Cluedo - A New Play - UK Tour

[mkb]

Watching this touring production at its recent stop at the Belgrade in Coventry, I was struck at how the audience was split between those enjoying the fast-paced, farcical ride, and those staring open-mouthed in disbelief wondering what on earth they'd stumbled into.

If you've seen the film "Clue" (being the US name for the game known in the UK as "Cluedo"), you'll know what to expect, and the show is just as much fun. Jean-Luke Worrell brilliantly holds proceedings together as Wadsworth, but he is heavily channelling Tim Curry from the movie.

The shenanigans here are delightfully silly, very funny and expertly executed.

If you can stomach a parody that requires a complete suspension of any seriousness mindset, there is much to enjoy.

Four stars.

Act 1: 19:32-20:19
Act 2: 20:40-21:16

[Deal J]

Being a huge fan of the film, I really wanted to like this - but sadly even with lowered expectations I didn't enjoy it at all.

I agree with vdcni :

Mar 10, 2022 11:15:36 GMT vdcni said:

The problem is when they diverge from the film the creative choices aren't as strong and when they are just reading the same lines from the film then the limitations of the actors in comparison to the film cast is just glaringly obvious. The flames on the side of my face scene is included, presumably because it is so iconic but without the same acting choices of Madeline Kahn and the way it breaks the atmosphere is just falls flat.

My biggest criticism is that it feels like they've used 'Goes Wrong' style fourth wall breaking humour in a play that really doesn't need it. For example, the set was good with its hidden pull-out sections, but it seemed very silly having the actors moving all the furniture and making a point of it - that just took me out of the play entirely.

I have a question though that's been bugging me, hopefully someone can help. Shortly into Act 2 there's a scene where Wadsworth and Mrs White are approaching the bedrooms, deliberately slowly because they're suspicious of each other. At the performance I attended (Belgrade Theatre, Coventry), someone shouted "Someone make a move, I'm desperate for the loo!" (or similar). Is this part of the show and spoken by one of the characters off-stage, or was that a particularly rude audience member heckling?

I'd also be intrigued to know if Colonel Mustard's moustache falls off every night. Fake corpsing is my personal theatrical bête noire and I suspect it's in play here!

[mkb]

We had the moustache incident but not the loo shout. However, we were front row at the Belgrade, so it's possible it was the same night as you and we didn't hear the latter. Our show was 15 March evening.

[BurlyBeaR]

I’ve moved the wider discussion about audience deceit here theatreboard.co.uk/thread/9459/

[inthenose]

Apr 23, 2022 16:35:11 GMT Deal J said:

Yes, I’m the same - if it’s someone unlikely to see the show again, then I don’t see the point in upsetting them. If it’s one of my stagey friends that’s a different matter, like you say there’s a common interest.

Your experience with “Bottom” is similar to why the “Hairspray” one annoyed me so much - it was on my 2nd visit I giggled to myself remembering the error the 1st time, and was looking forward to hearing the song done “properly”. Then - BAM! - illusion shattered.

Those “Bottom Live” shows were such a riot, I do miss Rik Mayall.

I am sorry to have dragged this thread off-topic, but just while we are on Rik Mayall, and apologies if I've told this story before. He was doing "Present Laughter" in Brighton on tour, and made a very genuine and very un-Cowardesque booboo. He forgot his line mid-sentence (perhaps skipped ahead or repeated one, I don't know), stopped dead, threw down his prop and loudly yelled "F**K" in a very, very Richie/Rik fashion. I heard the audible line call from bastard prompt (I was front row) and he carried on like it hadn't happened. He never picked up the prop.

Either he wanted to, or they forced him, but he gave a very brief apology at the curtain call and made a joke about "too many bloody words in these things" which got a big laugh.

[TallPaul]

After Jamie, two weeks of Six, Bat and Cher, normal service resumes at Sheffield's Lyceum this week.

Although they're both 'above the title', I'm not sure why Michelle Collins' name is twice the size of Daniel Casey's. Surely his name is the one that is more recognisable to whodunnit fans?

[theatreliker]

Thought this was terrible. Didn't laugh once, not even at the fake corpsing in act 2.

[alicechallice]

Looks like this is getting a sequel!!

Cluedo 2 - The Next Chapter is playing Theatre Royal Brighton next March.

www.atgtickets.com/shows/cluedo-2-the-next-chapter/theatre-royal-brighton/

[londonpostie]

I'd rather die on the toilet.

[nicolaa]

The first one just wasn't funny - maybe Marks and Grann can wring some laughs out of the concept but they haven't been funny for a couple of decades either.

[theatreliker]

One of the worst plays I've ever seen. I notice the playwright has written an English farce which is on Broadway this summer (The Cottage).

[sph]

Jul 18, 2023 19:31:54 GMT theatreliker said:

One of the worst plays I've ever seen. I notice the playwright has written an English farce which is on Broadway this summer (The Cottage).

And that looks an odd choice for Broadway too!

[sam22]

Just saw Cluedo 2...it was sooooo boring

[duncan]

Cluedo 2

A 60s rock star is murdered, his master tapes are missing, the house is full of suspects who funnily enough all have names relating to colours and there is also an actor/butler. Whodunnit?

Burn it, burn it again, then take it out into the forest and bury it. Then burn the forest and nuke it from space.

Utter garbage from Marks and Gran who appear to have lost the ability to write comedy. All you have in this are,

One really good gag about Lulu.
One really good sight gag with a cushion as one character is murdered.

Outside of that its utter crap. A comedy should contain some jokes - across 100 minutes I'd expect to be laugh/chuckle/smirk a lot more than I did. The first Cluedo play was the film on stage and sort of worked if you knew the film but with an all new plot here its fails to get off the ground at all in the funny bone area. As mentioned by sam22 its got a LOOOOOOONG set up until the murdering starts and what we are seeing isn't funny and for a murder mystery it also totally fails to raise any tension or drama. We've got a group of actors flailing about lost in a sea of mediocrity.

Jason Durr once of Heartbeat fame is the name in the cast, here playing Col. Mustard - and as the victims are being bumped off in the home of 60s rock star he's playing it American in a HO HO BLOODY HO subtle dig at Elvis and Col Parker and he's terrible, the accent is awful and I struggled to make out a lot of his lines from the Stalls. I would say this Elvis gag is the pinnacle of the wit on display but Rev. Green is Rev. HAL Green and the first act consists of nothing more than people confusing him (and quoting) AL Green. HA HA HA HA HA or not as the case is.

The rest of the cast wasn't anyone I knew or recognised although the same actor does get to play the first 2 people that are murdered and then later pops back at the finale to be murdered again! No one is coming out of this with any credit.

The utterly leaden direction kills a whole host of gags, there is a nice bit of direction towards the end as they chase one of the characters round the house (thinking they are after the murderer) but by then its far too late to inject pace into this clunker. And I know we weren't there for the murder mystery but anyone with even a hint of the Poirot about them will be able to work out the ending.

Badly acted, badly written, badly directed, a set design that screams "this'll do" and not one single redeeming feature.

You'll end up wanting to be hit over the head by a candlestick/shot/ poisoned etc etc than sit through this nonsense.

[Talisman]

I found first one dire. It was of an exceptionally low standard. It is hard to believe they are having another go. I suspect that previous response is being kind!

[eliza]

I saw the first one in Brighton in 2022 and really did not enjoy it. As I left the theatre, a couple were talking about how hilarious they found it and how it was well worth the £40 each they'd spent. I couldn't quite believe it, I'd only spent £13 and regretted it.

Anyway, the second one is coming to Worthing this year as well as Brighton and the local cinema has been showing adverts for it. Tours rarely come to Worthing so I really would love to show my support, but from the advert I think it looks worse. I normally will give anything a chance and it's rare that I really dislike something so I almost feel guilty for not going!

[Talisman]

I couldn’t face the thought of this having seen the first one. I found it exceptionally dire and so did most of the audience