“This Montreal Canadian ‘Clue’ remains a hoot. Laugh-out-loud moments resound through the Segal Centre’s Sylvan Adams Theatre. The show is something we all need right now, given the realities of the world.”
For some reason, the stage play ‘Clue’ (based on the Hasbro board game and Jonathan Lynn’s screenplay) appears in style at that moment. A recent North American touring production just finished up at Toronto’s Royal Alexandra Theatre. In 2024, the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre in Winnipeg produced a Canadian show, which also had a stop at London, Ontario’s Grand Theatre.
Another Canadian production recently opened at Montréal’s Segal Centre.
I had the chance to see two of the three (not the Grand’s London show).
Why this theatrical fascination with ‘Clue’ now?
Segal Centre Artistic Director (and director of the Montréal show) Lisa Rubin sums it up in her Director’s Programme Note:
“That mix of absurdity, elegance, and chaos simply never gets old…’ Clue’ is pure, intelligent fun.”
This strong cast delivers that pure, intelligent fun in this production.
There’s nothing wrong with that.
But audiences can still learn about what makes good theatre. This Montréal’ Clue’ is good theatre and worth a trip to the Segal Centre. If I had to quibble, it would be that the madcap zaniness of Sandy Rustin, Hunter Foster, and Eric Pierce’s script can become dizzying and tiring at times as everything dashes by.
But that’s a minor quibble regarding the script and not the performances.
The year is 1954. At the remote Boddy mansion, butler Wadsworth (Kyle Gatehouse), maid Yvette (Alexandra Petrachuk) and Cook (Cara Rebecca) prepare for the arrival of six invited dinner guests: Mrs. Peacock (Tamara Brown), Mr. Green (Matthew Gagnon), Professor Plum (Alain Goulem), Colonel Mustard (Marcel Jeannin), Miss Scarlet (Felicia Shulman) and Mrs. White (Nicole Wilson). Mr. Boddy (David Chiazzese) threatens to expose and blackmail his guests to the police. He gives each of them a gift: a pipe, a revolver, a wrench, a rope, a dagger and a candlestick.
Mr. Boddy announces that if the guests can eliminate Wadsworth, then the host will rid the six of their blackmail and be done with it all. Soon, the six suspects discover the lifeless Mr. Boddy, and the action shifts to each of them as the suspects begin to unwrap further deceit and blackmail on each other. More and more bodies keep piling up.
Who ultimately is responsible for this killing spree?
At the Segal Centre production, Brian Dudkiewicz’s splendid and creative set design functions and fills the Sylvan Theatre stage. What drew me in at the opening was the model of the Boddy mansion and the remote-controlled car. That choice beautifully works. It provided a lot of laughter at the top of the show.
Louise Bourret’s costumes remain solid re-creations of these loveable two-dimensional characters from the board game and the film, ranging from Miss Scarlet’s slinky red dress and Mr. Green’s green suit to the blue feathers in Mrs. Peacock’s oddly looking chapeau. Sonoyo Nishikawa’s lighting and Troy Slocum’s sound designs are of prime importance in the successful execution of the play. Their work must be timed precisely for comic effect – and they are. Soundly, I will add.
The characters running from room to room, checking for bodies and weapons, remain solidly staged. What worked for me was seeing some of the characters jump from square to square on Dudkiewicz’s stage floor plan. I was hoping that a few more characters could also join in on the squares.
Director Lisa Rubin’s childhood obsession with the film sparks laughter and surprise in her vision of the play. She gets what ‘Clue’ is all about – it’s sometimes the outlandish that makes comical staging work. Again, in her Director’s Note, she writes that attending a live theatre, hearing chuckles, sharing gasps, and noticing plot twists collectively cannot compare to the experience of online and television streaming. How true! We need to be in communion with others to appreciate hearing and partaking in laughter.
The one individual whom I must acknowledge is Stage Manager Craig Francis. How he, Assistant Stage Manager Annalise Peterson-Perry, Apprentice Stage Manager Raveena Ambani and the backstage team maintain the active pacing and keep it running seamlessly without traffic jams or hiccups remains a marvel. Set pieces glide on and off smoothly with no squeaky wheels. Rooms in the mansion magically appear. A chandelier (à la Phantom of the Opera) shakes.
This Canadian cast takes relish in playing these two-dimensional, scripted characters. The performers are having a great deal of fun. It shows in their on-stage work.
Kyle Gatehouse is dutifully stuffy as butler Wadsworth. Alexandra Petrachuk’s maid, Yvette, is sexy and witty with some of her wise comeback one-liners. Cara Rebecca’s ominous-looking Cook announces dinner with a surprising bang that unnerves not only the cast but the audience around.
Felicia Shulman’s Miss Scarlet perfectly captures a sultry and sexy mixture of Kathleen Turner and Jessica Rabbit. Nicole Wilson is duly brooding as Mrs. White. Alain Goulem’s purple suit as Professor Plum accentuates his oddball character. Marcel Jeannin is a hoot as the thick-headed Colonel Mustard. What a great choice Davide Chiazzese makes to play Mr. Boddy as a suave Italian mafia-looking and sounding Tony Soprano type. Matthew Gagnon’s mousy Mr. Green is a nice juxtaposition to play away from the broadness of the other characters. Hearing Tamara Brown’s Caribbean-sounding Mrs. Peacock adds a touch of class to some of the North American voices.
Sometimes, audiences crave entertainment without having to think about life-altering messages, such as those of Willy Loman. This Montréal Canadian production of ‘Clue’ reflects this, and I think that’s good enough to see the show.
We all need to laugh, given the current realities of the world.
Running time: approximately 90 minutes with no interval/intermission.
CLUE: ON STAGE runs until June 29 in the Sylvan Adams Theatre at the Segal Centre, 5170 chemin de la Côte Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, Québec. For tickets, visit segalcentre.org or call the Box Office at (514) 739-7944.
SEGAL CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS presents
CLUE: ON STAGE
Based on the Paramount Pictures Motion Picture
Based on the Hasbro Board Game ‘Clue’
Original Music by Michael Holland
Directed by Lisa Rubin
Set Designer: Brian Dudkiewicz
Costume Designer: Louise Bouret
Lighting Designer: Sonoy Nishikawa
Sound Designer: Troy Slocum
Fight Director: Robert Montcalm
Stage Manager: Craig Francis
Performers: Tamara Brown, Davide Chiazzese, Matthew Gagnon, Kyle Gatehouse, Alain Goulem, Marcel Jeannin, Alexandra Petrachuk, Care Rebecca, Felicia Shulman, Nicole Wilson
(Credit: Marie-Andreé Lemire Pictured L-R: Tamara Brown, Felicia Shulman, Marcel Jeannin, Nicole Wilson, Kyle Gatehouse, Alain Goulem, Alexandra Petrachuk)
