Musical with music by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, lyrics by Tim Rice, and book by Richard Nelson. Two of the world's greatest chess masters, one American, one Russian, are in danger of becoming the pawns of their governments as their battle for the world title gets under way. Simultaneously their lives are thrown into further confusion by a Hungarian refugee, a remarkable woman who becomes the centre of their emotional triangle. This mirrors the heightened passions of the political struggles that threaten to destroy lives and loves. Includes the hit songs I Know Him So Well and One Night In Bangkok.
London (Concert) Revival 2008 with Adam Pascal, Idina Menzel, Josh Groban and Kerry Ellis
London Revival 2018 with Michael Ball and Alexandra Burke, Tim Howar and Cassidy Janson
Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus other West End credits include the musical Mamma Mia!
Tim Rice's other London musical credits as a lyricist include From Here to Eternity, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
Original London (Concert) Production 1984 with Murray Head, Elaine Paige, Tommy Korberg, Karin Glenmark
27 October 1984 at the Barbican Hall (one performance)
The cast featured Murray Head as 'Frederick Trumper, The American', Elaine Paige as 'Florence Vassy', Tommy Korberg as 'Anatoly Sergievsky, The Russian', Karin Glenmark as 'Svetlana Sergievsky', Bjorn Skifs as 'The Arbiter', and Denis Quilley as 'Alexander Molokov', with the London Symphony Orchestra and choir.
Original West End London Production 1986 with Murray Head, Elaine Paige, Tommy Korberg and Siobhan McCarthy
Previewed 5 May 1986, Opened 14 May 1986, Closed 8 April 1989 at the Prince Edward Theatre
The original cast featured Murray Head as 'Frederick Trumper, The American', Elaine Paige as 'Florence Vassy', Tommy Korberg as 'Anatoly Sergievsky, The Russian', Siobhan McCarthy as 'Svetlana Sergievsky', Tom Jobe as 'The Arbiter', John Turner as 'Alexander Molokov', and Kevin Colson as 'Walter'.
Directed by Trevor Nunn with choreography by Molly Molloy, sets by Robin Wagner, costumes by Theoni V Aldredge, lighting by David Hersey, and sound by Andrew Bruce.
Due to technical problems with the productions computers, the first public previews where delayed by four days, from 30 April to 5 May, with the opening date remaining the same.
London (Concert) Revival 2008 with Adam Pascal, Idina Menzel, Josh Groban and Kerry Ellis
12 and 13 May 2008 at the Royal Albert Hall (two performances)
The cast featured Adam Pascal as 'Frederick Trumper, The American', Idina Menzel as 'Florence Vassy', Josh Groban as 'Anatoly Sergievsky, The Russian', Kerry Ellis as 'Svetlana Sergievsky', Marti Pellow as 'The Arbiter', David Bedella as 'Alexander Molokov', and Clarke Peters as 'Walter', with the City of London Philharmonic and the West End Chorus.
Directed by Hugh Wooldridge with choreography by Kevan Allen and Andrew Wright, projections by Rehana Rose Khan, lighting by Mark Jones and Hugh Wooldridge, and sound by Phil Wright.
London Revival 2018 with Michael Ball and Alexandra Burke, Tim Howar and Cassidy Janson
Previewed 26 April 2018, Opened 1 May 2018, Closed 2 June 2018 at the London Coliseum
A major revival of the Tim Rice, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus musical Chess in London starring Michael Ball and Alexandra Burke
The cast featured Tim Howar as 'Freddie Trumper, The American', Cassidy Janson as 'Florence Vassy', Michael Ball as 'Anatoly Sergievsky, The Russian', Alexandra Burke as 'Svetlana Sergievsky', Cedric Neal as 'The Arbiter', and Philip Browne as 'Alexander Molokov', with the Orchestra and Chorus of the English National Opera.
Directed by Laurence Connor with choreography by Stephen Mear, designs by Matthew Kinley, costumes by Christina Cunningham, video by Terry Scruby, lighting by Patrick Woodfroffe, and sound by Mick Potter.
NOTE: Murray Head, who originated the role of 'Freddie Trumper' in the original production of Chess at the Prince Edward Theatre in 1986, was due to play the role of 'The Arbiter' in this production, but unfortunately he had to withdraw prior to performances beginning.
When this production at the London Coliseum in May 2018, Quentin Letts in the Daily Mail wrote that "Chess has its structural flaws... yet this production has admirable ambition, a couple of spine-tingler moments and enough musical muscle to reach the London Coliseum's august rafters." Ben Lawrence in the Daily Telegraph commented how "this recalibrated revival, which aims to bring out the sheer power of the music through a semi-staging, hasn't managed to properly address the show's many flaws... The score is blessed by very strong vocal performances from the show's four leads... Indeed the power of the vocals often manages to distract you from Chess's terrible inadequacies. The plot leaps from set piece to set piece without ever reaching anything approaching psychological truth." Henry Hitchings in the London Evening Standard highlighted that it "feels both loudly emphatic and dramatically undernourished... Laurence Connor's production certainly fills the space... but the more it strains for emotional intensity, the less it achieves, and it's rare to see so much talent marshalled in the service of such a piffling idea." Ann Treneman in the Times said that "the music, by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus of Abba fame with lyrics by Sir Tim Rice, may be mega but then there is the plot which is so very small as to be almost invisible... Chess is mega all right, as in disappointment. And, through it all, the brilliant orchestra kept on playing because that's their job." Neil Norman in the Daily Express explained that "no expense has been spared in the staging with enormous video screens, spectacular lighting effects and the English National Opera's orchestra and chorus blasting out the score like a jet engine... Michael Ball is the rock-solid centre of the show and the only performer whose diction is clear enough for us to hear the lyrics... Big, bold, lurid and very loud." Sarah Hemming in the Financial Times described how "the story itself (despite multiple reworkings) is paper thin, jerked forward in shifts as stiff as moves on a board, and the characters are undernourished... without a proper dramatic core, this monumental staging runs into stalemate." Alice Jones in the i newspaper thought that this "1986 musical is, as they say, a product of its time. But Laurence Connor's flashy production at the English National Opera gives the 1986 musical the air of an update... Do not be fooled - this musical is as relevant as a puffball skirt, or Kajagoogoo... It's a shame as there are some good things about the show. The ENO orchestra are muscular and brilliant under conductor John Rigby and give the score real power."
Cassidy Janson's West End theatre credits include the title role in Marc Bruni's production of Beautiful - The Carole King Musical at the Aldwych Theatre in 2017; and the role of 'Maggie Saunders' in Ian Talbot's production of Ken Ludwig's Lend Me A Tenor the Musical at the Gielgud Theatre in 2011.
Tim Howar's London stage credits include the role of 'Ozzie', one of the three sailors, in Jude Kelly's revival of Leonard Bernstein's On the Town, for English National Opera, at the London Coliseum in 2005; and the role of 'Stu Roderick' in Ben Elton's production od the Rod Stewart musical Tonight's The Night at the Victoria Palace in 2004.
The musical Chess at the London Coliseum previewed from 26 April 2018, opened on 1 May 2018 and closed on 2 June 2018