Advertisement 1

Cappies reviews: Holy Trinity High School's performance of Clue: On Stage

Article content

By Alice Eckert

Strathcona High School

A crash of thunder. The jarring bark of a dog. A flash of light illuminates an ominous face from within the darkness, transporting the audience into the surreal world of Holy Trinity High School’s Clue: On Stage. Effortlessly tying together the seemingly antithetic styles of slapstick comedy and whodunit murder mystery, the cast and crew created an altogether engaging show, never failing to draw copious laughter from the audience.

Advertisement 2
Story continues below
Article content
Article content

Based on the family board game of the same name, Clue: On Stage is the stage adaptation of the 1985 movie. Written by Jonathan Lynn, the film was not an immediate success, with the unconventional humour first regarded as simply unwitty. However, over the past 30 years, the film has grown to be loved and is now considered a cult classic. The curtain opens on Boddy Manor, where a mysterious dinner party is being held. With the host unbeknownst to them, six supposed strangers are brought together, each with an incriminating secret of their own. As the night unfolds, a series of murders occur as the six come to realize that they may have more in common than was first thought.

Standing out in the role of Wadsworth was the talented Thomas Zahary Loreman. His alliterative sing-song narration established an air of poise all while driving the madcap plot. Not only was Zahary Loreman able to perfectly portray the enigmatic butler, but his over-the-top physicality allowed him to comically imitate each of the other characters.

Acting as the classic board game figures, the six suspects were a company of caricature personalities, each embodying the farcical style of the show. As the first of the six to walk on the stage, Mrs. White (Ashley Baldo) drew laughter with each sarcastic quip about her late husbands. Contributing to this dry humour was deadpan Miss Scarlet (Attikah Kayani), acing her subtle delivery of double entendres. As another style of character entirely, condescending Mrs. Peacock was played by the skilled Kiara Mallari. Mallari’s shift from reserved Christian wife to hysterical criminal was both plausible and comedic. In the role of undercover agent Mr. Green, Cody Chorneyko excelled, constructing two distinct personas, complete with unique voices and physicality.

Advertisement 3
Story continues below
Article content

The surreal world of the show was established not just by the exaggerated characters, but equally so by the unnerving technical elements. Before the utterance of the first line, the sound and lighting cues, designed by Josh Castro and Tyler Prefontaine, respectively, created the foreboding atmosphere. The perfectly timed thunder and lightning pulled audience members to the edge of their seats, and the eerie blackouts and dog barks kept them there for the duration of the show. Through their impressively designed set, Ashlyn Collier and River Diaz effectively transformed the small stage into a mysterious mansion. Each room was distinguished by thematic colours, as an allusion to the classic board game.

In a game of murder and madness, with shocking twists around every meticulously decorated corner, Holy Trinity’s Clue: On Stage was so entertaining it could kill.

Thomas Zahary Loreman plays Wadsworth in Holy Trinity drama department’s production of Clue: On Stage in Edmonton on Thursday, March 12, 2020.
Thomas Zahary Loreman plays Wadsworth in Holy Trinity drama department’s production of Clue: On Stage in Edmonton on Thursday, March 12, 2020. Photo by Ed Kaiser /Postmedia

By Kessiah Benzon

Millwoods Christian School

Lights go out. Lightning flickers. Thunder roars. The audience is left in darkness, pounding hearts syncing together in both excitement and apprehension as ominous music conducts their tempo until at last, the curtains draw to reveal Holy Trinity High School’s precious secret. The secret? Clue: On Stage’s very own mansion and soon to be crime scene.

Advertisement 4
Story continues below
Article content

Based on the classic board game Clue, Clue: On Stage, adapted from the screenplay by Jonathan Lynn, places the audience in the middle of a riveting murder mystery. Invited to a peculiar dinner party, Scarlet, Plum, White, Green, Peacock, and Mustard are on a roller-coaster of suspense and comedy as the group squabbles and attempts to solve the mystery. With time slipping away, tensions rise as more and more clues are revealed, hinting there is more to the story than meets the eye.

With tensions strong enough to hold the audience captive, actors and actresses who are committed to the role are vital. Not only this, but the chemistry between characters must be carefully developed, to which the six suspects played by Cody Chorneyko, Brandon Kowalchuk, Kiara Mallari, Ashley Baldo, Attikah Kayani, and Aidán Mata, skillfully and successfully conjured. The group, filled with different unique characters, became one unified character. From simple reactions such as gasps, lines that the group shared, and even emotions, to chatter with different dialogue per character, each actor and actress presented in a way that still emphasized their individual character while also building the ensemble. As a result, the grip the cast had on the audience became tighter as reactions to small details, such as giggles to little blatant one-liners made by Miss Scarlett, played by Attikah Kayani, became more prominent. Worth noting is the physicality of each character that was skillfully embodied, such as Mr. Green’s frail stature created by Cody Chorneyko, or the confused stride of Col. Mustard performed by Brandon Kowalchuk.

Advertisement 5
Story continues below
Article content

Lighting by Tyler Prefontaine and sound by Josh Castro developed uneasy tension just as much as the actors, using tight cues that were executed flawlessly. From having outdoor noises when doors were cracked open to the suspenseful music immediately presented when characters met, Prefontaine and Castro did an outstanding job at ensuring the show ran smoothly without disruption. Similarly, worth mentioning is Ashlyn Collier and River Diaz’s set design, utilizing colour and levels to fit a large mansion onto a small stage. Collier and Diaz ensured the fluidity of the play was not interrupted by the multi-level set design, dividing the stage evenly and placing a certain amount of furniture in each area to keep the audience focused on the truly riveting action before them.

The comedic mystery performed by Holy Trinity High School took the audience’s breath away, making them die for more. The production showed the power of theatre, and how even in the midst of calamity, smiles appear, laughter erupts, and the show goes on.

Brandon Kowalchuk plays Col. Mustard and Cody Chorneyko plays Mr. Green in Holy Trinity drama department’s production of Clue: On Stage in Edmonton on Thursday, March 12, 2020.
Brandon Kowalchuk plays Col. Mustard and Cody Chorneyko plays Mr. Green in Holy Trinity drama department’s production of Clue: On Stage in Edmonton on Thursday, March 12, 2020. Photo by Ed Kaiser /Postmedia

By Emma Pardy

Strathcona High School

“This isn’t a game!” Oh, but it is.

Advertisement 6
Story continues below
Article content

Thunder crashes. Lightning flashes. A door slams, and Wadsworth appears to welcome all to Boddy Manor during Holy Trinity High School’s production of Clue: On Stage. It’s the beginning … of the end.

Based on the 1985 film, Clue, directed by Jonathan Lynn, which was initially received with great criticism from audiences but is now a cult classic, the story follows the popular board game of the same name. Six suspects, Green, Peacock, Plum, White, Scarlet, and Mustard are invited to a dinner party by the elusive and peculiar Ms. Boddy, who seems to know a dark secret about each of them. When their host unexpectedly dies, they must scramble to find out who the mad killer amongst them is, with the police due to arrive in less than an hour. This ensures a bloody and erratic night, full of head-tossing hilarity.

Thomas Zahary Loreman led the cast through many dark hallways as Wadsworth, bringing the focus back to centre stage. From the moment he started speaking, it was clear he owned every part of his performance. His delightful, spot-on impressions of various characters had the audience gasping for air.

Advertisement 7
Story continues below
Article content

The six suspects were the lifeblood of the show, delivering one-liners faster than the murders. Cody Chorneyko, as the very allergic and reserved Mr. Green, had wonderful stage presence while both delivering lines and sneezing. Attikah Kayani served stone-faced looks as Miss Scarlet, as well as a crisp slap to the dangerously charming Professor Plum, played by Aidán Mata. Kiara Mallari as the pretentious Mrs. Peacock wasn’t fooling anyone with her holy act, but Mallari evidently put her heart and soul into the character. The black-decked Mrs. White’s appalling outbursts and silent judgment showcased Ashley Baldo’s brilliant range. And last but not least, Brandon Kowalchuk as Col. Mustard provided comic relief with his dimwitted comments and idiotic observations that were perfectly timed.

Set designers Ashlyn Collier and River Diaz transformed the stage into a deeply detailed Boddy Manor that seemed like an inviting house but grew more chilling as the play went on. With so many bodies piling up, River Diaz, Ryley Horvath, and Andrew McRae created some rather gruesome looking ones that added a darker touch, but still kept the comedic feature. Lighting and sound were perfectly paired, with many of the 21 light cues and 60 sound cues, led respectively by Tyler Prefontaine and Josh Castro. They were executed smoothly, especially for a show with so much happening all at once.

Advertisement 8
Story continues below
Article content

Holy Trinity High School’s performance of Clue: On Stage was as delightfully witty as it was darkly macabre, never allowing the audience to breathe as they were either dying of laughter or holding their breath in suspense.

Holy Trinity drama department’s production of Clue: On Stage in Edmonton on Thursday. March 12, 2020.
Holy Trinity drama department’s production of Clue: On Stage in Edmonton on Thursday. March 12, 2020. Photo by Ed Kaiser /Postmedia

By Emily Mahon

Archbishop MacDonald High School

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. You are eagerly awaited at Holy Trinity’s showing of Clue: On Stage, and there’s murder on the menu.

Six odd characters arrive at an extravagant mansion for a bizarre dinner party. They’ve scarcely gotten through the main course when suddenly there’s a dead body, six suspects, and the police on their way. With the body count piling up and the clock winding down, can Mrs. White, Miss Scarlet, Col. Mustard, Mr. Green, Professor Plum, and Mrs. Peacock find the killer in time?

Clue: On Stage was adapted for the theatre by Sandy Rustin, based on the 1985 cult classic movie with a screenplay by Jonathan Lynn. The film Clue was inspired by the board game developed by Parker Brothers and has been beloved by amateur detectives for decades.

Thomas Zahary Loreman as Wadsworth, Boddy Manor’s butler, served an amazing performance on a silver platter. His liveliness never wavered, and his re-enactment of the night’s events, as the play came to a close, was nothing short of side-splitting.

Advertisement 9
Story continues below
Article content

Ashley Baldo, playing Mrs. White, embodied the black widow’s haughty attitude with the prissy stomp of her foot, her entitled eye roll and the pretentious flip of her hair. Attikah Kayani, as Miss Scarlet, kept her aloof character’s deadpan expression, and viewers hung on to her quick quips and sharp wit. Aidán Mata’s amusing performance as Professor Plum passed with flying colours, and so did his not-so-suave attempts to woo practically everyone in the manor. The show wouldn’t have been complete without Brandon Kowalchuk’s cartoonish humour as the dimwitted Col. Mustard, and Cody Chorneyko’s nervous tics as the unsavoury Mr. Green.

Spectators delighted in the cast’s killer misadventures and their undeniable, uproarious chemistry. Whether it was fast-paced banter, playing hot potato with a severed head, or creating a cacophony of screams, all cast members worked together to ensure any potential dull moment kicked the bucket.

You can’t have a perfect murder without the perfect crime scene. Ashlyn Collier and River Diaz transformed a high school drama room into an extravagant mansion, complete with wrought iron clocks, gilded portraits, and dusty bookshelves. The colour-coded walls helped to set the scene as the suspects moved from room to room, trying to solve the mystery.

Advertisement 10
Story continues below
Article content

Lighting, done by Tyler Prefontaine, and sound, by Josh Castro, were the perfect partners in crime. Lightning and thunder crackled and boomed, making the audience jump in their seats. The barks of vicious dogs, a perfectly timed blackout, and suspenseful music brought the story to life, causing viewers to look over their shoulders for the murderer on the loose.

The six suspects may have reached a dead end, but talent is alive and well at Holy Trinity High School.

Thomas Zahary Loreman plays Wadsworth, Ashley Baldo plays Mrs. White and Brandon Kowalchuk plays Col. Mustard in Holy Trinity drama department’s production of Clue: On Stage in Edmonton on Thursday, March 12, 2020.
Thomas Zahary Loreman plays Wadsworth, Ashley Baldo plays Mrs. White and Brandon Kowalchuk plays Col. Mustard in Holy Trinity drama department’s production of Clue: On Stage in Edmonton on Thursday, March 12, 2020. Photo by Ed Kaiser /Postmedia

By Thomas Moore

Strathcona High School

“This isn’t a game,” but it was certainly based on one. Holy Trinity Catholic High School took whodunnit to the extreme in the hyperbolic and hilarious, Clue: On Stage.

Clue: On Stage, based on the 1985 cult classic film by screenwriter Jonathan Lynn and derivative of the Parker Brothers board game, was adapted for the stage by Sandy Rustin, with the help of Hunter Foster and Eric Price. When six suspects, lured by blackmail and the chance to end it, arrive at Boddy Manor, they soon find out the estate is aptly named. Ms. Boddy, the host, is killed and either Green, Mustard, White, Scarlet, Peacock or Plum is to blame. Before time runs out, the party must figure out the culprit or the body count will continue to rise. This time, there is no get out of jail free card.

Advertisement 11
Story continues below
Article content

Long eerie silence. Darkness across the stage. Then, with a crack of lightning and the barks of bloodthirsty dogs, enters Mr. Wadsworth. Wadsworth (Thomas Zahary Loreman) was instrumental in the party’s various attempts to unearth the identity of the killer and through his poised and astute demeanour, connected directly with the audience and his scene partners. Zahary Loreman’s never-ending energy thrived throughout the show and his bountiful bolstering during the second act made him a sensational spectacle to see.

The suave and deep-voiced Aidán Mata, as Professor Plum, was as smooth as fine whiskey. Mata’s shifty-eyed acting choices made his performance unforgettable. Plum’s slappable lack of chivalry was impersonated wonderfully by Mata and evoked a juicy response from none other than Attikah Kayani as Miss Scarlet. Dealing out snappy slaps and taking names, Kayani’s stone-faced expression allowed for a notable performance with dry humour, making for an interesting character to watch.

Butting heads with Scarlet and playing the seemingly innocent first lady of bribery was Kiara Mallari, as Mrs. Peacock. She truly did the Lord proud in her rendition of the middle-aged, church-going conversationalist. Her tradition-based quirks corresponded well with Scarlet’s rebellious energy, as their banter became increasingly heated.

Advertisement 12
Story continues below
Article content

Cody Chorneyko gave a sickening performance as the allergic and queasy Mr. Green. Abrupt interjections of sneezes and bright moments of pure genius made Chorneyko’s portrayal of Mr. Green a hilariously ludicrous one.

The crime may or may not have been staged but the set certainly was. The set team, a duo of Ashlyn Collier and River Diaz, designed an imaginative colour-coordinated manor with multiple levels and depths, creating a fun playful space to act within. Tyler Prefontaine showered the stage with his youthful and accentuating lighting that made sure no suspect was in the spotlight for too long. Audibly, moments of the show were heightened not only by the actors on stage but by the adapted underscore and precise timing of Josh Castro’s sound cues.

Board? Never! Holy Trinity Catholic High School worked seamlessly together to full-heartedly produce a homicidal friendly farce comedy for the masses.

Article content
Comments
You must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.
Join the Conversation

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.

This Week in Flyers