By Ryan D. Paul
You have most likely seen a film based on a book, maybe even read a book inspired by a movie. If you are a regular attendee of live theatre you have possibly seen a play based on a novel, such as To Kill a Mockingbird, The Grapes of Wrath, or War Horse, to name a few. More importantly, if you have attended the Utah Shakespeare Festival within the last decade or so, you have seen on our stages adaptations of novels like Peter and the Starcatcher, Great Expectations, Treasure Island, Pride and Prejudice, and Dracula, among others. But, have you ever seen a play based on a movie based on a board game? Now, my friends, is your chance.
This season the Utah Shakespeare Festival is presenting Clue, a play by Sandy Rustin based on the screenplay by Jonathan Lynn who based his story on the popular and much beloved board game of the same name. The game of Clue, originally titled Murder! by its designers Anthony and Eva Pratt, has been around in one form or another since 1944. When the game was purchased by the British game manufacturer Waddington’s, the name was changed to Cluedo. Once licensed to Parker Brothers in the United States it became known as Clue. Currently, you can play the game digitally or in a variety of themes, from the classic to styles based on popular franchises such as Harry Potter, Dr. Who, The Office, Scooby Doo, Disney Villains, The Golden Girls, and Star Wars (a few of these I own if you want to borrow them.) Now if you have not ever played the game, please stop reading now, find yourself a version, and give it a go.
Now that you have played the game, let’s move on to the film from which our play is based. In 1983, British theatre director and television writer Jonathan Lynn was approached by Hollywood producer Peter Gruber. Gruber invited Lynn to adapt the game Clue into a film script for director John Landis. By the way, this was the first time that a board game had served as the basis for a motion picture. Landis had actually first turned to playwright Tom Stoppard who worked on the script for a full year but could not crack it. Then Landis asked Anthony Perkins of Psycho fame and Stephen Sondheim (yes, that Stephen Sondheim) both of them very excited about the prospect, but the studio thought them too expensive. Lynn accepted the challenge; however, in the six months it took to write the script, Landis moved on to direct another project, but happily offered Lynn the director’s chair. The film premiered in 1985 and has since developed a strong fan following. Now, if you have never seen the movie, stop reading and give it a watch.
Now that you have played the game and watched the film, you are fully prepared. Not to worry, all your favorite characters are there: Miss Scarlet, Mrs. Peacock, Mrs. White, Colonel Mustard, Professor Plum, and Mr. Green. Of course, they will visit the classic board game locations: the library, the study, the dining room, the conservatory, the ballroom, the lounge, the kitchen, and the billiard room. And let’s not forget the toolbox of murderous weapons: a candlestick, wrench, lead pipe, dagger, revolver, and the rope.
While the play provides some comfort to the board game player, it does add some new elements that propel the action forward. Primarily, a few new additions to the “cast” of characters. The play introduces us to, among others, a cook, Yvette the French maid, Mr. Boddy (the host of the evening’s entertainment that mysteriously assembles the guests to his home), and Wadsworth (the British butler, who quickly becomes the central character of the play and drives the story along).
Like the New England setting of the film, our play takes places in an imposing manor house. The year is 1954 during the height of Wisconsin Senator Joe McCarthy’s power and the Red Scare era. McCarthy’s practice of making accusations of disloyalty or treason based on little or circumstantial evidence became known as McCarthyism. This is a critical piece of contextual information as you watch Clue unfold as most of our characters live in Washington, D.C.
Like all good mystery stories, Clue begins on a dark and stormy night. One by one Wadsworth greets the guests as they arrive to Boddy Manor. Each of them has received a letter directing them to arrive at an appointed time and giving each of them an alias. Yes, Scarlet, Peacock, White, Mustard, Plum, and Green are not their real names. We soon discover that all of them have one thing in common: they are being blackmailed by Mr. Boddy, and he has assembled them for a sinister and nefarious purpose. As the evening progresses, murder, mystery, and mayhem ensue.
Directing this comedic murderous farce for the Utah Shakespeare Festival is Tony-nominated actor and director Hunter Foster. Foster has performed in productions such as Grease, Urinetown, Little Shop of Horrors, The Producers, The Bridges of Madison County, and one of my all-time favorites, Million Dollar Quartet. Foster has directed productions of Rent, 42nd Street, Guys and Dolls, Company, The Buddy Holly Story, Give ’Em Hell Harry, and Ain’t Misbehavin’ among many, many others. This will be his third time directing Clue. Currently, he serves as the artistic director for the Redhouse Arts Center in Syracuse, New York.
As you can imagine, this production of Clue is a perfect combination of technical creativity, comedic timing, and a strong visual presence. What you may not have thought much about is sound. When you see this play, please listen to it as well, not just to the dialogue, but to the many music cues that underline what you are seeing on the stage. Clue really is an experience for your eyes and your ears.
Now that we have rolled the dice, explored the mansion, and evaluated the evidence together, I am ready to make my guess. Here it is: The cast of Clue, in the Randall L. Jones Theatre, with the Funny Bone. Now, please pick up the little manila envelope and let me know if I am right.
