Written By: Alexandra Steyn

This year’s fall play, Clue, dazzled the Black Box with mystery, intrigue, and nonstop laughs. Through three performances—two evenings with the principal cast and one matinee with the understudies—Clue was a resounding success. The opening night, November 7, brought in a near-sold-out audience, and the seats of the Black Box were packed for the following two performances on November 8.

Inspired by the board game Clue, the play follows six guests who have been invited to a mysterious manor for dinner: Mrs. Peacock, Mrs. White, Mr. Green, Ms. Scarlet, Professor Plum, and Colonel Mustard. The host’s butler, Wadsworth, greets the guests at the door, after which it is revealed they have all been blackmailed for crimes or scandals, touching off a series of sudden death, comedic staging, and dynamic wordplay. Throughout the play, the cast’s delivery of witty quips resulted in a memorable comedy that outweighed the seriousness of the guests’ crimes and murders.

The director of the play, Viñas, must be commended for her outstanding casting. Both the principal cast and the understudy cast had undeniable chemistry, and each student’s acting matched their assigned character. The fraught relationship between Professor Plum, played by Troy Dunne ‘28, and Ms. Scarlet, played by Molly Hart ‘27, often stole the spotlight with the most memorable jokes. Dunne, who exuded Professor Plum’s charisma with a smile and a nod towards Ms. Scarlet at every chance, balanced Hart’s daring, scathing Ms. Scarlet. At one point, Ms. Scarlet stole Professor Plum’s beloved purple hat, resulting in an amusing scuffle between the two. Lily Leand ‘27, who played the five-time widow Mrs. White, embodied her character’s melodrama, at times collapsing to the floor in sadness. Her intensity was balanced by Colonel Mustard’s stern, aloof figure, played by Angelina Gui ‘27. In a shift from a wild, outgoing character in last year’s fall play, Gui’s acting was generally more reserved this year, but still showcased her comedic timing and talents.

It would be remiss not to mention two stellar performances from underclassmen. Mrs. Peacock, the supposedly devout wife of a politician played by Yasmin Folarin ‘28, demonstrated Folarin’s wide range. At times, Mrs. Peacock was the voice of reason, while at others, she screamed or ran away in fright. The most mysterious character, Mr. Green was played by Vree Tuncer ‘26 on opening night and Anoushka Dey ‘29 for the following two performances, after Tuncer’s sickness prevented her from performing. Although Tuncer’s performance was certainly noteworthy, Dey’s flexibility and comedic sneezes (Mr. Green is allergic to cats) earned her a round of well-deserved applause. The main cast’s ability to adjust to a new cast member the night of also points to their training and love for the play.

And of course, no review of Clue would be complete without mentioning the stellar performance of Wadsworth, the butler, by Chaim Sciamma ‘27. Whether racing through a two-minute recap of the entire night or meeting guests’ questions with a placid smile, Sciamma demonstrated his comedic talent with each line and action. Every character interaction unfailingly resulted in laughs, or at the very least, smiles. Wadsworth is at once clever and undiscerning, understanding and unobliging, and Sciamma brought every complexity of the character to life. His dedication earned him a special shout out from Viñas on closing night.

Beyond the cast, several students helped bring the production to life. Notably, Dania Suliman ‘26 and Camila Reyna ‘27, as stage manager and assistant stage manager, respectively, attended every rehearsal and directed the crew and production. Matthew Lee ‘26, as Crew Chief, also played an integral role. Amanda Gui ‘27, as assistant director, worked with Viñas to block scenes and help ensure the success of the play. Gui’s, Lee’s, and Suliman’s commitment earned them special shouts out from Viñas as well.

The costumes, designed by Ms. Hallen, captured each character’s essence; Ms. Scarlet’s scandalous red dress reflected her fearless attitude, while Professor Plum’s purple tie, vest, and hat mirrored his natural charm. The set and lighting, designed by Mr. Robinson, also resulted in dynamic staging. Most notably, the addition of doors at every entrance to the stage allowed the audience to compartmentalize various scenes, understand the layout of the manor, and view more hilarious misunderstandings between characters. Ultimately, Clue set a high bar for Viñas’ next works. Its combination of comedic lines, entertaining staging, and talented cast resulted in a truly memorable production.