Who did it, where, and with what? Was it Mr. Green in the conservatory with the dagger? Or Mrs. Peacock with in the library the revolver? Did the butler do it?
Prince Edward Community Theatre’s latest, Clue, features an ensemble cast in a stage-farce version of a beloved murder-mystery game.
What’s not love?! If you know your Agatha Christie, you know the scenario. Six guests, a remote mansion, a dinner party. The host dies and everyone is a suspect. Or a victim.
The ensemble includes PECT regulars and some new, younger faces, including Jaye Snyder in a directorial debut. No stranger to the Mount Tabor stage, Mx. Snyder has taken charge of an ambitious set: there are doors to slam, trap doors to open, stunt props to operate — and fourteen scenes to change. There are nearly as many crew behind the scenes as there are characters.
“There are doors you see and doors you don’t see. There is non-stop movement. This play is fun because it’s based on the board game, which, of course, has between eight and twelve rooms, right? So we have to bring eight to twelve rooms to one stage.
“There are people coming in and out every which way! And did I mention the dead bodies?”
The director says the film Clue was not the main influence for their vision of the play. It was the genuine article: the board game. “This was one of my favorite board games. I brought an actual notebook and took notes on people’s eyebrow movements in the game. This was successful for me. Yes, I was that kid.”
About directing for the first time, “I was very nervous as soon as other people started getting involved. But as soon as we went through auditions and I cast everybody I was thinking, ‘oh, I like this cast, they have such a good sound.’ Everybody just wants to bring everything to this play.”
The ensemble work is a perfect fit for the theatre troupe. President Deb Smith is excited about the younger set: “it’s a great new energy for us. The show has a several younger members who are trying much more challenging roles.”
“Clue: Onstage” runs Saturday October 26 through November 3.
By Chris Fanning