It’s a play! Of a movie! Of a board game!
The 1985 cult classic comedy film “Clue” certainly seems ripe for the stage, with quickfire dialogue, a single-mansion setting and plenty of room for actors to make their mark. The movie features memorable performances from character actor legends including Tim Curry, Christopher Lloyd, Martin Mull and Madeline Kahn. It’s also one of the most quotable comedies in the film canon.
Based on the classic Hasbro board game, wherein players must move around the “rooms” on a game board and find clues to determine which character used which weapon to kill the mysterious Mr. Boddy, the movie gathers a gaggle of mid-century Washingtonian power players to unspool a tale of blackmail, murder and intrigue.
A stage version of the film is running at the Benedum Center in Downtown Pittsburgh as part of the Pittsburgh Cutural Trust’s PNC Broadway in Pittsburgh series. Writer Sandy Rustin took Jonathan Lynn’s original screenplay — and got a leg up from additional writers Hunter Foster and Eric Price — and made good use of it to bring the hilarious whodunit from screen to stage.
For fans of the film, the most-remembered lines remain; I was certainly mouthing along to Mrs. White’s “flames, flames on the side of my face,” for example. But Rustin, Foster and Price didn’t just copy-paste the screenplay into a script; they bulked up some scenes and added clever one-liners along the way, and they still kept the runtime at a taut 85-ish minutes. There are also some added winks to the story’s board game roots, which got appreciative chuckles from Tuesday’s opening night audience.
Readers may recall that I’m generally skeptical of screen-to-stage adaptations, and this show does a good job of demonstrating one reason why. The cast did an all-around great job, and they each got deserved guffaws from the audience. But when you’re stacked up against a Madeline Kahn or a Michael McKean, those are almost always massive shoes to try and fill.
Take, for example, Sarah Mackenzie Baron, whose Mrs. White was dry as a good martini and whose physicality was naturally hilarious. The one drawback was how close she was playing it to Kahn’s onscreen interpretation. In contrast, Nate Curlott played the bumbling Colonel Mustard in his own unique way and earned the most laughs of the show.
Splitting the difference was Adam Brett as Wadsworth, the Tim Curry character who has to do the most heavy lifting in the plot. He had several standout scenes that required impressive amounts of movement, and he seemed so comfortable in the skin of his character. While Tim Curry’s inspiration was evident, he made the character his own.
Camille Capers (what an appropriate name!) played a seductive Miss Scarlet who commanded the spotlight in all of her scenes, while Madeline Raube was perfectly proper as the boisterous Mrs. Peacock. TJ Lamando had plenty of plot responsibilities of his own as Mr. Green, and he pulled off the turn — and that iconic final line — with razor-sharp panache.
Probably the cast highlight was Zoie Tannous as the maid Yvette, mastering everything from her character’s panicky moments to heaps of sly glances and asides. Together, the actors have to do plenty of creeping, gasping and running around, and especially during the ending “reveal,” they all work as a perfectly choreographed unit.
Director Casey Hushion’s blocking — especially during scenes where things are in “slow motion” or “rewind” — is both funny and functional. The set is flashy and movable, with sumptuous chandeliers and simple but elegant furniture pieces, thanks to set designer Lee Savage. Each of the costumes, from sharp suits to Miss Scarlet’s red gown to Yvette’s French maid ensemble, were perfect for the setting and stood out, designed by Jen Caprio.
Shadowy corners, thunderclaps, lightning bolts and stark spotlights added to the mystery (lighting design by Ryan O’Gara and sound design by Jeff Human). And you’ll recognize the songs included in the film, most notably that foreboding opening score.
Cozy mysteries are trendy right now, and who doesn’t want a fun and funny tale of murder on a frigid holiday weekend? Sure, you could stay home and play the game — or watch the movie — but it’s worth the price of admission to see the whole farce unfold in person.
“Clue” runs through Sunday at the Benedum Center in Downtown Pittsburgh, part of the Pittsburgh Cutural Trust’s PNC Broadway in Pittsburgh series. For tickets and more information, visit trustarts.org.