ClueShubert TheatreMarch 20A colorful group of strangers gathers at a mansion. Before long, a body is discovered. Everyone has a motive, a weapon, an opportunity, and a secret. A journey full of misdirection, mishaps, and mayhem culminates in the culprit being revealed.It’s a tried and tru e setup for a whodunit mystery. Of all the works in this great genre, I consider Clue, the 1985 film based on the board game of the same name, to be one of the best, and by far the campiest, there is.It’s my pleasure to report that the stage adaptation of Clue, a national tour that played at the Shubert Theatre this weekend as part of its Broadway Series, was an experience as fun for the whole family and just as accessible and satisfying for devoted fans of the film as it was for anyone lucky enough to be experiencing the fast-paced murder mystery comedy for the first time.The script, written by Sandy Rustin with additional material by Hunter Foster and Eric Price, retains much of the film’s witty wordplay, clever innuendo, and beloved storytelling quirks, while making smart and strategic abridgements to segments and scenes that would have likely dragged onstage more than they did on screen. Under Casey Hushion’s direction, the play enjoys a steady forward momentum, and a steady stream of laughs, as it charges through a tight 80 minutes of hilarious hijinks.Clue​’s ensemble of performers is one of its greatest strengths. Rather than attempting to emulate the characterizations of the film’s Brady Bunch of suspects, each member of the cast puts their own unique spin on each classic character, creating a new and exciting ensemble dynamic.For example, Christina Anthony brings a sly sensuality to Miss Scarlet and her interactions with the other characters, teasing the boundaries of family-friendly as a character whose job certainly is not. Donna English always finds a way to make Mrs. White the most suspicious person in the room, even while surrounded by the most suspicious people imaginable. By the way, if you’re wondering whether a certain iconic line of Mrs. White’s made it into this adaptation, you’re in for a face-warming treat!The cast’s physical comedy is even bigger and more bombastic onstage than for on-screen counterparts. This is especially true for John Shartzer’s Mr. Green, a flexible diva who gracefully careens into and out of danger, and for Jeff Skowron’s Wadsworth, the mischievous butler whose recap monologue at the end of the play is a thrilling and kinetic victory lap through the slapstick journey the audience has just experienced. In the playbill, the place of action is described as ​“Boddy Manor, a mansion of epic proportions and terrifying secrets.” This couldn’t be more true of Lee Savage’s scenic design, which uses every trick in the book to fit each of Clue​’s iconic locations onstage, while still leaving ample space for the shenanigans that ensue throughout the play. Jen Caprio’s costume design and J. Jared Janas’ hair, wig, and makeup design artfully invoke each character’s colorful namesake while grounding their aesthetics in the 1954 time period. Ryan O’Gara’s lighting design nails the fabled dark and stormy night, and includes some impressive cues well-synchronized with Jeff Human’s sound design, which features a variety of juicy strings and melodramatic underscoring from composer and music supervisor Michael Holland. Knowing just how complex the movement of people, props, and costumes must be behind the constructed walls of Boddy Manor, I must also commend production stage manager Patrick Wetzel and assistant stage manager Maria Bella DiVittorio for a smooth performance. Stylized fight direction by Robert Westley and light but impactful choreography between the ensemble also create delightfully effective moments that are distinctive to the stage play.The mystery of the most fun thing to do in New Haven this weekend was easy to solve; anyone with a clue was at the Shubert Theatre.  ...read more read less