On Oct. 24, Behrend Theatre Club put on the first of their two weekend run of Clue. The play lasted around an hour and a half and featured no intermission. The show’s highlights include a wealth of physical comedy, seemingly improvised sections, and electrifying chemistry between a cast.

Clue takes place in 1950’s America, at the height of the Red Scare. Six people are summoned to Body Manor under false pretenses, with each having been blackmailed by the elusive Mr. Body. From there a series of murders, accidents, and reveals keep the audience on their toes as they join the cast to search for clues.

In terms of acting, Clue was a delight. There was a physicality in every actor’s performance that not only heightens the energy of the piece but also the comedic moments. In particular, William Mortimer (who was subbing in for an injured Alec Finn) as Mr. Green astounded with his ability to move both awkwardly and hilariously. The seemingly improvised chemistry of Cora Dawson and Vanessa Foster, Miss White and Miss Scarlet respectively, served as an excellent complement to Mortimer’s performance, each bit more bitingly witty than the last. Wadsworth the Butler, played by Antony Falk, likewise acted as a straight man to the cast of eccentric figures summoned to the mansion. This generally serious tone to his performance only made his own descent into absurdity as the play progresses all the more enjoyable.

The staging, which included a set of two implied rooms filled to the brim with antique furniture and paintings, set the mood immediately. Doors and tables careened in and out of the wings, creating dining rooms and hidden passageways in an instant. A mix of dramatic lighting and music allowed for many of the shows tight turns in tone, with not a second feeling out of place or sudden. This was all due to the dedicated work of the stage crew, who did exceptional. (A keen eyed viewer should’ve also noticed the chandelier which hangs at center stage, just slightly above the typical zone of action. This chandelier was the centerpiece of some of the show’s best moments and was an inspired choice on the part of the set designers).

These strengths didn’t make Clue flawless, however. There was a point at which the actual plot began to drag, though not for a lack of enthusiasm of the cast. In addition, certain moments came off as aggressively sudden, causing them to fall flat. Yet any issues with the book of the work were well forgotten by the play’s dramatic end, and do not tarnish what was ultimately a gut bustingly good time at the theatre.