Review: CLUE at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre

Clue, the classic whodunit farce, kicks off Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre's 50th anniversary season. The mystery show takes the famous board game and film and turns it into a play. Each character is given a weapon and a motive and the murders begin. Eddie Curry directs the fast-paced production and keeps the actors as close to their movie counterparts as possible.

The cast reads like a who's who of Beef and Boards' favorites including Suzanne Stark, John Vessels, Deb Wims, David Schmittou, Jeff Stockberger, and Sally Scharbrough. Audiences might also recognize a subdued Ben Asaykwee in a very different role than many of his other productions. Scot Greenwell particularly shines as the timid Mr. Green. For each cast member, the role plays to their individual strengths. Schmittou's impressive monologue explaining each of the crimes at the end is an absolute highlight.

The set is incredibly simple, a turntable with half a dozen doors perfect for slamming and a few screens to add digital effects. There's a lot of running in place and blackouts with echoing screams. If you love the 1985 film, you'll recognize many of the characters' lines. There's a kinetic energy that the movie captures that's missing when you translate this show to the stage. Everything's laid out in front of you and it's difficult to pretend secret passageways exist and bodies are hidden in different rooms when you can see everything. But the show is absolutely fun; light and silly and full of entertaining moments. It's the perfect way to kick off the year.

The rest of the season includes Beauty and the Beast, An American in Paris, Footloose, White Christmas, and other hits. Douglas E. Stark has been running the theatre with unfettered enthusiasm since purchasing it with a partner in 1980. This milestone anniversary season will be a celebration of all of the decades spent serving the Indianapolis community.

Don't Miss the Show

Up next at Beef & Boards is Footloose, opening Feb. 9th.
Performances: Clue runs until Feb. 5th.
Tickets: To purchase tickets call (317) 872-9664 between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Prices range from $51 to $76 and include the show, tax, coffee, tea, and the buffet.

Photos courtesy of Beef & Boards

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