has the character in command, taking charge as she leads the other suspects through most of the actual detective work involved.
• "On stage with a revolver" (and we don’t mean the Beatles album, btw) – As “Professor Plum” Zes brings a funny, quirky quality to Professor Plum.
• "On stage with a dagger" - Allen gives a solid portrayal of the batty and bizarre “Mrs. Peacock.”
• "On stage with a lead pipe" - The physical comedy among the cast that is part and parcel of "CLUE: LIVE ON STAGE" is timed to perfection - but it is actor John Shartzer as “Mr. Green” who dominates with an onslaught of pratfalls and twists and turns that are hilarious from start to finish.
• "On stage with a wrench" – David Hess as “Colonel Mustard” is given the funniest written lines in the play and executes them (probably poor choice of phrasing) to perfection.
• “On stage with a rope” - As Mrs. White, Donna English does a fine job in a tough role that has been so clearly defined by the late, great Madeleine Kahn.

(Photo: John Shartzer as “Mr. Green” bravely positions himself behind Elisabeth Yancey as French maid “Yvette” in a scene from "CLUE: LIVE ON STAGE" playing at the Hanover Theatre in Worcester, MA. through April 6, 2025. Photo Credit: Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade)

With each and every ludicrous plot point - and there are many - the laughs just build and build until no one in the audience is safe...from dying of laughter. 

Each member of the cast works diligently to bring their respective, ridiculously "over the top" board game character to life and everyone succeeds brilliantly, performing Rustin's droll dialogue with ease.  

As the suspects search the mansion to reveal the killer, the body count stacks up. 

Some will find themselves at the wrong place at the wrong time...or the right place at the right time if they are looking to be whacked. 

With some of the more eccentric characters, it is sometimes hard to tell. 

With others, it is not a question of who among them is the murderer - it is how some of the more "clue-less" suspects have lived as long as they have. 

All the technical elements will simply blow you away (again, perhaps a poor choice of phrasing, but you get the idea). 

Lighting and sound effects are employed with impeccable timing throughout the show and the massive scenery transitions are also handled with almost surgical precision. 

(Photo: The CAST of "CLUE: LIVE ON STAGE" playing at the Hanover Theatre in Worcester, MA. through April 6, 2025. Photo Credit: Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade)

In the end, "CLUE: LIVE ON STAGE" is a superbly staged "whodunit" farce that will leave audiences in stitches as they try to figure out who done it, where they done it, why they done it and, more importantly, with what did they done do it? 

"CLUE: LIVE ON STAGE" continues "on stage with side-splitting performances" until April 6^th, 2025 and the laughs will repeatedly strike you...at The Hanover Theatre ...in Worcester.

Coming up next in Hanover Theatre's Broadway Series to close out the season will be the megahit Broadway musical "COME FROM AWAY" beginning April 11th, 2025.

For tickets and more information, contact Hanover Theatre at # 877-571-SHOW (7469) or via email at info@thehanovertheatre.org

BUY TICKETS

Approximately 90 minutes with no intermission.

Kevin T. Baldwin is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA)

@MetrmagReviews

@Theatre_Critics

(Photo: The CAST of the comedy "CLUE: LIVE ON STAGE" playing at the Hanover Theatre in Worcester, MA. from April 4, 2025 through April 6, 2025. Photo Credit: Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade)

ABOUT THE SHOW "CLUE: LIVE ON STAGE" 

Murder and blackmail are on the menu when six mysterious guests assemble at Boddy Manorfor a night they’ll never forget! 

Was it Mrs. Peacock in the study with the knife? 

Or was it Colonel Mustard in the library with the wrench? 

Based on the fan-favorite 1985 Paramount Pictures movie and inspired by the classic Hasbro board game, "CLUE: LIVE ON STAGE" is the ultimate whodunit that will leave you dying of laughter and keep you guessing until the final twist!

For More Information:  877-571-SHOW (7469) info@thehanovertheatre.org

BUY TICKETS

ABOUT HANOVER THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

Worcester Center for Performing Arts is a registered not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization, which owns and operates The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

HANOVER THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

2 Southbridge Street

Worcester, MA. 01608

# 877-571-SHOW (7469) 

info@thehanovertheatre.org