You roll the dice in upcoming play

A COMMUNITY theatre company has a production in the works that lets the audience have a say in the ending.

Synchronicity Performing Arts will present CLUE-On Stage and bring the whodunnit murder-mystery board game Cluedo to life.

The play will run at the Engine Room over seven nights between Thursday, 20 and Sunday, 30 April.

The company has received special permission from the writers of the play, Origin Theatrical, to allow audience members to choose part of the ending.

One of three directors, Chris Hobson, said the cast and crew want to involve the audience as much as possible.

“We’re actually going to throw a big dice and we’re going to see what number comes up, and then the actors are going to then respond to the number that shows up on the dice,” said Hobson.

“We think it’s kind of fun, and that’s the plan with the whole play, it’s fun.”

Hobson said the stage will be overlaid with a large board painted to resemble that of the game designed by Anthony E Pratt and first released in 1949.

Producer, Wendy Collishaw, said before the play starts the audience can take a selfie with the card of the character they would like to accuse of the in-play murder and the weapon they believe will be used.

If they are right, they will win a small prize and go in the draw to win a bigger one.

CLUE-On Stage is primarily aimed at a teen-adult audience, although Collishaw said it isn’t inappropriate for younger children, just that a lot of the jokes might go over their heads.

“It’s an absolute farce, a real good, fun, comedy slapstick, lots of repeated gags, lots of jokes that everyone will just sort of snicker at, just a good fun family night,” said Collishaw.

“It is a total reference to the board game.”

Tickets to CLUE-On Stage can be purchased via synchronicity.org.au or bendigoregion.com.au.