Review: Cluedo at Her Majesty’s Theatre

“A fast, furious, and fabulously funny whodunnit—this Cluedo is to die for.”

This new Australian production of Cluedo, adapted from the cult 1985 film Clue (itself based on the iconic board game), leans hard into the film’s chaotic spirit; doors slam, secrets spill, and alibis unravel faster than a poorly tied cravat. Like the movie, it delights in absurdity, revelling in multiple twists, rapid-fire dialogue, and the kind of farce that would make even Tim Curry raise an approving eyebrow.

Under the whip-smart direction of Luke Joslin, and adapted by Sandy Rustin (with additional material by Hunter Foster and Eric Price from Jonathan Lynn’s screenplay), the production barrels along with precision-timed chaos. James Browne’s set and costume design deserves its own round of applause, an ingenious, sliding, many-doored manor that feels like a life-sized board game brought thrillingly to life.

This is matched by Sean Peter’s crisp, cinematic sound design, which punctuates every gag and gunshot with razor-sharp clarity, and Jasmine Rizk’s lighting, which heightens the tension and guides the eye through the show’s increasingly frantic twists and turns.

Plot-wise, the show sticks to the familiar formula; six guests, one stormy night, a mysterious host, and a body count that rises faster than suspicion. But solving the mystery is almost beside the point, the real joy lies in the journey, not the destination.

Or, to put it in Cluedo terms, it’s less about who did it, and more about how ridiculously they got there.

The production embraces its farcical DNA, amassing jokes like clues and never letting the pace drop. Doors slam, characters double back, and revelations pile up until the whole thing resembles a theatrical game of ‘guess who’, except everyone is guilty of stealing the scene.

The ensemble is stacked with comic heavyweights, each playing their role like they’ve been dealt the perfect hand.

Olivia Deeble’s Miss Scarlett is sharp, stylish, and always one step ahead, Genevieve Lemon’s Mrs Peacock leans gloriously into heightened eccentricity, and Rachael Beck’s Mrs White delivers bone-dry one-liners with surgical precision. David James brings a playful edge to Professor Plum, while Adam Murphy’s Colonel Mustard balances bluster with impeccable comic timing.

Joshua Monaghan’s Mr Boddy sets the mystery in motion with fitting presence, Octavia Barron-Martin’s Cook makes a memorable impression, and Lib Campbell’s Yvette leans into the show’s physical theatre style with confidence and flair. Rounding out the chaos, Nate Jobe’s unexpected policeman (and beyond) adds another layer of comic surprise just when it’s needed most.

Let’s not beat around the conservatory bush, Grant Piro’s Wadsworth is the production’s secret weapon (or perhaps its candlestick in the library). He is, quite simply, the engine room of the chaos; gloriously uptight, deliciously precise, and delivering physical comedy so sharp it could be classified as a lethal instrument.

His rapid-fire recap sequence, essentially a theatrical speed-run of the entire plot is a masterclass in timing, leaving the audience breathless and exhausted!

Meanwhile, Laurence Boxhall’s Reverend Green is a comedic slow-burn delight. Frequently the butt (or should that be butler?) of the joke, Boxhall leans into Green’s nervous, morally questionable persona with impeccable control. His interactions, particularly with the more domineering suspects, are a study in escalating panic, earning laughs through restraint as much as reaction.

This Cluedo doesn’t just play the game, it flips the board, pockets the pieces, and invites you along for the ride. With a cast this sharp and a production this slick, it’s a case where the verdict is unanimous, guilty of being outrageously entertaining.

And if you’re wondering whether it was worth it, well, let’s just say the answer is clear.

No ifs. No buts. No Wadsworths about it.

5 stars (or was that 6? 2 + 2 + 1 + 1?)

Lia Loves.