Review: CLUED IN: TRAVEL CAN BE MURDER at The Second City

With spooky season upon us, what better way to get into the haunted spirit than with a murder mystery — one that no one has ever seen before, and one that no one will ever see again. In a special Halloween collaboration between The Second City and High Stakes Productions for the third year in a row, Clued In presents Travel Can Be Murder, directed by Caleb George, at The Second City’s UP! Comedy Club as a completely improvised 90-minute murder mystery. 

Each performance features a rotating cast of seven ensemble members. In the production I saw on Sunday, October 18, that cast featured Peter Corey, Molly Jones, Jessica Landis, Heather Mari, Edgar Nevarez, Audrey Schiffhauer, and C.J. Tuor. 

Audience members get to suggest a mode of transport where this murder takes place, either by land, track, air, or water. For this show: a cruise ship. The other variable that gets decided by the audience every night is the detective, determined by the draw of a card. Tonight: Edgar Nevarez wears the metaphorical detective hat. 

With the setting and detective determined, we set out on the St. Clair cruise steamboat where we meet our suspects and victim. There’s a magician, a juggler, and a dancer. There’s the owner of the ship, his rich aunt, and his French wife. Past secrets and relationships surface, stonefish poison finds its way to the rich aunt, and the detective-turned-author on the ship must solve the case. 

The format of the show is inspired by and a tribute to Agatha Christie, with red herrings, hidden motives, and deductions galore. We have the moments where the spotlight shines on each character for important background and exposition in the prologue, as well as pairs entering doors for quick vignettes that also offer character development and details. The interrogation scene in particular is a classic improv bit where the actors jump into the hot seat and take over using key phrases and segues. As the scenes go on, the actors ring a bell at any time to force a flashback, some offering key information, some just absurd glimpses into the quick-witted nature of the actors. All in all, it’s a brilliant structure that allows the actors to flourish and build the mystery live on the spot. 

There were many memorable highlights that show just how actors masterfully craft their characters and jump at opportunities to expand the story. C.J. Tuor’s character as The Great Sharko includes a hawk attack in the past, a pivot to marine animals, and a dramatic entrance every time he hears his name. Molly Jones committed to a hilarious French accent, while Audrey Schiffhauer devised a ridiculous Greek name as her birth name before legally changing it to Crystal Palace. When the detective shares that he couldn’t solve the murder of his twin brother, we get a great throwback where Peter Corey flops on the ground as the corpse of said twin brother on a disco floor — a recurring bit that later ends the show beautifully.

The musical direction by Karen Sandvoss could’ve come out of a Sherlock Holmes or Knives Out film, adding the perfect mystery detective accompaniment to heighten the whole atmosphere of the production. The costume design was one of high-scale luxury and opulence that all fit the characters they became, while the lighting design from Noah Elman acts not only as cues for the actors, but brings the whole show together with the structured yet versatile set design from Alli Stark that allows for an endless world of settings to take stage. 

Of course, these characters and this murder was specific to Sunday, October 18, 2026. When you go see this show — and you should — be prepared for a whole new world created and a whole new murder to solve. The same effortless, high-quality improvisation and storytelling, however, will remain the same. 

If you’re hankering for some danger, mystery, and improv, you won’t have to travel far to be transported to a place with murder in the air, but don’t wait to book your ticket for this limited-time destination. Performances for Clued In: Travel Can Be Murder at The Second City’s UP! Comedy Club are Thursdays at 7:30pm and Sundays at 4pm through October 29, plus Halloween weekend shows Friday, October 30 at 10pm and Saturday, October 31 at 4pm. Tickets are $30. 

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