Clue at Syracuse Stage

Video: First Look At Agatha Christie's MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS at Syracuse Stage

March 18, 2024

Get a first look at Syracuse Stage's Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, adapted for the stage by playwright Ken Ludwig. Directed by Syracuse Stage artistic director Robert Hupp, the show runs through March  31 in the Archbold Theatre at Syracuse Stage.

Syracuse Stage To Present The Agatha Christie Classic MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS

March 04, 2024

Experience the suspense and thrill as Syracuse Stage brings Agatha Christie's classic, MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, to life. A must-see for mystery lovers and theatre enthusiasts.

Last Chance to Vote for the BWW Central New York Awards; Voting Ends 12/31

December 26, 2023

It's the final week left to vote for the 2023 BroadwayWorld Central New York Awards! Voting ends on 12/31 at midnight. Don't miss out on making sure that your favorite theatres, stars, and shows get the recognition they deserve!

2 Weeks to Vote for the BWW Central New York Awards; SOMETHING ROTTEN!, MISS BENNETT: CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERLY, & More Lead!

December 18, 2023

There's just two weeks left to vote and we have the latest standings as of Monday, December 18th for the 2023 BroadwayWorld Central New York Awards! Don't miss out on making sure that your favorite theatres, stars, and shows get the recognition they deserve!

BroadwayWorld Central New York Awards; SOMETHING ROTTEN!, MISS BENNETT: CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERLY, & More Lead!

December 11, 2023

It's the final 3 weeks and we have the latest standings as of Monday, December 11th for the 2023 BroadwayWorld Central New York Awards! Don't miss out on making sure that your favorite theatres, stars, and shows get the recognition they deserve!

BroadwayWorld Central New York Awards December 5th Standings; Leads Favorite Local Theatre!

December 05, 2023

It's December, and the first standings of the month have been announced as of Tuesday, December 5th for the 2023 BroadwayWorld Central New York Awards! Don't miss out on making sure that your favorite theatres, stars, and shows get the recognition they deserve!

Latest Standings Announced For The 2023 BroadwayWorld Central New York Awards; Leads Favorite Local Theatre!

November 27, 2023

Happy Holidays! The latest wave of standings have been announced as of Monday, November 27th for the 2023 BroadwayWorld Central New York Awards! Don't miss out on making sure that your favorite theatres, stars, and shows get the recognition they deserve!

Latest Standings Announced For The 2023 BroadwayWorld Central New York Awards; Leads Favorite Local Theatre!

November 20, 2023

The latest wave of standings have been announced as of Monday, November 20th for the 2023 BroadwayWorld Central New York Awards! Don't miss out on making sure that your favorite theatres, stars, and shows get the recognition they deserve!

First Standings Announced For The 2023 BroadwayWorld Central New York Awards; Blackfriars Theatre Leads Favorite Local Theatre!

November 13, 2023

The first wave of standings have been announced as of Monday, November 13th for the 2023 BroadwayWorld Central New York Awards! Don't miss out on making sure that your favorite theatres, stars, and shows get the recognition they deserve!

Review: CLUE at Syracuse Stage

June 16, 2023

Syracuse Stage closes its 2022-23 season with the madcap farce, Clue. Based on the iconic 1950’s board game of the same name, Clue spoofs whodunit mysteries, film noir, 1950’s pop culture and gothic horror films. The play is adapted for stage from the 1985 film that was a critical flop but has since become a cult classic. Set during McCarthy’s House Un-American Activities Committee hearings, a time fraught with suspicion and accusation, the mansion owned by Mr. Boddy becomes the gathering point for six invited guests. These guests we find out are all guarded about their pasts, are all being blackmailed and are referred to by aliases that correspond to the famous characters in the board game. Each guest is then gifted one of the six murder weapons. In all, there are six potential murderers, six weapons and nine rooms in the mansion, 324 possibilities for who, what and where; as Shakespeare and Sherlock Holmes agree, now “the game is afoot.” The gothic mansion, the dark and stormy night, the suspenseful reality of the play merge with Parker Brothers’ (now Hasbro’s) rule book and the characters become mashups of villains and game pieces. They punctuate the endings of scenes with comic confusion, mad scrambling and a kind of frantic skipping, like game pieces moving on a board after a dice roll. Scenic designer, Czerton Lim, creates the perfect 3-D version of the original board game. Upon entering the theatre, the audience sees a classic gothic foyer, complete with crystal chandelier, mahogany woodwork, marble stairs and a tiled floor fashioned to replicate the spaces on a game board. As the play progresses, the set becomes a character in itself as it transforms into the rooms of the mansion required by both the game and the play. His design is beautiful and functional. It not only provides a setting but also helps establish the humor and tempo of the play. It always surprises and delights. Likewise, original music by Michael Holland and sound design by Todd Mack create a comically suspenseful mood and punctuate the zany exploits on stage. Along with lighting design by Jared Gooding, the cliché of a dark and stormy night permeates the atmosphere and heightens the tension and anxiety of this mock thriller. The production is at its best when the actors are highly choreographed and in tune with the music, sound and light cues. In fact, the funniest moment in the play is prompted by a single gunshot. Director Benjamin Hanna establishes a fast pace from the very beginning of the play. It is so fast and furious that neither the audience nor the actors are allowed to get their bearings. The characters in Clue are obvious stereotypes but the portrayals all share the same frenetic quality without ever establishing basic, underlying traits and motivations. Characterization, for the most part, has been sacrificed to blatant silliness and camp. (There is nothing in the script that requires the beginning to move at such a pace.) Once the first murder occurs and the stakes are raised the speed can and should pickup through the end. For example, Plum is a stereotypical Professor, haughty and cerebral but cursed with an inflated libido. Beethovan Oden has a nice general feel for the character and indicates his personality traits, but he isn’t able to develop those qualities from the onset of the play. If he had, then as the pace became more frantic the audience could have enjoyed watching him first struggle then ultimately fail to keep his composure. Clearly many of the actors are talented. John Taylor Phillips as Wadsworth has a natural presence on stage as well as crisp comic timing but never fully embodies the stereotypical reserved, unflappable and ultimately arrogant butler. Emily Berman as Miss Scarlet is also clean and precise. Miss Scarlet is a stereotypical Madame but the actress is not allowed to explore the cynism and sexuality of the character who should have a slower, more voluptuous pace than some of the others. Henry Woronicz’s Colonel Mustard vacillates appropriately between being doddering and demanding. He sketches out an interesting frame for his character but again seems to fall prey to the tempo of this runaway train. Claire Wilcher makes a strong acting choice to play Mrs. Peacock with the nervous energy of a bird. Her comedy is broad and eccentric while still grounded in reality. Even when she is in the background of the action, she is always in the moment. When given focus, she commands the stage and rate of action. As a result, her portrayal is very funny and very satisfying to watch. Her least successful moments occur when directed to do something out of character simply for a laugh. Less successfully, Eric Sharp’s Mr. Green and Emjoy Gavino’s Mrs. White just seem lost in the silliness and frenetic mayhem. As lovers of farce and broad comedy, we were disappointed that more care wasn’t taken to create an underlying believability before descending into comic chaos. A stock character when presented by an actor still needs to have specificity. Silliness can be funny, comic bits enjoyable and a fast pace exciting, but they need to be balanced and well executed. By the end of the production, it felt like all 324 murder possibilities were explored, but few realities remained. If you are looking for an evening of fast-paced silliness, screwball comedy and sight gags this production satisfies. As a farce poking fun at human frailty and foibles, Benjamin Hanna’s Clue misses the mark. Clue runs through Sunday, June 25th. Tickets can be purchased by visiting SyracuseStage.org or by calling (315) 443-3275 or by visiting the box office at 820 East Genesee Street. did our critic think of CLUE at Syracuse Stage?

Iconic Board Game CLUE Closes Syracuse Stage Season

May 22, 2023

Syracuse Stage closes its 2022/2023 season with a production that celebrates the pure joy and simple fun of live theatre, the fan favorite and ultimate whodunnit, CLUE. The production runs June 7 to 25 in the Archbold Theatre at Syracuse Stage, 820 E. Genesee St., Syracuse.