Cluedo 2 The Next Chapter at Milton Keynes Theatre Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Janine Rumble
Last night I attended the opening night of Cluedo 2 at Milton Keynes Theatre to do a review. Cluedo 2, written by Maurice Gran and Laurence Marks (writers of hit TV shows, Birds of a Feather, The New Statesman and my personal favourite, Goodnight Sweetheart), directed by Mark Bell and based on the infamous Hasbro board game Cluedo and the Paramount Pictures motion picture.
Over the years, I have played Cluedo quite a lot and love a good ‘Whodunnit’ so was very intrigued as to what this play would be like. In five words – truly bizarre, but so funny! The play takes place in a large house owned by a famous rockstar Rick Black and wife Mrs Peacock and follows the exploits of this once great star, whose star is now waning and the other members of the household (fans of the board game will immediately know the names of the other characters) and various visitors to the house in what becomes one mad night of murder set in each of the rooms of the board game and committed using the famous implements from the board game too.
It is a very cleverly written play in how all of the characters, murders, rooms, and implements are interlinked, but halfway through the show I was lost with who had committed which murder, although the rooms and the implements and the ingenious ways they were murdered was easy to follow.
All of the characters from the board game are there, Colonel Mustard is a Texan with a cowboy hat and cowboy boots and a loud, brash American drawl, played brilliantly by Jason Durr of Heartbeat fame. Colonel Mustard is the father and manager of rockstar Rick Black, played in this performance by Henry Lawes who was amazing as the rockstar who thought his star was on the rise again, whilst surrounded by hangers on who didn’t, but who were out for themselves and his money. Henry Lawes gave me Russell Brand vibes during his portrayal of Rick Black, and I loved it, strong London accent and Russell Brand-esque hair and costume.
Then came Rick’s posh (not really) philandering wife, Mrs Peacock (who kept her first husband’s name) played by Hannah Boyce, the twist in her story is very clever and what an accent! Jack Bennett played Wadsworth, an actor come to the house to film an ad the next day…he’s not a butler you know (if you watch the play, you will get this joke). Although he was very funny and his character added much to the humour of the play, it was a strange way of linking him into the play.
Edward Howells played Professor Plum, the supposed friend of Rick Black and long time lover of Mrs Peacock. Reverend Green, played by Gabriel Paul, is the long-time musical collaborator of Rick, back from the Vietnam War with revenge on his mind.
Miss Scarlett is an interior designer hired by Rick to renovate his massive mansion and she is played by recent Strictly Come Dancing Winner, Ellie Leach in her stage debut and what a debut! But my favourite character was Mrs White, the cook, played by Dawn Buckland, her comedic time was epic, especially in the kitchen scene, my favourite scene of the whole show. It was so funny and the comedic timing and use of cleverly chosen props had me and the audience laughing out loud.
Another funny part was when they tried to persuade the police that one of the characters was still alive. If you have ever seen Weekend at Bernie’s, you will know what I mean – hilarious!
Throughout the show, I was trying to figure out ‘whodunnit’, but it soon descended into chaos and it became too difficult to follow, so I just enjoyed it for the play it is, a raucous, laugh out loud comedy about murders, rooms and implements.
The stage is very simple as are the props, my favourite being the large bear in the corner of a room. Simple room props, such as tables, chairs, windows that hung from the ceiling and moving doors were all used to great effect to portray each of the famous rooms from Cluedo. And the way that they showed the characters moving from one room to the next was ingenious, using pictures and picture frame to great effect.
All in all, the play is very clever in its portrayal of a night of Cluedo, with great back stories that bring each of the famous Cluedo characters to life.
If you like a good game of Cluedo, a good ‘whodunnit’ and laugh at silly jokes, then I highly recommend you go to watch this play. I give it a 4 out of 5 stars.
Tickets are available for the shows at Milton Keynes from https://www.miltonkeynes-theatre.co.uk/theatres/milton-keynes-theatre/cluedo-2-the-next-chapter.php and tickets are from £13.00.
Rating: 4/5