REVIEW: CLUEDO - THE PLAY @ THE QUESTORS THEATRE

🎭 Cluedo: The Play

📍 Walpole Park, Mattock Lane, Ealing, London W5 5BG

🗓 Sunday 21st June 2026

⭐️ 4 Stars

CAMP, CHAOTIC, AND COMPLETELY OPEN-AIR

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a theatre lover in Ealing will know the outside of Walpole Park intimately. I’ve walked its boundaries more times than I can count on my way to the brilliant Questors Theatre, but shamefully, I’d never actually set foot inside the park itself. What a fool I’ve been. Frankly, what better place to enjoy a play on a sunny summer Sunday afternoon than out in the open air in this gorgeous location?

Audience members were invited to pitch up with chairs and picnic blankets. Opting for the au naturel approach, I chose a spot under the shady gaze of a big tree and sat straight on the grass. If I'm completely honest, I think I'll be packing a chair next time. I spent half the time struggling to get comfortable on the ground and found myself fidgeting rather a lot!

Fidgeting aside, the anticipation was high. I was a huge fan of the board game growing up, so I was incredibly excited to see these legendary characters brought to life on stage in a classic, Agatha Christie-esque whodunnit.

The plot plunges us straight into the mysterious Boddy Manor on a dark and stormy night, where six eclectic guests - all operating under colourful pseudonyms to protect their rather shady reputations - have been blackmailed into attending a dinner party. Before the first course is even cleared, their host Mr Boddy turns up dead. Armed with a wrench, a candlestick, a lead pipe, and all of the other iconic weapons, the housemates and the staff must race against the clock to unmask the killer before the body count rises and the police arrive.

Now, the team at The Questors are well known for their fantastic set designs, and I was genuinely intrigued to see how they would translate their usual stage magic into an outside space. I needn’t have worried. The design of both the set and the props is wonderfully whimsical, with Rachel Moorhead and Katie Wrench perfectly mirroring the playful, cartoonish nature of the script.

Equally vital to bringing this vibrant world to life was Sarah Andrews' exceptional costume design. For a show entirely built around iconic, colour-coded characters, the costumes needed to make them instantly recognisable, and Andrews absolutely nailed it. Each outfit was beautifully tailored, elegantly bridging the gap between sophisticated 1930s fashion and the heightened, playful aesthetic of a classic board game. The rich, bold palettes made the characters practically pop against the natural green backdrop of the park, ensuring that even from the back row of the lawn, the visual storytelling was crystal clear and beautifully executed.

The cast here were completely fantastic. As someone who attends Questors productions regularly, it’s always an utter joy to see returning faces on the stage. Daniel Carey may just be one of the most hardworking ensemble members I've seen on any stage, and I loved his opening role providing all the live noises and voices heard on the wireless at the start of the play.

The main suspects were a total treat. I thoroughly enjoyed the wonderfully camp and chaotic performance of Jamie Gould as Reverend Green, while Julice Liecier was highly entertaining as the maid Yvette, who clearly seemed to be hiding something from the very beginning as her French accent hilariously slipped back to pure East End! Tilly Benson was sassy, sexy, and confident as the delectable Miss Scarlett, and Brodie Bass absolutely shone as he gave us a masterclass in upper-class arrogance as the delightfully posh Professor Plum.

But for me the undisputed standout performance of the afternoon came from Daniel Thompson as Wadsworth, the butler. He was simply magnetic from the outset and delivered a stunning performance. His frantic recap of the play's events towards the end was absolute farce at its very best, earning him a massive, well-deserved round of applause at its conclusion. He really is an exciting performer to watch, and I'm eager to see what he tackles next.

The entire company does a stellar job with what is, in my opinion, not the strongest script. Some of the jokes are so bad that they elicit heavy groans rather than laughter from the crowd, and a lot of the comedic elements feel decidedly dated. I know it's intentionally set in the 1930s, but when you look at the actual writing of Agatha Christie and how fresh her tension still feels today, this script feels a little disappointing by comparison. Furthermore, the final sequence, where lots of different murder assumptions are played out and then quickly rewound, lasted just a bit too long for me and started to feel repetitive.

Despite my misgivings about the writing, this is yet another brilliant production from The Questors Theatre. Rachel Moorhead's sharp direction utilises the outdoor space incredibly cleverly and keeps the narrative pace moving along at a cracking speed. Even when a sudden technical hitch caused a brief show-stop when the sound was completely lost on the afternoon I went, the company handled it magnificently, making the subsequent restart entirely seamless.

Overall, this is a great show for the entire family to enjoy. The fact that the script doesn't take itself seriously means it can be joyfully consumed by everyone from ages 10 to 100. Add in the lovely outdoor element, and the fact that you can bring a picnic along, and you have yourself a real summer family event.

Performances of CLUEDO: THE PLAY continue until Saturday 27th June, and with the glorious sunshine looking set to continue, this is the perfect way to enjoy theatre and the weather at the same time! CLICK HERE to book your tickets before it's too late, and find out Whodunnit!

Neill Kovacic-Clarke

All views are my own and I pride myself on being honest, fair and free from influence. Theatre is subjective and it is important to remember that all views expressed are just those of one person.

My ticket for this performance of Cluedo: The Play was gifted by The Questors Theatre who invited me to watch the show in exchange for my honest review. The fact that my ticket was gifted played no part in the content of my review or the star rating given.

CAST LIST:

Daniel Thompson as Wadsworth; Julice Liecier as Yvette; Tilly Benson as Miss Scarlett; Alison Griffin as Mrs Peacock; Samantha Moran as Mrs White; Robin Ingram as Colonel Mustard; Brodie Bass as Professor Plum; Jamie Gould as Reverend Green; Daniel Carey as Ensemble; Eleanor Wilson as Ensemble; James Rushbrooke as Ensemble

RUNNING TIME (approx):

1 hour 20 minutes, with interval

CONTENT WARNINGS:

Depictions of murder, crime, and bodies accumulating: Classic board game weapons are displayed and used throughout, accompanied by loud gunshot sound effects; mild adult language, references to alcohol, and mild sexual innuendos

AGE GUIDELINE:

10+

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