Clue – Orpheum Theater – Minneapolis MN – February 28th 2024

By Tracy Hansen 11 months ago

Review by Tracy Hansen

“Clue” came to the Orpheum Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota on a week that was all over the place, weatherwise.  The reason I bring this up is because the walk from the car to the theater was very windy and cold.  “Clue” was so much fun that it made me not only forget about that, but also made it completely worth it.  I was really excited about this play upon hearing about it.  I grew up playing “Clue” and found the idea of it in a stage format as such a fun format.  Personally, I love a good whodunit.  I’m a huge fan of Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None”, so this was something I was really looking forward to.

“Clue“, based on the classic murder mystery board game and subsequent film adaptation, brings the beloved characters and plot to life on stage with a blend of comedy and suspense.  The play features iconic characters from the “Clue” franchise, including Miss Scarlett, Colonel Mustard, Mrs. White, Mr. Green, Mrs. Peacock, and Professor Plum, among others. Each character has their own distinct personality traits, quirks, and potential motives for the murder.  It features an absurd style of humor that kept the audience laughing nearly nonstop throughout.
Going into this, I wondered what the audience demographics would be.  That is something I wonder about with nearly every event I go to.  One thing I found very funny was that there were people that had played the game and never seen the movie, and there were people who had seen the movie and never played the game.  Then I came across people who knew nothing about “Clue” at all.  That was crazy to me because I can’t imagine not having played “Clue” growing up.  I have different renditions of the game at home (including an amazing Bob’s Burgers one) and just love the game.
There are several nods to the game in the play, including the following lines:
“Who built this place???”
“Parker Brothers.”
There is a point when a character pulls out what looks like a map and is actually the original board game.  It’s really fun.
Overall, this is a super fun play that is very fast paced and comedic.  The runtime is only eighty minutes, without an intermission.  I’m personally a huge fan of that because I really don’t like long runtimes.  Some plays nowadays can really push it too.  Having a really funny play that just has you engaged the entire time is awesome, regardless of the length.
I would recommend this play to anyone ages thirteen and up.  I feel kids under thirteen may not enjoy the humor as much, so that’s why I went with that age recommendation.  Also, even if you know nothing about “Clue” itself, it’s just a great whodunit.