Monday is often dubbed as the worst day of the week, and this week would have gotten away with that too if it weren’t for the meddling musical of Daire Kelly and Aoibheann Moriarty. The Mystery Gang – A Scooby Doosical, described as “a tale of love, friendship, vegan diners, lesbians, grooviness and a dog called Scooby-Doo”, certainly lived up to its hype. The show was the third in a line of DU Players freshers shows, following EDEN, and A Crop of Freshers.
The Mystery Gang was brought to life in the virtual space through brilliant puppets designed by Roisin Long, Daire Kelly, Molly Longstaff, and Aoibheann Moriarty. Each member of the mystery gang – Lucy Bracken as Daphne, Conor Finlay as self-proclaimed “himbo” Fred, Cillian O’Donnell as Shaggy, Faye O’Reilly as Velma, and of course, Daniel Penrose as Scooby himself – brought their own flare to the iconic characters.
Opening with a power ballad from The Hex Girls, played by Lauren Kelly and Faye Maguire, the scene was set for a night of “gh-gh-ghosts”, scooby snacks, and endless Ascott jokes. One fault, in my eyes, was the exclusion of the third cult classic Hex Girl, Dusk, whose absence was quickly noted by fans – we’ll just have to hold out for her appearance in the sequel.
In classic Scooby-Doo style, Kelly and Moriarty delivered a good old-fashioned haunting. Something was amiss in Bloodstone Bay, with all fingers initially pointing to Luke Rodrigues’ Mayor Horton, whose eagerness to be rid of the Mystery Gang instantly aroused suspicion.
Much of the action took place in a vegan burger joint, where we saw the emotional undercurrents of the show exposed. We watched Daphne and Fred reassess their friends-with-benefits relationship with clashing opinions, before O’Reilly voiced Velma’s confusions about her sexuality with brilliant subtlety. The constant back-and-forth banter between Shaggy and Scooby kept up the pace of the show, as the mystery deepened.
Dubious name aside, Donald Borris, played by David Hannafin, was an instant hit. The passionate historian’s uncanny ghostly appearance was largely ignored until a dramatic musical showdown in the forest. With all tension within the gang resolved, this was the perfect set-up for some good old Mystery Gang teamwork. The unveiling of Donald Borris as a desperate man wanting to dig up the forest for treasure provided a satisfying ending, along with the quashing of his eco-damaging plans.
Brilliant one liners, well-laid clues and of course, an unexpected emotional investment made The Mystery Gang: A Scooby Doosical a worthy watch. Kelly and Moriarty’s score was at times funny, at times heartbreaking, but always engaging. A puppet show was also the perfect medium to honour this classic, but to also enhance it. For newbies and die-hard fans alike, there’s no better way to spend a Monday evening than The Mystery Gang: A Scooby Doosical.
The Mystery Gang – A Scooby Doosical is available to watch on the DU Players Youtube Channel.
