As soon as I saw Cluedo was coming to stage, I was excited! The show is actually based on the 1985 film CLUE, which I haven’t seen, but have added to my “watch list” as if the film is as good as the show was, I won’t be disappointed. And obvisouly the American film CLUE is based on the British boardgame Cluedo. I was super happy the stage show was adapted into a British version, rather than running with the American CLUE plot and scenes.
Cluedo is always one of those games which comes out at Christmas, after one too many drinks and way too much turkey! Normally ends in a row . . . or like last Christmas when we played, I put two weapons in the the envelope by mistake so no-one actually got to win, so that wasn’t great.
Anyway back to the show, it stars Michelle Collins as the infamous Miss Scarlett. I LOVE Michelle Collins, she was in the legendary BBC show Sunburn (about the holiday reps living/working in Cyprus) and also ITV’s Rock Rivals which was like a spoof X Factor which I throughly enjoyed. Collins plays the role of femme fatale Miss Scarlett exceptionally well – funny when she needed, seductive and ruthless.
Probably my favourite character was Wadsworth the butler who is played by the exceptionally creepy at times Jean-Luke Worrell (creepy in a good way, he has a very eerie presence about him. There is one particular scene which involves Worrell reciting a summary of the whole evening which includes some prancing around and being overdramatic which the audience and I loved.
I really did enjoy the show, I won’t go into too much detail re what happens, as I will giveaway the surprise and gags which the show has plenty off. The cast are all fantastic, Harry Bradley plays multiple characters (on our night, he had a mishap with his fake moustache which made the scene even more funny! Etisyai Philip as Mrs White I also loved, she is an incredible actress and Laura Kirman the maid had me in stitches throughout.
I thought the staging was great, set in a large country house in 1949, the show started off in the hallway, where guests were welcomed by Wadsworth the butler, and when guests entered other rooms throughout the show, the seemingly basic stage transformed into multiple rooms (sitting rood, study, kitchen etc.) to bring together the Who, What With and Where!
The show is directed by Mark Bell, the same director of the award winning The Play That Goes Wrong and A Comedy About A Bank Robbery both of which I have seen, and are utterly hilarious! Cluedo has certain remnants of the “Goes Wrong” saga as its quite slapstick, and its short runtime keeps you engaged and wondering who was it?!
This is perfect for the whole family, instead of playing the board-game Cluedo tonight, get yourself on down to Theatre Royal Brighton and see it live on stage, take your guess and see who is right.
Cluedo is at the Theatre Royal Brighton until Saturday 18th June 2022, 7:45pm with matinee performances on Thursday & Saturday at 2.30pm. Click HERE to book tickets now and see if you guess correctly, whodunnit…. with what… and where!