You just know when you put this group of characters together it’s going to be murder. Then you need to figure out if it was Miss Scarlett, with the revolver in the dining room, or Professor Plum, with the lead pipe in the library…?
Sound familiar? Well it should, because there’s a fair chance you and the family were gathered around the dining table playing the game at Christmas.
Based on the hit 1985 film Clue (the American name for the game) and the classic board game loved by generations, CLUEDO is an exciting, brand-new comedy thriller.
When Miss Scarlett, Professor Plum, Mrs Peacock, Reverend Green, Mrs. White and Colonel Mustard arrive at a country house one dark and stormy evening, they are surprised to find they have all received the same intriguing invitation from Lord Boddy.
It soon becomes clear that they all have something to hide as the mystery and hysteria grows and the inhabitants and guests of Boddy Manor are killed off one by one, with a variety of familiar weapons, leaving everyone to wonder, who will be next!
Starring MICHELLE COLLINS as Miss Scarlett, the play is directed by Mark Bell, who is also behind the award winning The Play That Goes Wrong and A Comedy About A Bank Robbery.
Michelle has graced our screens for more than a few years now, in some of our most watched shows. There’s EastEnders, Coronation Street and 2000 Acres of Sky, and the list goes on. In fact she was ranked 29 in The 100 Greatest EastEnders Characters of All Time for her performance as Cindy Beale.
Now we have spent a little time with Michelle many years ago when she was in Panto over the bridge. She is not only fantastic on stage but such a lovely, charming person. I know, you’d expect us to say that, but she really is.
Michelle, who looks every bit Miss Scarlett in these new publicity photos, told us…….
“I’m thrilled to be joining the cast of Cluedo.
“It’s such an iconic game and I remember how much I loved playing it with my cousins when we were younger.
I’m delighted that it’s being brought to the stage – and having really enjoyed reading the script, I’m sure audiences across the UK will love it.”
Producer Josh Andrews added……….
“We wanted an iconic actress to play such an iconic character and we could not be happier to have Michelle starring as Miss Scarlett in Cluedo. Both the game and Clue the movie, are much loved by all ages, so it’s a privilege to bring this new play of Cluedo to the UK stage and it could not be in more suitable hands than our director, Mark Bell. He certainly knows how to deliver a night full of great fun and entertainment!”
Playing alongside Michelle is DANIEL CASEY who is probably best known for playing Sgt Troy in Midsomer Murders and more recently Tom Bailey in Eastenders.
He’s no stranger to a stage either having played Laurence in Mike Leigh’s Abigail’s Party and also Roger Shears in the Olivier Award winning The Curious Incident of the Dog In The Night-time for The National Theatre.
Other Television includes: Coronation Street, Emmerdale, Marchlands, Casualty, Silent Witness, Our Friends In The North, Inspector George Gently, Doctors, The Bill, The Royal, The Marchioness Disaster, A Touch of Frost, Murder in Suburbia and The Grand.
The show Director MARK BELL has a bit of history with stage comedy and errors, having previously directed the hilarious The Play That Goes Wrong.
He said recently……
The trick to being funny, is to not try to be funny. However ludicrous things get, play it straight.”
Take Cluedo. For the audience, this is funny, but for the people this is happening to, it’s a tragedy. They have to be real people. The danger with any show that has things going off the rails at an increasing speed is that it’s very easy to veer into parody or cartoon.
It’s hard on stage to find the balance between absolute nonsense and utter truthfulness.”
Cluedo the game is a murder mystery that was devised in 1943 by British board game designer Anthony E. Pratt. The game was first manufactured by Waddingtons in the United Kingdom in 1949. Since then, it has been relaunched and updated several times, and it is currently owned and published by the American game and toy company Hasbro.
The object of the game is to determine who carried out the murder, where the crime took place, and which weapon was used. The object of the play however, is to go along to the New Theatre, and be thoroughly entertained for the couple of hours the show runs.
Just like the game, the show promises a nostalgic, fun and thrilling evening of entertainment which will keep you guessing right up to the finale as both the guests and audience try to work out whodunnit…. with what… and where!
CLUEDO gets to the New Theatre in Cardiff this week, from Monday 4th to Saturday 9th April. Performances are at 7:30pm with 2:30pm matinees on Thursday and Saturday. Tickets details are below, and you can get you HERE.
Tickets:
Monday – Thursday 7.30pm £20.00 – £37.00
Friday – Saturday 7.30pm & Saturday 2.30pm £24.00 – £41.00
Thursday 2.30pm £16.00 – £31.00
Boxes (maximum of 6 people) From £116 – £181.00
Standard Reductions: £3.50 off Monday – Thursday 7.30pm
Over 60s: £24.00 each Thursday at 2.30pm
Friends of the Theatre: £4.00 off Monday – Wednesday 7.30pm
