By April Noel
The Second City is known for putting on shows of quality comedy and “Clued In: An Improvised Murder Mystery” is no exception. In essence, a group of talented improv artists bring to life an improvised murder mystery in the style of Agatha Christie, but with a playful twist.
For over 70 years Agatha Christie’s stories kept audiences on the edge of their seats in suspense; for an hour the cast of “Clued In” does the same every Friday and Saturday night with the delightfully added touch of comedy.
Observably the show itself can be broken down into three parts. The first third being the set up of the mystery, beginning with a prologue monologue followed by scenes introducing the characters prior to the murder.
The second third of the show is the integration of each established (and/or not yet established) character of interest by the detective who must solve the crime. The final third returns us to the lives of each character as they interact after being questioned, which leads to the big reveal of who did it, where they did it, and how they did it.
Since it is made up on the spot based on audience input, the show is a true improvised mystery to all, including the cast. The revolving cast pulls from the same team of improv artists who are featured in “Hitch*Cocktails” at The Annoyance Theater, previously named the city’s “Number One Improv Troupe” by the Chicago Reader. The performance being reviewed featured Kristen Aviles, James Dugan, Caleb George, Grace Goze, and C.J. Tuor.
The show is set up clearly. One cast member brings out a small stack of large cards faced down and asks an audience member to pick one at random, not knowingly selecting the cast member who must now solve the mystery about to take place. Next, the cast asks the audience to suggest a location that would be an unlikely location for an Agatha Christie murder. For this performance, James Dugan was the random draw to be the detective of a murder at the YMCA Pool.
Simply stated, though maybe a bit technical, each of these talented cast members had great use of all the elements that go into great improv – space, character development, word play, object work, and physical comedy. These skills along with their observed ability to read the audience, or pay attention to what the audience is responding to, are the building blocks that helped these artists create the successful show they did.
It is also impressive how all the members of the cast support their fellow performers while both in the scene and off on the side. Teamwork is a cornerstone of high-quality improv.
First to take the stage, centered and spotlighted literally, was C.J. Tuor who delivered a prologue monologue using the suggestions provided by the audience. He also incorporated subtle word play to set the environment for the murder mystery to take place. He then moved to the sidelines but stayed active in the game.
From the sidelines, Tuor continued with object play and use of space as he supported fellow players with such improv tools as “yes/and”. This is one of the keys to the art of improv. The term “yes/and” refers to the guiding principle that you never say “no” to another performer’s suggestion. You take that suggestion (the “yes”) and run with it, adding your own twists and turns (the “and”).
For this murder at the YMCA adventure, Tuor did a great example of “yes/and” after another cast member casually tossed a mimed suitcase from off stage. In reaction, Tuor hilariously proclaimed ‘Someone just threw a suitcase at me.’
Later in the show, Tuor also provided a great example of how physical comedy adds to an improv performance. In this case, Tuor first expressed disbelief of another character’s physical strength. Then, when that other actor (Grace Goze) demonstrated their Herculean strength with a mere sweep of her hand, Tuor reacted with an impressive stunt as if literally being ‘thrown to the ground’.
Following Tuor’s prologue, the meat of the show began. The next to take the stage were the two females of the cast that night: Kristen Aviles and the aforementioned Grace Goze. They played two ‘Gym Bros’, or in this case ‘Swim Bros’, that were “best friends since diapers”.
Their antics got the scene work off to a rapid start by highlighting the conflict of the evening – which ended up being the motive for the murder. Aviles and Goze matched each other’s energy and played off each other’s suggestions beautifully.
Aviles carried her character as a ‘Swim Bro’ throughout the show seamlessly. She even developed another layer to the character by continuing to circle back to the well-received “best friend since diapers” reference.
Her character was also able to cross the generational gaps of the audience members with simple-but-witty commentary. Aviles further showed her “yes/and” skills proclaiming “that’s not weird” upon seeing their best friend dead in the pool.
In another example, when being questioned by the detective later in the show, she gets out of the sticky situation by changing the subject, asking the detective “I mean Rooster, what kind of a name is that? Huh chicken man?” She again drew riotous laughter when accusingly she said “you take steroids” to another character as if in utter disbelief, when in fact she was the dealer of said steroids in the previous scene.
Goze pulled the weight of three women in this show. Her ‘Swim Bro’ character, Chester, becomes the victim of the murder, after which Goze is tasked with playing both of the characters mentioned at the scene of the crime: Pierre the Octopus Mascot and Xavier the Chlorine Expert.
Goze shows great physical and vocal work in establishing each character as uniquely their own. Chester is the ‘Swim Bro’; Pierre is a soft-spoken, proper French person, and Xavier is a Gollum-esque person (as described by another character in the story: ‘Dime VanDime’).
In her Xavier character, Goze shows great object work as she mimed a humorously awkward attempt at drinking a can of Sprite – with motions looking much like an animal. This prompts the reaction, “You didn’t give Xavier a straw.” Once Xavier is given a straw, Goze keeps the gag running by continuing to drink from the straw in the exact same animal-like way. This physical comedy mixed with object work had both the audience and cast members in hysterics.
Next to take the stage was Caleb George as ‘Dime VanDime’ who was joined by Tuor as “Nigel Poolbottom’. George brings in another layer of conflict with him as he walks into the scene playing not an Olympic swimmer as the others are, but a professional water polo player. And yes, the kind of polo player that uses a horse.
VanDime also brings in secrets related to other players on the swim team. This sets up the air of suspicion any Agatha Christie mystery requires, and the opportunity for plot twists. To “yes/and” George’s addition of secrets, Tuor as Poolbottom reveals VanDime’s secret of taking Otter steroids. George in turn does his own “yes/and” by also calling back a well-received remark about leg hair stated in the first scene.
The final member of the cast to enter was James Dugan as the chosen detective to solve the murder. Keeping with the fun and playful nature of the situational circumstance comedy, Dugan proclaims himself to be an Olympic official who so happens to have jurisdiction if a murder should take place.
Dugan brought a level of listening skills and quick calling that led to many hilarious call outs in subsequent scenes after cast members either fumbled through words or posed an interesting suggestion earlier in the night. A few examples of calling back a fumbled word by another cast member involved bringing up the need for a detailed description of “monochrome monogram” goggles and an explanation of what a “kissalationship” might be.
“Clued In” is an improv show that is no stranger to The Second City stage. Popular for years before the pandemic closed the country, the “Clued In” team made their post-shutdown return in 2022 and quickly gained added momentum in popularity. This prompted The Second City to add more shows to their schedule in January of 2024.
Kristen Aviles, James Dugan, Caleb George, Grace Goze, and C.J. Tuor are just five among the nearly 20 High Stakes Productions ensemble members who you may see improvising a show of “Clued In” at The Second City theater facility. The fact that players are swapped and switched from night to night, adds another layer to this show being truly unique and never the same twice.
Each ensemble player brings their own strengths to the table helping bring this well-thought-out form of improv to life. This show is a wonderful addition to a date night with a special someone, a city night out with friends, or even a special occasion.
“Clued In” plays in Judy’s Beat Lounge at The Second City’s Chicago location on Fridays and Saturday nights at 7:00 pm. Follow them on Instagram @cluedinimprov and for ticket information visit The Second City website www.SecondCity.com.
For more information on High Stakes Productions visit www.HighStakesProductions.org
For more reviews visit: Theatre in Chicago – your source for What’s on Stage in the Chicago Area.
Photo courtesy of High Stakes Productions
April Noel is a well-known actress in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago with a career spanning 20 years. Over the past five years, she has gained additional recognition as an improv artist and playwright. April was last seen as M’Lynn in “Steel Magnolias” at the Steel Beam Theatre in St. Charles, and can regularly be seen around the suburbs with her improv troupe Any Suggestions. April’s original murder mystery “Props, the Stage, Rosemary and Thyme” continues to book popular stagings around the Chicagoland area including at The Other Side in Crystal Lake. For information on Any Suggestions and upcoming performances visit https://www.facebook.com/AnySuggestionImprov/
See April Noel and Any Suggestions in the hilarious murder mystery “Props, the Stage, Rosemary, and Thyme” on June 1st, 2024 at 8 PM at The Other Side
