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Victorian players Cast rises above mediocre script in ‘Clue the Musical’
By Eric McCrea
Youngstown
If you love board games but find they lack the excitement of showtunes, then “Clue the Musical” is the show you’ve been missing. The Victorian Players opened the show Friday to a packed house, taking on their second musical in 142 productions.
Based on the classic sleuthing game of the same name, the show begins in very similar fashion. Mr. Boddy, played by Kaleb McFarland, opens the show with an explanation of the rules, and the sequestering of the cards that will determine the who, where and with what of the upcoming murder. As the first act continues, the backstories of the prismatic guests are exposed and clues are revealed.
At the end of Act I, to no one’s surprise, Mr. Boddy is killed, by someone, somewhere, with something. Don’t worry, he sticks around to walk you through the rest of the show, and a by-the-book detective (Selena Phillips) arrives to squeeze more information out of the suspects. After all the evidence is discovered, the detective unmasks the guilty party, in triplicate.
The script has some major issues, and has been widely panned, but the cast made the best of it. McFarland does an admirable job leading the show. His boisterous persona was reminiscent of a stern Gomez Addams and proved to be a fascinating template for the millionaire with a questionable past.
Vic alum Stephen Kountz was remarkable as Mr. Green. His character was well-developed, and he had a buddy-like quality with McFarland that should definitely be repeated.
In the role of Mrs. White, Tracie Knight Valentine was hilarious. She was a standout from the start and never lost spotlight. Her accent was solid, and she made songs such as her solo “Life is a Bowl of Pits” work for her character.
Phillips was reliably stellar as the quirky but determined detective. Her dance skills were put to the test in “Seduction Deduction” with Bob Gerdes’ Professor Plum.
Also worthy of note were Linda McGrath as Mrs. Peacock, Adrienne Mackey as Miss Scarlet and John Amer as Colonel Mustard.
The songs and dialogue were pretty sappy, but the cast seemed to know it, and had fun with it anyway. They took a light-hearted, swing-for-the-fences approach to a mediocre show, and it worked out. Some of the group numbers weren’t very crisp, but they weren’t as bad as ... murder.
The main attraction, the fact that the ending is decided by the cards drawn at the beginning, fails to be as mind blowing as one might suspect. The theater keeps things interactive, bringing volunteers on stage and allowing the audience to play along.
The set, designed by Marlene Strollo, was creative and whimsical, making efficient use of the space; a recurring development this season.
“Clue the Musical” runs at 2 p.m. today and next Sunday and at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday at The Victorian Players Theater, 702 Mahoning Ave. For reservations, call 330-746-5455.