By Donna McMillan

IT was hilarious! It was boisterous! It was suspenseful! Above all, it was thrilling to see the launch once again of the Lighthouse Festival’s community play after a three-year Covid absence. A stellar cast of local actors energized the theatre as they sang, danced, connived and bantered their way through “Clue The Musical” – bringing the sleuthing Parker Brothers board game to life.

Directed by Derek Ritschel, Lighthouse Festival’s Artistic Director, the play is a classic “who done it” mystery with a possible 216 answers of who did what with what and where to keep the audience guessing. The cast of eight, with six suspects who skulk from room to room to complicate the crime scene diorama, are iconic Clue characters and include Mr. Boddy, played by J.P. Antonacci; Mrs. Peacock by Julie MacLeod; Professor Plum by Charly Buck; Miss Scarlett by Carmen Davis; Colonel Mustard by Brian Reichheld; Mrs. White by Robyn Cunningham Edl ; Mr. Green by Adam Liefl; and The Detective by Jason Mayo. Literally, each actor “killed” their part.

Mr. Boddy is the host of the event and planner of mayhem. “It’s his house. It’s his game. He is going to be killed and he delights in being murdered,” Mr. Antonacci told the Maple Leaf in an earlier interview. Mr. Boddy, with sinister intonations, narrates, confuses and provides riddled clues to help the collective audience solve his heinous murder. Each suspect finds him to be an odious character for varied reasons. They all have axes to grind. Mr. Antonacci was superb in this role.

Each of the suspects represent colours in the board game. Mrs. Peacock, elegant in blue, has lost four husbands under mysterious circumstances and now husband number five, Mr. Boddy, is dead. Miss Scarlett, flashy in red, dates wealthy bachelors. Was Mr. Boddy on that list? Both Julie MacLeod and Carmen Davis were flamboyantly wicked in their respective roles. Smooth talking Mr. Green and Colonel Mustard, smitten by Mrs. Peacock, were well performed by Adam Liefl and Brian Reichheld.

Overworked and underpaid, Mrs. White, played by Robyn Cunningham Edl, was hysterical as she aired her complaints with a heavy Cockney accent. Professor Plum certainly offered a “degree” of suspicion; so ably played by Charly Buck.

“So, I’m dead” at the start of Act 2 confirms the demise of Mr. Boddy and brings the hilarious “hard-nosed detective” played by Jason Mayo, in drag, onto the stage. The added comic relief had the audience roaring. “Rub a dub dub; six suspects in a tub,” was his puzzle to solve. The detective scurried from room to room with the big question on stage: wrench, candlestick, pipe, knife, revolver, rope… and by whom.

The play gave the audience a fun night of dance, song and superb acting. It’s a “must see.”

Heather Reicheld is Stage Manager and Meredith Woods is Musical Director. Hailey Parker is Technical Director with Kiri-Lyn Muir choreographer. Sally Bellamy and Jan Rainey are responsible for costumes and props. Colin Mahon built the stunning set.

Clue runs until April 21 and, again, it’s a must see. For tickets, visit the Box Office in Port Dover or lighthousetheatre.com or call 519-583-2221.

Originally Published April 12, 2023