Cluedo 2 – The Next Chapter
Monday 24th – Saturday 28th September 2024 – Connaught Theatre, Worthing
Cluedo 2 – The Next Chapter takes inspiration from the board game that turns 75 years old this year with a whodunnit premise and plenty of slapstick comedy, bringing silly unapologetic fun to the Worthing stage.
This play takes audiences back to the swinging ’60s in this playful, murder-mystery romp. Rock ‘n’ roll icon Rick Black (Liam Horrigan) is broke and struggling to reignite his career, he’s ready to do whatever it takes to reclaim his former glory. Set in the opulent Graveny Manor, Rick hosts a party to celebrate his much-anticipated comeback album.
Joining him are his glamorous supermodel wife Emerald Peacock (Hannah Boyce), his grizzled manager Colonel Mustard (Jason Durr), his trusty roadie Professor Plum (Edward Howells), his interior designer Annabel Scarlett (Coronation Street and Strictly Come Dancing star Ellie Leach), actor (or is he the butler?) Wadsworth (Jack Bennett) and housekeeper Mrs White (Dawn Buckland) who seems to know more than she’s letting on.
Rick’s old songwriting partner, Reverend Green (Gabriel Paul), mysteriously turns up after vanishing when Rick’s career hit the skids. As tension builds and the killer strikes, the house guests quickly find themselves embroiled in a deadly game of cat and mouse.
The first act is a little slow and low on suspense as each character is introduced, and some of the comedy doesn’t quite land. It seems unfair to complain about a lack of character development from boardgame pieces but it remains an issue, despite a very strong cast who are clearly giving it their all.
The second act ramps up the fun as the bodies and the jokes rack up. The ending is all-out chaos. It’s fast-paced, unpredictable, uninhibited fun and the play is all the better for it.
Stand-out performances include Dawn Buckland as Mrs White with impeccable comic timing, the most believable of the characters. Special mention to Liam Horrigan who plays Rick Black and multiple other roles. His performance of Mr Grey included some seriously funny physical comedy that got one of the biggest laughs of the night.
The characters dash from room to room in a frantic attempt to solve the mystery and survive the night, hailing back to the classic board game. Set changes are one of the show’s highlights, clever and entertaining with the cast moving the furniture and scenery to 60s music, almost like a dance.
Director of the first Cluedo stage production, Mark Bell (The Play That Goes Wrong) is at the helm again with the script penned by Maurice Gran and Laurence Mark (Goodnight Sweetheart, Birds of a Feather).
This murder mystery spoof is good fun. While the script could use refinement to fully make the most of its talented cast, the second act almost makes up for the sins of its first.
3 stars
Cast & set photo credit: Alastair Muir
Other photo credit: The Brighton Bucket List
The Brighton Bucket List 