by Pat Lindsey On a stormy night in New...
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“Clue” Opens new season at the Fabulous Fox
by Pat Lindsey
On a stormy night in New England in 1954, a dinner party is taking place in the Boddy Manor. The guests appear not to know each other. They have each received a blackmail letter from Mr. Boddy with instructions to hide their true identities. From the moment the last guest is greeted at the door by Wadsworth the butler until the audience finds out “whodunnit,” the murder mystery unfolds at breakneck speed. It’s a calculated, carefully choreographed campy comedy that keeps the audience in stitches and suspense for 75 minutes without an intermission.
This non-musical play stays true to the classic 1985 cult movie, based on the popular Parker Brothers board game, Clue. Many members of The Fox audience get into the spirit of the show by dressing as Miss Scarlett, Mrs. Peacock, Colonel Mustard, and other favorite characters. The actors on stage are unrecognizable as they assume their quirky roles. Their delivery of fast-paced lines and precise movements back and forth across the stage and in and out of the moveable rooms is mind-boggling. Fight Director Robert Westley and Dance & Fight Captain Taylor Tveten have done a phenomenal job choreographing the actors’ movements to create excitement during all of the pandemonium.
No one has more rapid-fire lines than the uproarious butler Wadsworth played by Adam Brett. Thunderous applause follows his recap of what went down during the entire evening as he replays all of the characters’ roles and actions. For agility and acrobatics, TJ Lamando as Mr. Green has a talent. Three of the actors–Joseph Dalfonso, AT Sanders, and Kebron Woodfin–play multiple roles. The remaining cast members are delightfully eccentric. I particularly enjoyed prim and proper Mrs. Peacock, portrayed by Madeline Raube, who pretended to be opposed to drinking, but sneaks a sip from her personal flask every chance she gets. The entire ensemble cast of physical comedians perform their wacky antics with nonstop energy and hilarity. And the laughs keep coming.
The set, sounds, and lighting enhance the characters’ performances. As walls move and rooms fold and revolve, the timing is perfect. Thunder and lightning add to the spookiness. The costumes and props cleverly make this show a living replica of the board game we’ve loved for decades. It’s about who committed the murder in which room and with what weapon? Was it with the lead pipe, or the rope, the revolver or the candlestick, the dagger or the wrench? The frenetic mystery climaxes with a surprise ending.
“Clue” is opening The Fabulous Fox’s 2026-27 season with murder, mystery, and some silly slapstick. It’s an ideal show for mind-freeing entertainment and a chance to laugh out loud at one-liners and other goofiness. It will be performed through Oct. 4. Tickets are available through Metrotix at 314-534-1111 or visit The Fox box office. For more information, go to fabulousfox.com.
The cast of “CLUE”
