Taking on Cluedo in a studio space is an ambitious undertaking. With its frantic action, mounting body count and seemingly endless rooms, it’s a play that demands slick movement both on and off stage.
Under Ria Green’s direction, Centenary Theatre Company rises enthusiastically to the challenge, delivering an evening packed with physical comedy, familiar characters and plenty of hilarity.
Most people will be familiar with the premise – six strangers gather in a grand manor to meet the mysterious Mr Boddy and attend what quickly becomes a deadly dinner party.
Sandy Rustin’s adaptation of the 1985 screenplay by Johnathan Lynn relocates the action to England, with our decidedly dodgy collection of suspects drawn from Westminster rather than Washington.
Wisely, the cast resist simply imitating their famous film counterparts, instead finding their own versions of these larger-than-life character – although a strategically placed picture of Tim Curry is a lovely nod to the much-loved movie.
The show boasts a strong ensemble, with Harry Twining particularly memorable as the increasingly highly-strung Reverend Green. Simon Pickup has great fun with the wonderfully slow-on-the-uptake Colonel Mustard, while Lisa-Ann Connor brings plenty of vixenish energy to Miss Scarlett. Sara Worton relishes Mrs White’s barbed dialogue, Jay Hyde offers a particularly lascivious Professor Plum, and Helen McLoughlin is suitably haughty and uptight as Mrs Peacock.
Phil Dean is another standout as Wadsworth, becoming increasingly manic as the corpses begin to accumulate. His spectacular re-enactment of the night’s increasingly complicated events comes close to bringing the house down.
Rounding out the cast we have Lindsey Cebelieu as a suitably coquettish Yvette, with Jo Preston (Cook), Matt Hillier (Motorist), Chris Camm (Inspector), Chris Capper (Bobby) and Lily Loftus as the iconic singing telegram all making their mark at exactly the right moments.
Mike Hall’s clever set design also deserves praise. A myriad of rotating pillars transports us through the manor’s various rooms, with the crew working hard to keep the action moving. A screen showing the characters’ progress around a Cluedo board is another clever touch, while the familiar movie score adds to the atmosphere.
There are moments when the pace could be tightened. Some heavily pregnant pauses allow dialogue to drag, and there are some unwieldy moments with the set which occasionally rob very funny lines or key moments of their punch. A few wobbly doors and props add some unintended chaos of their own.
But when Cluedo really gets into its stride, the important moments land beautifully. The physical comedy is excellent, the cast throw themselves wholeheartedly into the escalating absurdity, and the belly laughs ultimately keep pace with the body count. Centenary have taken an ambitious theatrical puzzle and, for the most part, pieced it together with considerable comic flair.
Cluedo runs at The Brindley studio till Saturday 19th September – for tickets visit https://www.quaytickets.com/thebrindley/en-GB/shows/cluedo/events/2
Reviewer: Lou Steggals
Reviewed: 15th September 2026
North West End UK Rating: