Winner of the 2012 Edgar® Award for Best Playfrom The Mystery Writers of America.
Breathtaking mystery and high hilarity in equal parts, this play tells the story of Broadway star William Gillette, who has invited his fellow cast-members to his Connecticut castle for a weekend of revelry. But when one of the guests is stabbed to death, the festivities in this isolated house of tricks and mirrors quickly turn dangerous. Then it’s up to Gillette himself, who just happens to think he’s Sherlock Holmes, to track down the killer before the next victim appears.
The danger and laughter are non-stop in this glittering whodunit set during the Christmas holidays.
Recent News and Reviews
Reviews
“An inspired whodunit…a snappy, clever drawing-room mystery. There are twists in playwright Ken Ludwig’s The Game’s Afoot that cause the audience to gasp.”
-The Cleveland Plain Dealer
Bryan Torfeh. Photo: Barbara Banks
William Gillette (Donald Sage Mackay). Photo: Roger Mastroianni
FULL REVIEWS
The Cleveland Plain Dealer
BroadwayWorld.com
“The Game’s Afoot is Murderously Funny!”
- Broadway World Cleveland
“The play evolves like a mystery thriller, as one tantalizing clue leads to another….In 1936, at the height of the Great Depression, people flocked to the theater for a few hours of escapism from hard times. Today, in our current recession, here is an antidote and the ideal holiday present - the gift of laughter.”
- Cleveland Jewish news
“Ludwig demonstrates the theatrical equivalent of perfect pitch, both in this new work and in his past efforts.”
- Cleveland Scene
“From the intriguing opening mini play within a play to the surprise last scene a split second before final curtain, The Game’s Afoot gives you everything you love about great live theatre. Billed as a comedy thriller you will find yourself swept along for a wild and funny ride.”
- Cleveland Examiner
“a hilarious, quirky and thrilling alternative to your standard holiday entertainment. The Game’s Afoot is the perfect gift for the holidays..a fantastically fun night out at the theatre. It’s something we can be proud of as a city”
- Clue into Cleveland.com
“The Game’s Afoot will be performed by professional and community theaters across the country. Certainly this production is Broadway quality.”
- Talkin Broadway.com
Original Cast and Creative Team
Ken Ludwig's The Game's Afoot; or Holmes for the Holidays was first presented by Cleveland Play House at the Allen Theatre in Cleveland, Ohio, opening on December 2, 2011, under Artistic Director Michael Bloom, featuring scenic design by Daniel Conway, lighting design by Thom Weaver, sound design by James C. Swonger, costume design by Linda Roethke, stage management by Shannon Habenicht, and technical direction by Erik Seidel. The director was Aaron Posner.
The cast was as follows:
WILLIAM GILLETTE - Donald Sage Mackay; MARTHA GILLETTE - Patricia Kilgarriff; FELIX GEISEL - Eric Hissom; MADGE GEISEL - Lise Bruneau; SIMON BRIGHT - Rob McClure; AGGIE WHEELER - Mattie Hawkinson; INSPECTOR GORING - Sarah Day; DARIA CHASE - Erika Rolfsrud
THE GAME’S AFOOT won the Edgar Allen Poe Award (the “Edgar”), awarded by the Mystery Writers of America, as the Best Mystery Play of 2012.