‘Clue’ At CCTC/HJT: More Than A Board Game

To some, the best thing about a board game is that it is a collective experience. A group of friends get together and go on an adventure, discover a mystery, or, at the very least, have a good laugh. 

To the co-directors of “Clue,” Jenn Pina and Brian Lore Evans, that’s a feeling at the heart of their latest production. 

 “Clue,” which opens Oct. 16 at the Cape Cod Theatre Company/Harwich Junior Theatre in West Harwich, is based on the story from the 1985 film by Johnathan Lynn and the popular Hasbro board game.

Pina and Evans were quick to point out, however, that this is something uniquely different than a basic retelling of the film.

 “The script is the story of the movie, but what the theater gives us is a unique opportunity to inject some of the playfulness in the community back into the work,” said Evans. “Our production really tries to celebrate that rather than just giving you a straight performance of the film. It’s not a performance of the film in the theater; it’s a totally new thing. We’ve taken our own interpretation of it, and it’s one that I’m very excited about.”

That was echoed by Pina.

 “There’s something about this version of “Clue” that feels like the experience of both watching the movie and sitting around playing the game with friends rather than doing a stage version of the movie,” said Pina. “It really is about the actor and the audience and the story. They are the bare bones of theater that really make it pop.”

For those unfamiliar with the film or the boardgame, the central premise of “Clue” is rather classic. Six strangers have been invited to a dinner party at a creepy mansion and have been greeted by a mysterious, and quite creepy, butler. As the dinner progresses it is revealed that one of them has committed murder, and the action for the remainder of the story is trying to get to the heart of the case.

The innate sense of danger from such a plot point is something the production has deeply considered, Evans said.

 “One of the main tropes that we are sort of working with is the possible danger that lurks behind every door in this labyrinth and sprawling mansion,” said Evans. “I think we really bring that feeling of expansiveness to the stage through the use of multiple doors that open and close and turn like this. They’re everything but doors.”

Doors are a crucial element to the scene design, according to Evans and Pina. They explained that the doors — between the way they’re designed and the way they’re utilized — help create the tension and humor on the stage. Pina recounted that Evans had an idea earlier on that “maybe it’s all about the doors,” and she built on the concept through her knowledge of the history of clowning, and as the cast spent time with the idea, it became really clear that they created something very unique.

 “The cast has been so willing to play and experiment in how to use those doors. It really feels, like in some board games, we made this mansion, this body manor, together,” said Evans. “We built it from the ground up and that’s been a really cool experience — exploring with the cast how we make a body manor.”

Pina jokingly added, “You can also call it ‘Clue, a Comedy About Doors.’”

Both Pina and Evans noted that the collaborative nature between themselves and the cast has made working on the production a positive experience. Nothing was “precious” and no one had any ego. The culture of the stage, according to its co-directors, was all about getting the laugh.

 “It’s how do we make it funny?” said Evans. “How do we find the humor in this? It’s sort of like the difference between a one-second pause and a two-second pause before a head turn or whatever. The difference in comedy can be that precise.”

The cast is made up of Tamara Harper as Mrs. Peacock, Rachel Walman as Mrs. White, Xevi Pina Parker, Rain Cristakis and Stevie Carter as Wadsworth, Halley Steinmetz as Mr. Green, Sam Sewell as Professor Plum, Nick Romano as Colonel Mustard, Amelia Burbine as Miss Scarlett, and Sage Barnes as Yvette, with Keith Chamberlain as the voice of the television announcer. Bob Wilder will also be on stage playing live underscoring for the performance. Both Evans and Pina were emphatic in their praise for the work of everyone involved. 

 “In a show where each character is iconic and each actor is doing a stellar job of bringing their version of an iconic character to life, it’s an ensemble show in a way that people may not expect,” said Pina. “They’ve become this pretty tight ensemble, which is pretty fun.”

In reflecting on the production, Evans had a final thought.

 “I’m excited for people to see our play,” said Evans. “Everyone is going to come into this show thinking that they know, but they don’t. And that’s a good feeling.”