Review: CLUE: A NEW COMEDY at Fox Cities Performing Arts Center

Murder… blackmail… a board game?  Clue: A New Comedy is centered on the 1985 Paramount movie as well as the beloved Hasbro game.  This show brings all the classic characters of the game onto the stage for an outlandish comedy experience. From the moment the show starts, the audience is transported into a mansion that is haunted with humor and just about as much sarcasm as one could ask for.  This clever and witty play might as well be called a “play on words.” The linguistic intricacies of the writing keeps the mind engaged throughout the performance, and will have you laughing until your core is sore.

This touring production is well rehearsed and seamlessly executed.  The contrast of the stoic nature of the set and the wild comedic ride of the content provides a unique and energetic experience.  The elegance of the set was the perfect canvass for outrageous personalities that the audience met along the way.  The design allowed for smooth transitions that never left a dead moment.  

In this true ensemble show, each performer perfectly em-body-d the persona of each character.  Unique mannerisms and masterful physical humor helped develop each independent role while not distracting from the importance of the characters working in flawless harmony.  A perfect example of this was the scene in which each character gave the story of how they committed the crime followed by a rewind.  Each character had their moment, but never once became too much that another murder plot was overshadowed. 

From the moment the audience arrived at Boddy Manor, Wadsworth was there to handle them with care. Mark Price brought a delightful subtlety to this character initially, while slowly becoming more unhinged as time went on.  The recap scene where he takes the audience on a review of the entire body of work showed outstanding range as an actor, giving the audience a little glimpse of each performer in the show through his character’s lens.  His comedic timing is expert-level and never left the audience behind as they searched for the answers in this whodunit.

The scantily clad Mrs. Scarlett played by Michelle Elaine was brash in the most appealing way.  The least anxious of the characters, she was matter of fact and fed into each of the cast members, enhancing their performances.  She provided this role a sultry groundedness founded on sarcasm that this show so desperately needs. 

The role of Mr. Green must have been written for John Shartzer.  The mannerisms that he brought to this anxiety-ridden role were flamboyant and absolutely hysterical.  It was hard to not be blown away by the physicality of this role.  From having to move dead weight in the most literal sense to sliding around on the floor in precarious positions, Shartzer navigated this character’s honesty, intrigue, and demeanor in a way that made him an audience favorite while still not overshadowing any of the other murder suspects.

There were so many other moments of this production that just added to the fun.  From the big band, brassy persona of Alex Syiek’s character, Mr. Boddy, to the delicious differences in characterization of Mrs. White (played by Tari Kelly), Mrs. Peacock (played by Joanna Glushak) and Professor Plum (played by Jonathan Spivey), this cast hit it right on the head… maybe with a wrench even.  The supporting cast brought an extra measure of intrigue to this production, and certainly did not disappoint.  Clue: A New Comedy is not to be missed!

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