On April 25th, The University of Akron’s E.J. Thomas Hall concluded their Broadway in Akron season with the play Clue.
The play is based on the 1985 screenplay Clue. Clue is a parody of the classic whodunit genre that tends to make fun of the common tropes. Which makes the show more of a comedy than a mystery. The original movie features the talents of Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, Christopher Lloyd, Lesley Ann Warren, Micheal McKean, and Eileen Brennan. Despite not doing well at the box office during its release Clue is considered a cult classic now and is sacred to fans.
For context, Clue is about a group of ridiculous strangers who have to solve a murder in a mansion while confronting their own secrets and suspicions. The play takes place in the 1950s and Communism seems to be a theme throughout the film. What makes this movie truly enjoyable is the film’s ability not to take itself too seriously and the hilarious characters.
So my expectations for this night were high. Having seen and thoroughly enjoyed E.J Thomas Hall’s Mean Girls earlier in the season I had no doubts about the show’s quality. But would it deliver on the humor as the movie did?
When the stage was shrouded in darkness with only the glow of Yvette’s TV light. The stage lights come on to reveal Wadsworth who startles her. It wasn’t until the cook came out announcing that dinner would be served at 7:30 sharp with a large butcher knife in hand that I knew I was in for a good time.
The actors did not disappoint and portrayed their characters with alarming accuracy. Some of my favorite moments include Wadsworth distracting the cop, the slow-motion chandelier fall, the singing telegram girl, and practically every moment Mr. Green was on stage. John Shartzer, the actor for Mr. Green, gave a brilliant performance of the nervous accident-prone germophobe. His blend of physical and practical humor brought so much life to his character.
Similarly, Mark Price, the actor for Wadsworth, delivered a hilarious but physically demanding performance. The character Wadsworth has a lot of dialogue, and long-winded reenactments, and uses physical comedy a lot. This can be exhibited in Wadsworth death scene where after being shot he stumbles, rolls around, sings, convulses, slaps Mr. Green, and finally dies. The cast nailed the humor of the movie using slapstick comedy, good comedic timing, and witty dialogue. Also, by playing these ridiculous characters as over the top as they possibly could.
Something the play did well was its use of lighting and set design.
The use of darkness, warm lighting, and dramatic spotlights created the perfect balance of creepiness and lightheartedness known in Clue. In the movie Clue involves characters zipping from room to room a lot to combat this the actors just ran in place onstage to simulate that. Something I thought was ingenious and hilarious and a signal that this play wasn’t taking itself too seriously.
Something unique about the film Clue is that it has three different endings. In theaters, moviegoers were given one of the three possible endings to encourage them to rewatch it. The play follows in these footsteps by giving us 6 different endings.
All around me, I could see audience members clutching their stomachs, slapping their knees, and wiping their watery eyes. Suffice it to say I think we all enjoyed the play. In the end, the show received a well-earned standing ovation.
Thankfully the play exceeded my expectations not only was it hilarious, but it also added its twists to the script instead of being an exact copy of the movie. The play is a riotous time for board game players, amateur detectives, and people who desperately need a laugh.
EJ Thomas Hall has also announced its 2024-2025 Broadway in Akron lineup which includes Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, Dear Evan Hansen, Hadestown, and Come from Away.
