Believe it or not, the classic Hasbro board game Clue was previously the subject of a stage adaptation in the mid 1990s with Clue The Musical, an interactive Off-Broadway production that closed after 29 performances and 17 previews. It was, um…not beloved, with New York Daily News critic Fintan O'Toole quipping in his review: “Making a musical from a board game is the kind of bizarre task that only a genius or a fool would undertake. And there is no sign of genius here.” Fintan O'Toole, in print, with a poison pen.
So what makes this latest stab/whack/shot at a stage version of Clue different? For one thing, it's based directly on the cult 1985 movie adaptation of the same name that starred Eileen Brennan, Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, Christopher Lloyd, and Lesley Ann Warren. For another, it was penned by that film's writer-director Jonathan Lynn. Lastly, it is not a musical, so if you hate musicals: you're in luck!
Per Variety, the play is being “developed with an eye toward the theatrical licensing market for regional and amateur troupes” and is not currently being targeted for Broadway. It's slated to bow in May 2017 at Pennsylvania”s Bucks County Playhouse, to be followed by a North American tour. A U.K. tour is also reportedly being planned.
It's been a good year for Clue movie fans. In addition to the play, a remake of the film was announced back in August.