Review: CLUE at Majestic Theatre

When I taught theatre, I always made it a point to let my students know that theatre serves many purposes. Sometimes it teaches a lesson or gives us insight into another person’s perspective. Sometimes, though, it just gives us the break we need from our serious and often stressful lives. I mean, let’s face it, we could all use some moments with a little silliness and laughter. And that’s exactly what you’ll get watching Clue at San Antonio’s Majestic Theatre. 

This play is based on the Hasbro board game and the 1985 movie, starring Tim Curry, so if you’ve ever enjoyed playing the board game or seen the movie, you know how stylized, farcical and silly this show must be. What a relief from the seriousness of life! I know we needed the break. We smiled and laughed from the first lightning strike that began the show.

The technical aspects of having that first strike happen on the Majestic’s beautiful ceiling was a perfectly jolting start. From there, the technical aspects of the show continued to impress. The set, designed by Lee Savage, was inventive, especially when the actors “ran” down the hallways in stylized comedic fashion as each new room came into place. The towering windows of the mansion added to the ominous murder mystery feel of the show. The detail in each room as it was creatively revealed brought us straight onto the board and into the game. The sound design by Jeff Human, led the show perfectly through its varied moods and paces. 

Each character brought a hilarious moment, and many times the ensemble brought the laughs as a group. The over-the-top style kept us in stitches. Miss Scarlet, played by Michelle Elaine, brought the perfect amount of scandal and spunk to the role, while Mrs. Peacock, played by Joanna Glushak, took a fun journey from her high society facade to her unwound, maniacal characterizations as the play went on. We loved watching her becoming more and more unhinged. Colonel Mustard, played by John Treacy Egan, delivered his punch-line jokes with perfect timing throughout the show.

Wadsworth, the Butler (or so it would seem), played by Mark Price, led the group on adventure after adventure with wildly hilarious physical comedy and expression.

The audience around us was joyously raucous throughout the show, enjoying these iconic characters and lines that were so familiar. The detail expressed through the props of the show took us straight back to memories of playing the game as children or as parents of children who would play with us. The giant representations of the game board, “top secret” envelope, player secret tablet paper, and murder weapons made the show so much fun to experience. It took us to simpler moments, making us smile and laugh.

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