Clue, presented by the Playhouse Players at Doncaster Playhouse, was a night of mystery (the farcical kind), and intrigue (the deadly kind).
The play is a stage adaptation of the 1985 movie of the same name based on the board game Cluedo. Set in 1954 at a remote New England (American accents required) mansion, six oddball and cliched characters are invited to a soiree, and from arrival, mayhem and murder ensues.
Those familiar with the board game would know the action takes place in multiple rooms – an enormous challenge for a stage show, and director Catherine Nickson has managed to do a pretty good job of depicting the many rooms in a relatively small space with the use of a free-standing door frame.
When guests arrive, they are greeted by Wadsworth, the butler (Mason Frost) and as one might expect, the butler does most of the work. Wadsworth is the centre piece that ties everything together, it’s a pivotal role and Frost does a great job. His accent (English), energy – he needs lots – and authenticity, or should that be his duplicity, is impressive.
The menagerie of characters includes the black-widow-esque ironically named Mrs White, played menacingly by Claire Baldwin, the dubious Professor Plum from a convincing Josh Hayes, and the bumbling nervous disaster Mr Green, who David Cowell nailed with some excellent comic timing.
Well done also to Danny Gibbins for her portrayal of the privileged Mrs Peacock, Katie Coy on her sultry Miss Scarlet, Janine Howe as cook – she got plenty of laughs – and Justine Garnes as the French maid. There were also some excellent smaller roles, most notable, Sorab Kaikobad as Mr Boddy.
This was not an overly polished or finessed production, some accents faltered and there were some pace issues, but nevertheless a good night’s entertainment.

• Review by Beth Klein