Review: CLUE: LIVE ON STAGE at Gammage Auditorium

There have been previous stage versions of the Parker Brothers' board game Clue, none that had any connection to the beloved 1985 film or made any significant mark artistically or commercially. But the film always felt like it was waiting for the right adaptation. The movie was shot by Jonathan Lynn, a West End stage director making his film debut, and it shows — the manor setting, the ensemble of suspects, the door-slamming farce energy all feel native to the stage. It was only a matter of time before someone got it right.

This production gets it right.

Playing February 17-21 at Tempe's ASU Gammage Auditorium, Clue is easily consumed fun — well performed, well-staged, with an inventive set design by Lee Savage that moves us through the manor's various rooms without ever losing momentum. Director Casey Hushion brings the fast-paced, precisely choreographed blocking that door-slamming farce demands. The production is sharp and well-rehearsed, and the light and sound cues — by Ryan O'Gara and Jeff Human respectively — land like punchlines themselves. One gets the feeling that stage manager Jenna Wadleigh calling "Go" is every bit as responsible for the comic timing as the cast.

The ensemble is strong throughout, with characters that are broad but nuanced, each equipped with specific and well-chosen affectations that maintain a pleasing variety for both the eyes and the ears. Adam Brett is the unambiguous star of the show as Wadsworth. The rest of the cast — Sarah Mackenzie Baron as Mrs. White, Camille Capers as Miss Scarlet, Nate Curlott as Colonel Mustard, TJ Lamando as Mr. Green, Madeline Raube as Mrs. Peacock, Kyle Yampiro as Professor Plum, Zoie Tannous as Yvette, and Joseph Dalfonso as the unfortunate Mr. Boddy, with AT Sanders and Kebron Woodfin rounding out the company — all have genuine comic talent. But they are riding a van that Brett is driving, particularly in the final stretch as the show cycles through its multiple endings.

Hushion's strengths are clearly demonstrated in the staging and character definition, but on the acting-coach side, the cast has been directed to push tempo and volume even in moments where the writing is clearly building toward a dry, underplayed punchline. The film's cast made those aside-style readings famous for good reason — they land. A few strategically placed underplayed moments would hit even harder for their infrequency. As it stands, some of the cleverer jokes get the broader "dad joke" treatment, drawing groans where they might have earned genuine laughs. It's an otherwise well-oiled machine.

One of the genuine advantages stage has over film is the ability to hold for laughs, and this cast and production team deploy that skill with success. The audience feels free to extend their laughter knowing the next line isn't barreling ahead without them, and that creates a genuine sense of participation — the house becomes part of the musicality of the show. It's one of those qualities that reminds you why live theater remains irreplaceable.

Clue works whether you're a devotee of the film or coming in cold. But for fans of the original, there are rewards throughout. Many audience members' affection for the film was made clear by enthusiastic applause after the infamous "Flames. Flames on the side of my face..." line delivered by Mrs. White. It’s an evening or matinee of nostalgia for some and fun for all.

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