What does scrumptious shark fin soup have to do with murder and blackmail? No clue? “Clue!”
It’s not everyday that extraordinary acting and innovative design combine to dish up an unforgettable masterpiece like Northwood’s 2024 fall play production of “Clue,” which ran from Oct. 29 to Nov. 2 in the Northwood theater. From carefully crafted costumes to an intricate two-story backdrop, every piece of the comedic murder mystery created a thrilling, laughter-filled experience.
The play, adapted by Sandy Rustin from Jonathan Lynn’s 1985 film “Clue” and the Hasbro board game, follows six blackmail victims in 1950s New England. After receiving mysterious letters, they gather at the ominous Boddy mansion for a dinner party, each assuming a color-coded alias.
The consequences grow deadly after the guests receive personal weapons from their host and blackmailer, Mr. Boddy (junior Meiwen Zajtmann). When the lights go out, Mr. Boddy is found dead, sparking a frantic search—led by the butler Wadsworth (sophomore Matthew Chan)—to identify the killer before the police arrive. As the stakes (and dead bodies) pile up, both characters and audience are continually left guessing as to who is the culprit and who might disappear next.
Despite the dark subject matter, “Clue” is full of amusing suspense. From Professor Plum (senior Theor Kamfar)’s iconic “I’m a doctor” to Wadsworth’s lively “1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8” repetitions while bouncing up the stairs, actors left the audience chuckling in every scene.
With a large set of main characters, the play had potential to become hard to follow. Although the accents and dialogue quickened the play’s pace, the actors’ expressive motions and passionate dialogue distinguished each guest from the others. Unique quirks, like Miss Scarlett (senior Charlie Parris)’s flirtatious gestures or Colonel Mustard (junior Kamron Jamali)’s clueless jokes, complemented Wadsworth and Mr. Boddy’s mysterious aura.
Chan’s masterful portrayal of Wadsworth’s cryptic and clever personality made him the standout star of the show. Whether donning a range of accents or hopping around the stage in a passionate monologue recounting the play’s events, he brought Wadsworth to life as a character who captivated the audience with both his cunning and wit.
Smaller outstanding roles included Cook (senior Ginee Hong) and the French maid Yvette (senior Olivia Outwater), who both left memorable impressions with the unique ways they chose to portray their characters. Hong’s knife-yielding intensity while bumbling down the stairs and Outwater’s squeamish, eager dialogue added dimension to the stage.
Beneath all the action, the secret ingredient to the play’s success was the suspenseful atmosphere crafted by the play’s crew. With over 50 members across various departments such as carpentry and lighting, each played an essential role in perfecting the foreboding Boddy manor.
“The time period was very important,” costumes co-lead junior Kaylee Fernandez said. “One of the directors literally told us, ‘That tie wouldn’t go because it’s too thick. That’s more 1970s.’”
Not only did realistic costumes, such as Miss Scarlett’s sequined scarlet red and velveted black dress (read more about the production’s costume crew here), enhance the play’s convincing setting, but the production’s set design proved to be one of the most outstanding features of the play.
Built entirely from scratch, the elaborate wooden stage set recreated the interior of the Boddy mansion. It included a second-story platform, a striking giant purple window wall made completely by hand and a hinged painting that could swing open in two parts or all at once.
“For Clue, we had a very short amount of time unfortunately, so our turnaround was about a month and a half,” technical director senior Mary Indes said. “The most challenging part was working with limited resources and figuring out how to make a two story house. We basically built almost a whole new stage and put it eight feet tall in the air with more wood and then stairs.”
Combined with a complex range of sound effects and lighting maneuvers, including a musical soundtrack by Michael Holland, the “Clue” production hit audiences on multiple levels. From comedic rewinding time warps to a chandelier falling in slow motion, each technical choice furthered the effect of each scene.
While some of the darker themes make the play more suitable for mature audiences, Northwood’s “Clue” works as a production for everyone, harkening back to the fun of the old board game while toying with new depths of suspense and dramatic mystery.
Watch out for more information this winter on Northwood’s next theater production, the musical “Cinderella,” which will run from Feb. 11-15.
