“We need to laugh: now, more than ever.” These words are spoken often, and not without good reason; it seems that each week brings a new tragedy to the lips of news reporters. The fault in these words, however, lies in the implication that there are times we don’t need to laugh.
Entertainment has always been and always will be a necessary aspect of society; from Aristophanes to Jim Carrey, each generation has strived to induce laughter in audiences. This heartfelt joy found in watching live comedic performances serves as a distraction from the terrible tragedies that seem to plague the world so doggedly. In short, these productions allow their audiences to forget their worries and simply be human for an hour or two.
It is for these reasons that Clue: Onstage! is a promising candidate for our theatre: its fast-paced, farcical dialogue enraptures the audience with fits of laughter, and a nagging whodunit curiosity maintains its interest throughout the run. Its homages to the original Parker Brothers board game also allow the audience to recall time spent with family and friends playing the classic mystery game or other popular staples.
This particular production of Clue: Onstage, performed at U.C. Irvine’s Claire Trevor Theatre, will be directed by Eli Simon, the artistic director of the Shakespeare New Swan Festival and skilled professor of clowning who recently directed an extremely well-received run of the farcical comedy Rebecca Oaxaca (Lays Down a Bunt). Simon’s comic expertise will certainly allow the script and characters to pop to life in ways the audience could only imagine.
The casting for this production will be color-blind; should a colored individual be cast as Mrs. White, so be it; should a purple person be cast as Mr. Green, who cares? Laughter is to be created by all, and shared by all, regardless of economic status, social position, skin color, or any variety of other factors. However, the cast will be limited to currently enrolled UCI students to enforce a sense of community between cast and audience.
The run of this show will take place during Weeks 8 and 9 of the Winter quarter, with showtimes at 9:00 PM on Thursdays through Sundays, and Sunday matinees at 2:00 P.M. With an approximate runtime of an hour and a half, the show promises brief respite to UCI students during the most stressful time of their year: the lead-up to finals. Taking a breather for one night is a blessing to any student during this time period, and can relieve the pressures of upcoming exams. Ticket prices will be discounted even further for students than normal; with a typical student ticket price of $12 at the Claire Trevor Theatre, Clue: Onstage! will cost enrolled UCI students a mere $6 to attend.
We always need to laugh. Laughter is a core piece of the human experience and a great tool in the face of great tragedy and great stress. No matter how the world looks in the Winter of 2022, this production of Clue: Onstage!, directed by Eli Simon with a cast of UCI students promises a break from the stresses of life outside of theatre.