By VERONIQUE DUPREY
A Seat on the Aisle
Clue, the stage play, presented at Indiana Repertory Theatre (IRT) as the closing show of their 50th season, is based on the 1980s movie, itself based on the board game, which had everyone trying to gather enough clues to guess Who did it, Where, and with What.
At first glance, the IRT set looks impressive but bare, as if all we were going to see was the hall and quite a few doors. For those who don’t know the plot, here is a short recap:
Six guests arrive at a mansion during a stormy night, greeted by the all-knowing butler, all invited to attend a dinner party under a given alias: Colonel Mustard, Mrs. White, Miss Scarlet, Professor Plum, Mrs. Peacock, and Mr. Green. The sexy French maid and the drab cook round out the house. The host, Mr. Boddy, (yes, it will be a running gag) arrives late, blackmail is revealed, weapons are distributed, and after things go bump in the dark, a body is on the floor. Much time will be spent trying to solve the crime, running around, finding more bodies, and hiding them.
It is a farce, under the guise of a whodunnit, and if you are in the mood for campiness, you are in for a treat! Actors fully commit to the madness in this true ensemble piece, under a tight direction from Benjamin Hanna, who will start his role as the new artistic director this summer. I look forward to seeing where he takes the IRT, after an impressive tenure by Janet Allen.
The cast of Clue, on stage through May 20 at Indiana Repertory Theatre, 140 W. Washington St., Indianapolis. (Photo by Zach Rosing)
Costumes by Izumi Inaba are beautiful, the French accent is solid (a particular pet peeve of mine), and everyone makes the most out of their stereotypical characters with seemingly unending energy.
Emjoy Gavino as Mrs. White and Beethoven Oden as Prof. Plum were particular standouts. A few actors even take on several roles, and the action is fast paced throughout, except when it is deliberately slowed down for our amusement.
Of course, the IRT never disappoints with their set design, and the mansion created by scenic designer Czerton Lim is a character unto itself, with its many moving parts allowing us to see several rooms at different moments. The delightful engineering feat was almost perfect, but for a short moment towards the end where the walls had not completely closed, perhaps an opening night hiccup.
I readily admit farce is not my favorite genre, but even I laughed out loud several times, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself, as did the entire audience, raucously caught up in the never-ending hilarity. This well-executed piece had won me over when the ending just crossed the line for me, in a bit that was dragged on, presumably as written.
Nonetheless, bottom line: an evening of abandoned laughter to share with friends and strangers, a romp through many doors by a fine group of remarkable actors supported by wonderful technical aspects, and a trip down memory lane that will make you want to dust off the old game! Highly recommend.
Clue runs until May 20, and tickets are available at irtlive.com, where you will also find the schedule of talkbalks, and ASL and sensory-friendly performances. Allow plenty of time for parking downtown, and note that for the entire production of Clue, patrons are encouraged to come dressed as their favorite character! You can also see the various designs, scenic, light, sound, and costumes on the mezzanine level before or after the show.
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