Cluedo → Her Majesty’s Theatre
Under the direction of Luke Joslin, is a killer (wink) cast of Australian talent playing each of the suspects, staff and guests at this cursed manor. We have Rachel Beck as Mrs White, Laurence Boxhall as Rev. Green, Olivia Deeble as Miss Scarlett, David James and Professor Plum, Genevieve Lemon as Mrs Peacock and Adam Murphy as Colonel Mustard. The onstage dynamic between these six is just outrageously hilarious. Every mannerism of their characters is amplified to the maximum and the fiery banter between them does not let up!
In the particularly heated moments of the show, our heads ping pong from left to right, to left again as they sharply propel the plot with their expertly timed dialogue. Enhancing all of this, are the perfectly timed lighting cues and dramatic sound effects that have them freeze, or look to the audience in comical shock and confusion in place of a punchline, and we explode with laughter every time.
Attempting to keep the mansion in check is Wadsworth, played by Grant Piro. Watching Piro is like watching a comedic master at work. He has the audience tracking him always. Wadsworth is a particularly goofy character and Piro fully leans into these traits - he is utterly hilarious right through to the show’s end!
Also key players throughout the plot are Yvette the maid (Lib Cambell), Cook (Octavia Barron-Martin), Joshua Monaghan as Mr Boddy himself, and Nat Jobe as Bobby. These four also fully lean into their character archetypes, amping up the physical comedy. I don’t think I have ever laughed so much at actors dying before!
The set alone is also something to marvel at. Designed by James Browne, it is amazingly intricate and detailed. The six panels of doors that slide open and closed to place us in the different rooms creates a sense of frantic, constant movement throughout the play. Like the actors, when a new one opens, we also don’t know what we’ll find behind!
Cluedo runs for 90 minutes, so strap in and pay attention. I personally felt the time fly by, a testament to the cast's performances and Joslin's direction, neither let the audience lose focus.
With its clever, fast-paced writing and extreme physical comedy, Cluedo will have you trying not to die laughing before the show’s end. Cluedo is pure, theatrical silliness amped up to the extreme, you simply must see it to find out whodunnit…
Comments
Post a Comment