Thomas Hardy
DeepEnd Student Theater is one of St. Olaf’s oldest student theater groups on campus, delivering high-level productions that are entirely directed, stage managed, teched, and acted by students. This semester, the company put on “Clue,” a comedic murder-mystery show that is as entrapturing as it is hilarious.
“Clue” is a beloved classic board game and movie. The play — “Clue: On Stage” — was adapted based on the original screenplay from 2017.
Directed by Kristina Zerwas ՚25, “Clue: On Stage” was held in Tomson 280, a large room typically used for presentations and conferences. The production made excellent use of the space, as actors entered from behind the seats, made their way through the aisles, and even scurried through the audience. Notably, an image of the house’s layout was projected on the blank wall behind the characters — a clever way to make use of the giant backdrop, without drawing attention to the fact the production was not held in an average theater. Throughout the show, each of the characters’ game pieces would move according to where they were in the house.
The lead characters in the cast of “Clue” are Wadsworth, Miss Scarlet, Colonel Mustard, Mrs. Peacock, Professor Plum, Mrs. White, Mr. Green, and Yvette. Each character had a distinct, over-the-top personality that was brought to life by the actors, and undoubtedly, the audience adored each character’s quirks and the actor’s choices. The actors melted seamlessly into their roles, and their performances were entrancing.
Above all, the show was downright hilarious, with heavy doses of physical comedy and visual gags. On Saturday night’s performance, it was nearly a full house, and spectators could see the actors feeding off of the audience’s energy. Chaos began to ensue in the latter half of the show, with every character having a moment of frenzy as they grasped at straws to find the killer. You could really feel the pace pick up, and the audience was as receptive to the actors’ performances. Every joke was followed by a smug glance to the front row, or even a complete fourth-wall break.
Deep End’s production “Clue: On Stage” was unforgettably exciting and an overall fun time. It is remarkable to see a student theater company knock it out of the park, and bring such an impressive turnout, too.