Clue 

Sean Lin, Year 11

Performed over four nights each year, the school play at Ridgeway Campus never fails to delight its audiences. With a rehearsal time of just over 2 months, the play is an amazing feat of teamwork and cooperation that is enjoyed by over 240 students, families, and other members of the Ivanhoe Grammar School community. This year, the VCE Theatre Studies class staged an adaption of the classic 1985 Paramount film, Clue.  

This hilarious whodunnit, set in 1950s America at the height of the Red Scare, was nothing short of spectacular as it followed the evening of six guests, all attempting to solve a murder mystery via a series of twists and turns through the back passages of Boddy Manor – all the while getting closer to exposing the lies, political scandals, and secrets that brought them together on this eventful night. 

In the show, I played the role of elusive butler, Wadsworth, the head servant of Boddy Manor who leads the guests throughout the evening and slowly, one by one, exposes each of their secrets. Having been involved in numerous previous productions, this role was definitely a top favourite of mine. Improvising many comedic routines was such a blast with my friends, and hearing the laughter and warm reception from our audiences made the gruelling rehearsal schedule worth it.  

Like the musical, the play and performing arts at Ivanhoe Grammar School have repeatedly brought the school community together. With varying ages and abilities, each production is a different opportunity to utilise these differences to create a working piece of storytelling. Whatever skills you bring to each production will inevitably be strengthened by the many new connections that are formed along the way and the huge sense of accomplishment that comes at the end of such a monumental achievement. It is an opportunity that I would strongly encourage anyone to support in any capacity that they can. 

Looking ahead, the 2025 school musical is being announced next term. With new leadership coming into the theatre department, this is a fantastic time to get involved. The Ivanhoe Grammar School productions have played an important part of my time at school, and have provided many others, including myself, the opportunity to gain confidence and vital collaborative skills that can be applied to any area of school life and consequently beyond. The school play is an experience that you will never forget and is an opportunity that is truly fantastic.