Cluedo is back on stage with a brand new, original comedy mystery, set in the swinging 60s and written by one of the UK’s most successful TV and stage writing duos, BAFTA Award winning writers Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran, (Birds of a Feather, Goodnight Sweetheart and Dreamboats and Petticoats).

The world premiere production of Cluedo 2 arrives at Northampton, Royal & Derngate from 26 – 30 November. Starring Casualty’s Jason Durr as Colonel Mustard and Ellie Leach – the reigning Strictly Come Dancing champion, who is making her stage acting debut – as Miss Scarlett, the show is based on the classic Hasbro board game, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year.

Director Mark Bell, who is also behind smash-hit The Play That Goes Wrong, tells us what audiences can expect from the show.

Who will enjoy the show?

placeholder image — Mark Bell, Director of Cluedo 2

Anyone! It's a great family show, lots of visual comedy for the young ones and lots of twists and turns in the plot for everyone. One of my favourite things is eavesdropping on people in the interval and I often hear parents and their kids debating about who the murderer is! Spoiler: the kids are always right.

What can be expected from the plot?

Lots of fun twists and surprises! These are the iconic Cluedo Characters (Mrs White, Colonel Mustard et al) brought to life in a brand new swinging 60s set story by legendary comedy writers Marks & Gran (Birds of a Feather).  You will know all the characters but you won't have seen them like this!

How difficult is it to direct a show that comes from a much-loved board game?

The challenge is staying true to the spirit of the original board game while bringing something fresh. The original script uses ALL of the Cluedo weapons in fun unexpected ways, so I set myself the challenge of making sure we move through ALL of the Cluedo rooms at some point in the story. To do this we had to be very inventive with exactly how we moved from place to place... That was the most fun part! I wanted it to be like a Scooby Doo chase sequences set to cool 60s music. I think we did that.

Do you have to have seen the first Cluedo to enjoy Cluedo 2? 

Not at all!  We use all the classic Cluedo character names but is it an entirely new story set 20 years after the first play in a different (but equally spooky) manor house. Why is Cluedo still a household game that has stood the test of time?

I think it's because the characters are so clearly drawn and the Murder at the Manor House setting is in our shared history, starting with Agatha Christie and going all the way to Knives Out.

What is your favourite weapon prop… and why?

That's hard, but I think the spanner. The one we have is HUGE and it’s very shiny....  and you can (as you will find out when you see the show) use it in so many different ways... for murder.

Any memorable hiccups that happened in rehearsals that you can share? (Without embarrassing anyone!) Well, there is a question! I have always maintained that often mistakes or things going wrong gives you some of your best material and so it was here. So there were many... but one example is, at one point, three of the cast come on and hold old fashioned portraits as if they are hung on the wall. One actor accidentally brought theirs on upside down. It got a laugh, so it stayed in the show!

Cluedo 2 is coming to Northampton Royal & Derngate on 26 – 30 November.

Tickets: www.CluedoStagePlay.com