Chess(musical)

Chess
Concept album cover
Music	Benny Andersson Björn Ulvaeus
Lyrics	Tim Rice Björn Ulvaeus
Book	Tim Rice(West End version) Richard Nelson(Broadway version)
Productions	1984 European Concert Tour 1986West End 1988Broadway 1990 First US Tour 1990 First UK Tour 2003 Broadway Concert 2008 London Concert 2010 Second UK Tour 2018 Washington, D.C. Revival 2018 West End Revival 2020 Japan Tour 2020 Moscow 2022 West End Concert 2022 Broadway Concert
Awards	Nominated for 1986Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical

Chessis amusicalwith music byBenny AnderssonandBjörn Ulvaeusof the pop groupABBA,lyrics by Ulvaeus andTim Rice,and book by Rice. The story involves a politically driven,Cold War-erachess tournamentbetween twograndmasters,one American and the other Soviet, and their fight over a woman who manages one and falls in love with the other. Although the protagonists were not intended to represent any real individuals, the character of the American grandmaster (named Freddie Trumper in the stage version) was loosely based onBobby Fischer,while elements of the story may have been inspired by the chess careers of Russian grandmastersViktor KorchnoiandAnatoly Karpov.

Chessallegorically reflected the Cold War tensions present in the 1980s. The musical has been referred to as a metaphor for the whole Cold War, with the insinuation being made that the Cold War is itself a manipulative game.Released and staged at the height of the strong anti-communist agenda that came to be known as the "Reagan Doctrine",Chessaddressed and satirized the hostility of the international political atmosphere of the 1980s.

As with other productions such asJesus Christ SuperstarandEvita,a highly successfulconcept albumwas released prior to the first theatrical production in order to raise money. In the case ofChess,the concept album was released in the autumn of 1984 while the show opened in London'sWest Endin 1986 where it played for three years. A much-altered US version premiered onBroadwayin 1988 with a book byRichard Nelson,but survived only for two months.Chessis frequently revised for new productions, many of which try to merge elements from both the British and American versions, but was not revived in the West End until 2018.

Chessplaced seventh in aBBC Radio 2listener poll of the UK's "Number One Essential Musicals".

Development

Tim Rice,a lyricist and librettist best known for musicals such asJesus Christ SuperstarandEvita,had long wanted to write a musical about theCold War.During the mid-1970s, he had discussed the idea of a musical about theCuban Missile Crisiswith his usual collaborator, composerAndrew Lloyd Webber,but the idea never came to fruition.

By the late 1970s, Rice had become inspired to tell his Cold War story through the prism of the long-standing United States-Soviet Union chess rivalry; he had earlier been fascinated by the political machinations of the 1972 "Match of the Century"betweenBobby FischerandBoris Spassky.However, by the time Rice wanted to begin work on the musical in early 1979, Lloyd Webber was unavailable, as he was already at work on his next musical,Cats.

Subsequently, American producer Richard Vos suggested to Rice to work with Andersson and Ulvaeus instead, knowing that they were looking to develop and produce projects outside of ABBA. An ardent fan of the group, Rice agreed. He later wrote that he felt no reservations because "there is a sense of theatre in the ABBA style".With Vos also in attendance, Rice met with the two in Stockholm for the first time on 15 December 1981 in order to discuss the concept, and they quickly signed on to the project.

All through 1982 and 1983, the three men worked on the music and lyrics. Rice would describe the mood of particular songs he wanted, then Andersson and Ulvaeus would write and record the music and send the tapes to Rice, who would then write lyrics to fit the music, and send the resulting tapes back to Andersson and Ulvaeus and so on.

Some of the songs on the resulting album contained elements of music Andersson and Ulvaeus had previously written for ABBA. For example, the chorus of "I Know Him So Well" was based on the chorus of "I Am An A", a song from their 1977 tour,while the chorus of "Anthem" used the chord structures from the guitar solo from their 1980 ABBA song "Our Last Summer".

Ulvaeus would also provide dummy lyrics to emphasise the rhythmic patterns of the music, and since Rice found a number of these "embarrassingly good" as they were, incorporated a few in the final version. The most well known example is "One night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble".One song, which became "Heaven Help My Heart", was recorded with an entire set of lyrics, sung by ABBA'sAgnetha Fältskogwith the title "Every Good Man",although none of the original lyrics from this song were used.

Partly to raise money in order to produce the show in the West End and partly to see how the material would fare with the public, it was decided to release the music as an album before any stage productions were undertaken, a strategy that had proven successful with Rice's two previous musicals,Jesus Christ SuperstarandEvita.

Owing in part to the different countries in which the lyricist and composers resided, recording on thealbum musicalofChessbegan in Stockholm in early November 1983, with Andersson recording the many layered keyboard parts himself along with other basic work at their usualPolar Studios,and choral and orchestral work then recorded in London byThe Ambrosian Singersalong with theLondon Symphony Orchestra.The album was then sound-engineered and mixed back at Polar by longtime ABBA sound engineerMichael B. Tretow.

Original album

History

Thedouble LP,often referred to as aconcept albumoralbum musical,was released worldwide in the autumn of 1984 byRCA Records.Liner notes included with the album featured a basic synopsis of the story in multiple languages along with song lyrics and numerous photos. The music on the album was described byThe New York Timesas "a sumptuously recorded... grandiose pastiche that touches half a dozen bases, fromGilbert and Sullivanto lateRodgers and Hammerstein,fromItalian operato trendy synthesizer-based pop, all of it lavishly arranged for the London Symphony Orchestra with splashy electronic embellishments ".The album featuredMurray Head,Tommy Körberg,Elaine Paige,and noted actorDenis Quilleyin the role of Molokov. A single from the album, "One Night in Bangkok",with verses performed by Murray Head and choruses performed byAnders Glenmark,became a worldwide smash, reaching #3 on the USBillboardHot 100.The duet "I Know Him So Well"byElaine PaigeandBarbara Dicksonheld the #1 spot on the UK singles charts for four weeks, winning theIvor Novello Awardin the process as the Best Selling Single ('A' Side).

On 27 October 1984, a concert version of the album was premiered by the original cast in London'sBarbican Centreand then performed in Hamburg, Amsterdam, and Paris with final presentation on 1 November inBerwaldhallenin Stockholm.

In 1985,music videoswere filmed for the songs "One Night in Bangkok", "Nobody's Side", "The Arbiter", and the ballads "I Know Him So Well" and "Pity the Child", featuring the performers from the album, directed by David G Hillier and produced by Nick Maingay. These were released together in aVHSvideo entitledChess Moves.

Critical reception

The originalconcept albumreceived critical accolades, withRolling Stoneraving that the "dazzling score covers nearly all the pop bases",Kurt Ganzl'sBlackwell Guide to the Musical Theatre on Recordtelling readers about the "thrilling exposition of an exciting piece of modern musical theater occurring before the event" andTimedeclaring that the "rock-symphonic synthesis [was] ripe with sophistication and hummable tunes".

The album became a Top 10 hit in the UK, West Germany and South Africa, reached #47 on the USBillboard200,#39 in France, #35 in Australia, and for seven weeks remained at #1 on the Swedish album chart due in no small part to the composers' Swedish heritage. The recording also received several prestigious awards, including theGoldene Europafrom Germany, theEdison Awardfrom the Netherlands, and theRockbjörnfrom Sweden.

Principal cast

• The American –Murray Head
• The Russian –Tommy Körberg
• Florence –Elaine Paige
• Molokov –Denis Quilley
• The Arbiter –Björn Skifs
• Svetlana –Barbara Dickson

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Tim Rice & Björn Ulvaeus; all music is composed by Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus

Side One

No.	Title	Performed by	Length
1.	"Merano"	Chorus of Townspeople, The American	6:59
2.	"The Russian and Molokov / Where I Want to Be"	The Russian and Molokov / The Russian	6:19
3.	"Opening Ceremony"	The Arbiter with Ensemble of Townspeople, Russian Heavies and Merchandisers	9:18
4.	"Quartet (A Model of Decorum and Tranquility)"	Molokov, Florence, The Arbiter and The Russian	2:17

Side Two

No.	Title	Performed by	Length
5.	"The American and Florence / Nobody's Side"	Florence and The American / Florence	5:25
6.	"Chess" (Instrumental)		5:44
7.	"Mountain Duet"	Florence and The Russian	4:42
8.	"Florence Quits"	Florence and The American	2:52
9.	"Embassy Lament"	Chorus of Embassy Clerks	1:30
10.	"Anthem"	The Russian	3:03

Side Three

No.	Title	Performed by	Length
1.	"Bangkok /One Night in Bangkok"	The American and Ensemble	5:00
2.	"Heaven Help My Heart"	Florence	3:29
3.	"Argument"	Florence and The Russian	1:50
4.	"I Know Him So Well"	Florence and Svetlana	4:16
5.	"The Deal (No Deal)"	The American, The Russian, Molokov and Florence	3:55
6.	"Pity the Child"	The American	5:29

Side Four

No.	Title	Performed by	Length
7.	"Endgame"	Molokov, The Russian, The American, Florence, Svetlana and Ensemble	10:46
8.	"Epilogue: You and I / The Story of Chess / You and I (Reprise)"	Florence, The Russian, and Ensemble	10:24
Total length:			93:18

Deluxe edition album

A 2014 release calledChess: The Original Recording Remastered Deluxe Editionwas released in celebration of the 30th anniversary original double album. Released as a double-CD and single DVD, the album features the complete original 1984 concept recording. The remastered and expanded (deluxe) edition includes three previously unreleased bonus tracks as well as a DVD featuring a documentary and five video clips of songs from the album.

CD

Previously unreleased bonus tracks.

Chess: The Original Recording Remastered Deluxe Edition

No.	Title	Performed by	Length
9.	"Press Conference"	The Ambrosian Singers	4:35
10.	"Intro Mountain Duet (Der Kleine Franz)"	London Symphony Orchestra	1:54
11.	"Anthem" (Instrumental)	London Symphony Orchestra	2:55
Total length:			102:42

DVD

Documentary:

• Magasinet Special: Chess 1984– London Symphony Orchestra, Tommy Körberg, Elaine Paige, Murray Head, Anders Eljas, Denis Quilley, Barbara Dickson, Björn Skifs

Music videos (all of which can be found onChess Moves):

• "One Night in Bangkok" – Murray Head
• "Nobody's Side" – Elaine Paige
• "The Arbiter" – Björn Skifs
• "I Know Him So Well" – Elaine Paige, Barbara Dickson
• "Pity the Child" – Murray Head

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1984–85)	Peak position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)	35
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)	17
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)	30
European Albums(Eurotipsheet)	9
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)	6
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)	20
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)	3
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)	1
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)	3
UK Albums(OCC)	10
USBillboard200	47

Year-end charts

Chart (1985)	Position
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)	29
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)	37
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)	24

British stage version

History of the original West End production (1986–1989)

Chesspremiered in London'sWest Endon 14 May 1986 at thePrince Edward Theatre.The original production was originally set to be directed byMichael Bennett,but after casting the show and commissioning the expansive set and costume designs, he withdrew from the project for health reasons and died on 2 July 1987 fromAIDS-relatedlymphoma.Trevor Nunn,who had directed the musicalsCatsandLes Misérables,took over as director. Set designerRobin Wagnerlater told Lynn Pecktal, author of the bookSet Design,that Bennett had planned a "multimedia" show, with an elaborate tilting floor, banks of television monitors, and other technological touches. Nunn applied his realistic style to the show instead, although the basics of the mammoth set design were still present in the final production. These included threevideo walls,the main of which featured commentary from chess masterWilliam Hartston,and appearances from various BBC newsreaders rounding out the package. Costs were estimated at up to $12 million.

The London version expanded the storyline of the concept album, adding considerable newrecitative.The three principal singers from the concept album,Elaine Paige,Tommy KörbergandMurray Headreprised their roles on stage.Barbara Dicksonwas unable to appear, andSiobhán McCarthyplayed the part of Svetlana, and the cast also featuredAnthony Head,Grainne Renihan, Ria Jones,David BurtandPeter Karrie,during its three-year run. The show won theCritics' Circle Theatre Awardfor Best Musicaland received three 1986Laurence Olivier Awardnominations for Best Musical, Outstanding Performance by an Actor (Tommy Körberg) and Outstanding Performance by an Actress (Elaine Paige).The production closed on 8 April 1989.

Critical reception

The premiere of the musical provoked an overall mixed to favourable verdict from the critics and, according toVariety,created "one of the bigger West End mob scenes in recent memory". Most of the naysaying notices had comments ranging from "far too long" and "shallow, improbable story masquerading as a serious musical" fromThe Sunday TimestoThe Guardian'sconclusion that, "A musical is only as good as itsbook,and here one is confronted by an inchoate mess. "Other newspapers posted rave reviews however.The Daily Telegraphwrote that the show was "gift-wrapped and gorgeous.. pels admiration",The Timesnoted that "it turns out to be a fine piece of work that shows the dinosaur mega-musical evolving into an intelligent form of life" andTodaycalled it "gripping, eye-catching.. nearly a major triumph".In addition, Michael Ratcliffe wrote inObserverthat the "operetta plot which would have delighted a matureLeharis dramatised in a buoyant, eclectic and stirring theatre-score "and called Körberg" the indisputable star of the show ".Sheridan MorleyinInternational Herald Tribunecomplimented the show's "remarkably coherent dramatic shape" and "staging of considerable intelligence and invention".

Plot summary

Act 1

The president of theInternational Chess Federation—theArbiter—speculates on the origins of the game of chess ( "Story of Chess" ) before announcing the location of the upcomingworld chess championship:Merano,Italy. As the townsfolk prepare for the occasion ( "Merano" ), the current world champion, Freddie Trumper of the United States, arrives with hissecondand presumed lover: Hungarian-born, English-raised Florence Vassy ( "Freddie's Entrance" ). Florence confronts Freddie about his brash behavior and rocky relationship with the press ( "Commie Newspapers" ), which immediately gets out of hand when heassaultsa journalist who questions his relationship with Florence ( "Press Conference" ). Meanwhile, Freddie's Soviet Russian challenger, Anatoly Sergievsky, argues with his own second, the scheming Molokov ( "Anatoly and Molokov" ). Afterwards, in private, Anatoly cynically reflects on theselling outof his dreams to get to where he is today ( "Where I Want to Be" ).

The opening ceremony features the American and Soviet delegates each vowing their side will win ( "Diplomats" ), the Arbiter insisting on a clean game ( "The Arbiter" ), and marketers looking to make a profit ( "Hymn to Chess" / "Merchandisers" ). During the increasingly intense match, Freddie suddenly throws the chessboard to the floor and storms out of the arena ( "Chess #1" ), leaving Florence to negotiate with Anatoly, Molokov, and the Arbiter ( "Quartet" ). Florence manages to arrange a meeting between the two players, after trading heated words with Molokov. It turns out that Freddie engineered the outburst in the hopes of extracting more money from his sponsor, an Americansensationalistmedia company called Global Television, though Walter—the company's representative in Freddie's delegation—criticizes the stunt as ludicrous ( "Florence and Molokov" ). Florence later scolds Freddie, and they fight about the politics of the tournament until he viciously turns the argument toward her missing father, believed captured or killed by Soviet forces during the1956 Hungarian Revolution( "1956: Budapest is Rising" ). She laments the situation alone ( "Nobody's Side" ) before heading off to the Merano Mountain Inn for the reconciliatory meeting she has scheduled between Freddie and Anatoly ( "Der Kleine Franz" ). Freddie does not immediately turn up, though, leaving Anatoly and Florence awkwardly alone together; however, they eventually embrace as romantic feelings arise before being finally interrupted by Freddie, who was working out new financial terms with Global TV ( "Mountain Duet" ).

The chess match proceeds. Distracted by the loss of Florence's love, however, Freddie founders, leaving himself just one more loss away from losing his title ( "Chess #2" ). Due to Freddie's atrocious attitude, Florence finally deserts him ( "Florence Quits" ), whereby Freddie ponders how his unhappy childhood left him the man he is today ( "Pity the Child" ). He sends the Arbiter a letter of resignation, resulting in Anatoly becoming the new world champion. Anatoly immediatelydefectsfrom the Soviet Union and seeks asylum at the British embassy ( "Defection" / "Embassy Lament" ). Florence, accompanying Anatoly, reflects on their newfound romance ( "Heaven Help My Heart" ). Meanwhile, Walter tips off the press about this scandal. When the mob of reporters ambush Anatoly and ask why he is deserting his country ( "Anatoly and the Press" ), he tells them that he will never truly leave his homeland. ( "Anthem" ).

Act 2

A year later, Anatoly is set to defend his championship inBangkok, Thailand( "Golden Bangkok" ). Freddie is already there, chatting up locals and experiencing theBangkok nightlife( "One Night in Bangkok" ); he is Global TV's official commentator for the match. Florence and Anatoly are now openly lovers, and worry about Freddie's sudden reappearance as well as the impending arrival of Anatoly's estranged wife, Svetlana, from Russia ( "One More Opponent" / "You and I" ), which Anatoly suspects is part of Molokov's plan to shame him into returning to the Soviet Union. Molokov, meanwhile, has trained a new protégé, Leonid Viigand, to challenge, defeat, and humiliate Anatoly ( "The Soviet Machine" ).

Walter, now Freddie's Boss, manipulates Freddie into embarrassing Anatoly on live TV during an eventually heated interview between them ( "The Interview" ). Molokov, who indeed is responsible for Svetlana's presence in Bangkok, blackmails her into urging Anatoly tothrow the match.Walter, who has been promised the release of certain captured American agents if he can ruin Anatoly's performance, informs Florence that her father is still alive though imprisoned, and that he too will be released if she can convince Anatoly to lose. Despite Molokov and Walter's efforts, none of their ploys work to get Anatoly to throw the game. As a result, Molokov and Walter team up to get Freddie to personally persuade Anatoly and Florence, knowing that Freddie is vengeful toward Anatoly and interested in winning back the love of Florence; however, Freddie's attempts also fail ( "The Deal" ).

Surprisingly, Svetlana and Florence end up bonding over their respective relationships with Anatoly. Florence ultimately admits that it would be best for Anatoly to return to his children and Svetlana, while Svetlana accepts that Anatoly has long fallen out of love with her ( "I Know Him So Well" ). Anatoly, meanwhile, follows an anonymous letter guiding him toWat Pho,where Freddie appears to tell him that he is willing to put their conflict behind him. Having decided that he only wants Anatoly to "be true to the game", Freddie informs Anatoly of a significant flaw in Viigand's strategy that will help Anatoly win ( "Talking Chess" ).

In the deciding game of the match, with the score tied at five games all, Svetlana castigates Anatoly for wallowing in the crowd's empty praise and Florence expresses similar annoyance with him for casting aside his ideals; regardless, Anatoly achieves a superb victory against Viigand ( "Endgame" ). Later, Florence confesses her feelings that he should return to his family in the Soviet Union. The pair reflects on the conclusion of their romance ( "You and I: Reprise" ).

Epilogue

Walter later approaches Florence with the news that Anatoly has defected back to the USSR, meaning that her father will certainly be released. He startlingly admits, however, that no one actually knows if her father is still alive. Florence breaks down, realising that she too has been used, and she sadly mirrors Anatoly's earlier sentiment that her only borders lie around her heart ( "Anthem: Reprise" ).

Original West End cast

• Frederick Trumper, The American –Murray Head
• Florence Vassy –Elaine Paige
• Anatoly Sergievsky, The Russian –Tommy Körberg
• Alexander Molokov – John Turner
• Walter de Courcey –Kevin Colson
• The Arbiter – Tom Jobe
• Svetlana Sergievsky –Siobhán McCarthy
• Mayor of Merano – Richard Mitchell
• T.V. Presenter –Peter Karrie
• Civil Servants – Richard Lyndon, Paul Wilson
• Tea Lady - Julie Armstrong

Songs

Act 1

• "The Story of Chess" – The Arbiter and Ensemble
• "Merano":^†
  • "Merano" – Mayor and Ensemble
  • "Freddie's Entrance" – Freddie and Florence
  • "Merano (Reprise)" – Ensemble
• "Commie Newspapers" – Freddie and Florence
• "Press Conference" – Freddie, Florence, and Reporters
• "Anatoly & Molokov" / "Where I Want to Be"^†– Anatoly and Molokov / Anatoly and Ensemble
• "Diplomats"^‡– Molokov, Walter, and Ensemble
• "The Arbiter" – The Arbiter and Ensemble
• "Hymn to Chess" – Ensemble
• "Merchandisers" – Ensemble
• "Chess #1" – Instrumental
• "The Arbiter (Reprise)" – The Arbiter and Ensemble
• "Quartet (A Model of Decorum and Tranquility)" – Molokov, Florence, The Arbiter, and Anatoly
• "Florence and Molokov" – Molokov, Florence, Walter, and Freddie
• "1956 – Budapest is Rising" – Florence and Freddie
• "Nobody's Side" – Florence and Ensemble
• "Der Kleine Franz" – Ensemble
• "Mountain Duet" – Florence and Anatoly
• "Chess #2" – Instrumental
• "Florence Quits" – Freddie and Florence
• "Pity the Child" – Freddie and Ensemble
• "Defection Scene" – Instrumental
• "Embassy Lament" – English Civil Servants
• "Heaven Help My Heart" – Florence
• "Anatoly and the Press" – Anatoly and Reporters
• "Anthem" – Anatoly and Ensemble

Act 2

• "Golden Bangkok" / "One Night in Bangkok"^†– Instrumental / Freddie and Ensemble
• "One More Opponent" / "You and I"^†– Anatoly and Florence
• "The Soviet Machine" – Molokov and Ensemble
• "The Interview" – Walter, Freddie, and Anatoly
• "Someone Else's Story"^§– Svetlana
• "The Deal" – The Arbiter, Molokov, Svetlana, Walter, Florence, Freddie, Anatoly, and Ensemble
• "I Know Him So Well" – Florence and Svetlana
• "Talking Chess" – Freddie and Anatoly
• "Endgame" – Molokov, Walter, Florence, Anatoly, Svetlana, and Ensemble
• "You and I (Reprise)" – Florence and Anatoly
• "Finale" – Walter and Florence

^†The multiple songs listed here are often merged on recordings into a single track.
^‡Song is alternately titled "U.S. vs. U.S.S.R."
^§This song actually originated with the American (Broadway) version of the musical, but has since been also included in productions and recordings otherwise adhering to the British version. Its placement varies; this is the placement used by the 2008 Royal Albert Hall concert.

American stage version

History of the original Broadway production (1988)

After the West End production, the creative team decided to reimagine the show from the top down, leading to a second major stage version of the musical intended for American audiences, with considerable differences from the British version in both plot and music. Trevor Nunn brought in playwrightRichard Nelsonto recreate the musical as a straightforward "book show" forBroadwayaudiences. Nunn brought in new, younger principals after he disqualified Paige from the role of Florence by insisting Nelson recreate the character as an American. The story changed drastically, with different settings, characters, and many different plot elements, although the basic plot remained the same.Benny Andersson toldVariety:"The main difference between London and here is that in London there is only about two or three minutes of spoken dialog. Here, in order to clarify some points, it is almost one-third dialog".The score was reordered, and comparisons of the Broadway cast recording and the original concept album reveal the dramatic extent of the changes. Robin Wagner designed a new set, which featured mobile towers that shifted continuously throughout the show, in an attempt to give it a sense of cinematic fluidity.

The first preview on 11 April 1988 ran 4 hours with a 90-minute intermission (the stage crew reportedly had problems with the sets); by opening night on 28 April, it was down to 3 hours 15 minutes. But despite a healthy box-office advance, the Broadway production did not manage to sustain a consistently large audience and closed on 25 June, after 17 previews and 68 regular performances. "And there I was, on closing night, singing and sobbing along", later wroteTimemagazine criticRichard Corliss.Overall, the show (capitalized at $6 million) since its opening, according toVariety,"has been doing moderate business, mainly on the strength of theater party advances".Gerald Schoenfeld,co-producer of the show, noted: "The musical had been playing to about 80 percent capacity, which is considered good, but about 50 percent of the audience have held special, half-priced tickets. If we filled the house at 100 percent at half price, we'd go broke and I haven't seen any surge of tourist business yet this season. The show needs a $350,000 weekly gross to break even, but only a few weeks since its April 28 opening have reached that.... You have to consider what your grosses are going to be in the future".

The Broadway production was nominated for several major awards. It got five nods from theDrama Desk Awards:Outstanding Actor in a Musical (David Carroll), Outstanding Actress in a Musical (Judy Kuhn), Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical (Harry Goz), Outstanding Music (Andersson and Ulvaeus) and Outstanding Lighting Design (David Hersey). Carroll and Kuhn also receivedTony Awardnominations in Leading Actor in a Musical and Leading Actress in a Musical categories. None of the nominations resulted in a win, butPhilip Casnoffreceived a 1988Theatre World Awardfor Best Debut Performance. The Original Broadway Cast recording of the musical was nominated for the 1988Grammy Awardin the category Best Musical Cast Show Album (won byInto the Woods).

Later, the musical developed a cult following based primarily on the score (Frank Rich noted in his bookHot Seatthat "the score retains its devoted fans" ), while Nelson's book received more mixed notices. Many attempts were made to fix the Broadway version's perceived problems.In 2001, in an interview with theSan Francisco Chronicle,Tim Rice admitted that after the "comparative failure ofChess,his all-time favourite, he became disillusioned with theatre. "He commented," It may sound arrogant, butChessis as good as anything I've ever done. And maybe it costs too much brainpower for the average person to follow it ".

Critical reception

Many critics panned the show, most notablyFrank RichofThe New York Times,who wrote that "the evening has the theatrical consistency of quicksand" and described it as "a suite of temper tantrums, [where] the characters... yell at one another to rock music".Howard Kissel ofNew York Daily Newscomplained that "the show is shrilly overamplified" and "neither of the love stories is emotionally involving", whileNewsweekmagazine called the show a "Broadway's monster" and opined that "Chess assaults the audience with a relentless barrage of scenes and numbers that are muscle-bound with self-importance".

A few reviewers, however, praised it highly.William A. Henry IIIwrote an exceptionally sympathetic review inTime:"Clear narrative drive, Nunn's cinematic staging, three superb leading performances by actors willing to be complex and unlikeable and one of the best rock scores ever produced in the theater. This is an angry, difficult, demanding and rewarding show, one that pushes the boundaries of the form" (Time, 9 May 1988). His sentiments were echoed by William K. Gale inProvidence Journal:"A show with a solid, even wonderfully old-fashioned story that still has a bitter-sweet, rough-edged view of the world... exciting, dynamic theater... a match of wit and passion."

Richard Christiansen ofChicago Tribunesuggested that "Chessfalters despite new strategy ", yet concluded his review:" Audiences forgive a lot of failings when they find a show that touches them with its music, andChess,clumsy and overblown as it sometimes is in its three hours-plus running time, gives them that heart ".Welton Joneswrote inThe San Diego Union-TribunethatChess"has one of the richest, most exciting scores heard on Broadway in years... Sadly, the music has been encumbered with an overwritten book and an uninspired staging... Truly, this is a score to be treasured, held ransom by a questionable book and production".

All critics agreed, though, on the three leading performances byJudy Kuhn,David CarrollandPhilip Casnoff.They were showered with praise – "splendid and gallant" (Newsweek), "powerful singers" (The New York Times), "remarkably fine" (New York Post) – especially Kuhn, whose performanceVarietycalled a "show's chief pleasure".

Benny Andersson commented inVarietyon the negative Broadway reviews: "I really don't know why they don't like it.... I do know that most of the audiences so far stand up and cheer for everyone at the end. They appear to get emotionally involved with the show, and they really like it."

Synopsis

The musical's American incarnation has noticeably different settings, lyrics, song orders, and a completely different Act 2 from the British version. In particular, in the AmericanChessthe entire show is about one chess match, not two. Act 1 involves the first part of the match, which is held in Bangkok, Thailand, while Act 2 handles the conclusion, and is set in Budapest, Hungary. Also, the incumbent champion is switched in the American version (that is, to Anatoly Sergievsky rather than Freddie Trumper) as is the winner of the Sergievsky–Trumper tournament.

Prologue

In 1956, aHungarianrevolutionary, Gregor Vassy, calmly explains to his 4-year-old daughter, Florence, the history of chess, before the two are separated in the midst of a violentrebellion in Budapest( "Prologue" / "The Story of Chess" ).

Act 1

Decades later at an international chess tournament inBangkok, Thailand,the wild-tempered American challenger, Freddie Trumper, arrives with hissecondand presumed lover: a now-adult Florence ( "Freddie's Entrance" ). At a press meeting, Freddie loses his temper with the reporters as Florence scolds them for theirsensationalism( "Press Conference" ). The current world champion, a Soviet Russian named Anatoly Sergievsky, discusses this with his second, Molokov. Afterwards, in private, Anatoly cynically reflects on how his career as world champion has been characterized by empty fame ( "Where I Want to Be" ). Meanwhile, Florence grows frustrated with Freddie's seedy financial agent, Walter, and complains to Freddie that her intellectual capabilities are under-appreciated ( "Argument" ).

The opening ceremony features merchandise vendors and Walter relishing in the tournament's money-making opportunities ( "Merchandisers" ); the American and Soviet delegates each vowing their side will win ( "Diplomats" ); and the beginning of the tournament's first round ( "Chess #1" ). When Anatoly begins eating yogurt during the match, Freddie accuses him of cheating before storming out of the arena, leaving Florence to negotiate with the tournament's Arbiter, Molokov, and Anatoly, eventually promising to retrieve Freddie ( "Quartet" ). Florence later scolds Freddie, and they fight about the tournament's politics until he viciously turns the argument toward her missing father ( "The American and Florence" ); alone, Florence begins to realize her need to abandon Freddie ( "Someone Else's Story" ).

Instead of heading off to the Generous Sole restaurant for the reconciliatory meeting Florence has scheduled between Freddie and Anatoly, Freddie is sidetracked by the Bangkok nightlife ( "One Night in Bangkok" ), leaving Anatoly and Florence awkwardly alone together; however, they eventually embrace as romantic feelings arise before being finally interrupted by Freddie ( "Terrace Duet" / "Who'd Ever Think It?" ). Anatoly apologizes for the yogurt incident and Freddie returns to the match, but only after a hefty bribe. Distracted by the loss of Florence's love, however, Freddie flounders, finishing the most recent round with one win and five losses; one more loss will cost him the match (Chess #2). Furious, he blames his issues on Florence, who finally leaves him as he reflects on his stature ( "Florence Quits" / "A Taste of Pity" ). Florence contemplates her new freedom from Freddie ( "Nobody's Side" ), while Walter secretly arranges for Anatoly to defect from the Soviet Union to the United States. When a mob of reporters ambush Anatoly and ask about his newfound relationship with Florence and why he is deserting his country ( "Reporters" ), he tells them that he will never truly leave his homeland ( "Anthem" ).

Act 2

Eight weeks later, everyone is inBudapestto witness the conclusion of the match between Anatoly and Freddie ( "The Arbiter" / "Hungarian Folk Song" ). Florence is elated to be back in her hometown, but dismayed that she remembers none of it ( "Heaven Help My Heart" ). Molokov offers to help her find her missing father and starts "investigating". Freddie, under protestations from Walter, is confident that he will win ( "Winning" ). Florence and Anatoly are now openly lovers, though their relationship is complicated by the arrival of Svetlana, Anatoly's estranged wife, in Budapest ( "You and I" ). Anatoly discovers that Molokov is threatening his brother's family to get him to return to Russia and begins to break down, losing a string of matches and leaving the score tied at five games all ( "Freddie Goes Metal" ). Molokov and Walter, interested in exchanging key individuals for their respective countries, collaborate to achieve their separate goals ( "Let's Work Together" ), and Molokov reveals to Walter that Florence's father is alive in Budapest, who in turn reveals this to Florence. Pressured by this information and the strain on her relationship with Anatoly, Florence turns to Svetlana for solace ( "I Know Him So Well" ). Anatoly, having heard the news of Florence's father, cannot focus on the match at hand, and so Florence asks Freddie for a postponement, but he refuses and breaks down on live television, reflecting how his broken childhood made him who he is today ( "Pity the Child" ). In the meantime, Molokov brings Florence to see a man claiming to be her father and the two joyously reconnect ( "Father's Lullaby" ).

In the deciding game of the match, Anatoly resolves to ensure that Florence is reunited with her father. He thus chooses to recant his defection and makes a tactical error during the game. Freddie immediately takes advantage of the blunder and proceeds to win the tournament, becoming the new world champion ( "Endgame" ). Florence and Anatoly reflect on the conclusion of their romance ( "You and I:Reprise ").

Epilogue

Florence is left alone to wait for her father when she is approached by Walter, who confesses that the old man is not her father, who is most likely dead. It seems that Molokov struck a deal with Walter that if the Russians managed to get Anatoly back, they would release a captured American spy; using Florence, they succeeded. Florence has now left Freddie, been abandoned by Anatoly, and lost the father she never had, realising that she too has been used, and she sadly mirrors Anatoly's earlier sentiment that her only borders lie around her heart ( "Anthem: Reprise" ).

Original Broadway cast

• Frederick Trumper, The American –Philip Casnoff
• Florence Vassy –Judy Kuhn
• Anatoly Sergievsky, The Russian –David Carroll
• Ivan Molokov –Harry Goz
• Walter Anderson –Dennis Parlato
• Arbiter – Paul Harman
• Svetlana Sergievsky –Marcia Mitzman
• Gregor Vassy – Neal Ben-Ari
• Young Florence – Gina Gallagher
• Nikolai – Kurt Johns
• Joe and Harold (embassy officials) – Richard Muenz and Eric Johnson
• Ben – Kip Niven

Songs

Act 1

• "Prologue":
  • "The Story of Chess" – Gregor
• "Freddie's Entrance"^‡§– Freddie
• "Press Conference"^‡– Florence and Reporters
• "Where I Want to Be" – Anatoly
• "Argument"^§– Florence and Freddie
• "Merchandisers"^‡– Walter and Vendors
• "Diplomats"^‡§– Molokov and Delegates
• "Chess Hymn"^†– Ensemble
• "Chess #1"^‡– Instrumental
• "Quartet (Model of Decorum and Tranquility)" – Molokov, Florence, Arbiter, and Anatoly
• "The American and Florence"^§– Florence and Freddie
• "Someone Else's Story" – Florence
• "One Night in Bangkok" – Freddie and Ensemble
• "Terrace Duet" – Florence and Anatoly
  • "Who'd Ever Think It?"^‡– Freddie
• "Chess #2"^‡– Instrumental
• "Florence Quits"^‡§/ "A Taste of Pity"^‡– Florence and Freddie / Freddie
• "Nobody's Side" – Florence
• "Reporters"^‡§– Reporters
• "Anthem" – Anatoly

Act 2

• "The Arbiter"^‡– The Arbiter and Reporters
• "Hungarian Folk Song" – Ensemble
• "Heaven Help My Heart" – Florence
• "Winning"^§– Walter and Freddie
• "You and I":
  • "You and I" – Florence and Anatoly
  • "Where I Want to Be (Reprise)" – Svetlana
  • "You and I (Reprise)" – Anatoly and Svetlana
• "Freddie Goes Metal"^‡§– Freddie
• "Let's Work Together"^‡– Molokov and Walter
• "I Know Him So Well" – Florence and Svetlana
• "Pity the Child" – Freddie
• "Father's Lullaby" (Apukád erős kezén) – Gregor and Florence
• "Endgame" – Arbiter, Nikolai, Ben, Freddie, Anatoly, and Ensemble
• "You and I (Reprise)" – Florence and Anatoly
• "Finale"^‡– Florence

^†This song appears on the Broadway cast album, but was deleted from production and is not found in the script licensed for production.
^‡This song features in productions, but it was not recorded for the Broadway album.
^§The titles here refer to the published score names of the songs. Several songs in the American version are identified by alternative titles. "Freddie's Entrance" is also called "What a Scene! What a Joy!"; "Argument" is called "How Many Women"; "Diplomats" is called "U.S. vs. U.S.S.R."; "American and Florence" is called "You Want to Lose Your Only Friend?"; "Florence Quits" is called "So You Got What You Want"; "Reporters" is called "Anatoly and the Press"; "Winning" is called "No Contest"; and "Freddie Goes Metal" is called "A Whole New Board Game".

Revivals, concerts, and recordings

1989: Carnegie Hall and Sweden

Soon after the show closed on Broadway, a concert version was performed in January 1989 atCarnegie Hallby the original cast in a sold-out benefit performance. In September of that year, Judy Kuhn, and two principals from the West End production (Körberg and Head), gave concerts of the musical inSkellefteå,Sweden, during the finals of the 1989 chess World Cup tournament.

1990s

The seven-month-long 1990 American tour acknowledged the ending of theCold War.The tour starredCarolee Carmello,John Herrera, andStephen Bogardusand was staged byDes McAnuff.Playwright Robert Coe worked with McAnuff on revising the show, mostly using the Nelson script and restoring most of the original song order from the British version of the musical and deleting the new songs written for the American version.A UK tour starringRebecca Stormand mostly based on the London production, was a bigger success.

Once theSoviet Unionfell, the modernization attempts died out: A Tim Rice rewrite played a brief runoff Broadwayin 1992 and set the show back to 1972.In 1990, a production was staged at theMarriott TheatreinLincolnshire,Illinois.Directed by David H. Bell and starring Susie McMonagle, David Studwell andKim Strauss,it featured another reworking of the Nelson script.

A 1990 production in Sydney, Australia, directed byJim Sharman,was a critical and popular success at theTheatre Royal.It used a new version of the book rewritten primarily by Rice to streamline the plot, using parts from each of the previous versions, as well as his original conception for the American version. It starred Jodie Gillies as Florence, David McLeod as Frederick, and Robbie Krupski as Anatoly, and featuredJohn Woodas Alexander, David Whitney as Walter, Laurence Clifford as the Arbiter, andMaria Mercedesas Svetlana. The action was shifted to an international hotel in Bangkok during the chess championships. No cast recording was made of this version. Both acts took place at a single chess match in a single city (Bangkok) in the late 1980s. Florence's nationality was changed from Hungarian to Czech, with an accompanying change in the lyrics of "The American and Florence" from "Budapest is rising" to "Prague andMr. Dubček".The shift in time also led to a considerably different atmosphere, and a line changed in" Embassy Lament "addressing the fall of the Berlin Wall. As in the British version, Anatoly defects from the Soviet Union, wins the match, then decides to return to the Soviet Union at the end, leading to the possibility that Florence's father, if he is still alive, will be released from prison. Many of the numbers from the British version were lengthened considerably, with an extended" One Night in Bangkok "near the top of the show." Heaven Help My Heart "ended the first act, with" Anthem "and" Someone Else's Story "(sung by Svetlana with new lyrics) in the second." The Soviet Machine "and" The Deal "were also extended considerably.A later Australian production played at the Princess Theatre, Melbourne, in 1997, withBarbara Dicksonas Florence (she had sung Svetlana on the original studio cast album). Co-stars includedDerek MetzgerandDaryl Braithwaite.

In 1992, there was a production directed byRob Marshallstaged atPaper Mill Playhouse.The production starredSteve Blanchardas the American, Judy McLane as Florence, Keith Rice as the Russian,David Cryeras Molokov,P. J. Benjaminas Walter, John DeLuca as the Arbiter, and Susan Dawn Carson as Svetlana.

In 1994, Chess in Concert toured cities in Sweden. The songs and lyrics were largely identical to the original album, with the addition of "Someone Else's Story" from the American version and "The Soviet Machine" from the British version. The cast includedAnders Glenmarkas Frederick,Karin Glenmarkas Florence, andTommy Körbergas Anatoly. A concert performance at Eriksbergshallen inGothenburgwas recorded.

In 1995, a Los Angeles production at Hollywood's Hudson Theater received critical praise. It starredDouglas Sillsas Freddie,Marcia Mitzman(who played Svetlana in the first Broadway production) as Florence and Sean Smith as Anatoly. For their performances both Mitzman and Smith won anOvation Awardand a Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award.Chesstoured in the UK in 1996. The cast included Jacqui Scott, and "Nobody's Side" was used as the finale.

In 1996-1997 elements of "Chess" were incorporated in the RussianMossovet Theatremusical "Igra", along with other songs ofBjörn UlvaeusandBenny Andersson,The Beatles,and other hits of 1960-80s. Russian lyrics were penned by Yaroslav Kesler, who also worked on Mossovet's staging ofJesus Christ Superstar."Igra" in general was presented as follow up to the famous rock-opera and featured mostly same group of artists and producers, but survived just one season.

2000 to 2009

A Danish tour began in 2001. The English-language version starred mostly British principals, directed byCraig Revel Horwood.A two-CD album was released, titledChess: Complete Cast Album,the only major complete recording of the British version of the musical (plus the addition of the American version's "Someone Else's Story" for Svetlana in Act 2). The production also followed the British version of the plot, though later performances used a much shorter, trimmed-down version closer to the original concept album. The cast includedZubin Varlaas Frederick, Emma Kershaw as Florence,Stig Rossenas Anatoly, Simon Clark as Alexander, andJames Graemeas Walter,Gunilla Backmanas Svetlana, and Michael Cormick as the Arbiter.

A 2002 Swedish-language version,Chess på svenska,with lyrics and book by Björn Ulvaeus, Lars Rudolffson, andJan Mark,attempted to streamline the story back to its original form and eliminate political aspects. It featured new musical numbers (Svetlana's "Han är en man, han är ett barn" ( "He is a man, he is a child" ) and Molokov's "Glöm mig om du kan" ( "Forget me if you can" from the demo song "When The Waves Roll Out to Sea" )) and focused on material from the concept album. Cast members includedTommy Körberg,reprising his role as Anatolij,Helen Sjöholmas Florence,Josefin Nilssonas Svetlana,Anders Ekborgas Freddie andPer Myrbergas Alexander. It was filmed for Swedish television, and has been released on a Swedish-language DVD. It was nominated for eight national Swedish Theatre AwardsGuldmasken,winning six, including Best Leading Actress (Sjöholm), Best Leading Actor (Körberg), and Best Stage Design (Robin Wagner). The cast CD "Chess På Svenska" peaked at number 2 on the Swedish album chart.

An Actors Fund of America Benefit Concert was given in 2003 in theNew Amsterdam Theateron Broadway. It was produced without set or costume changes, and with the orchestra onstage. The show was a combination of both the American and British versions, mostly following the British version with regard to music but the American version with regard to the plot, though the American version's subplot with Florence's father was cut. Act 1 was set in Merano, and Act 2 was set in Bangkok, like in the British version. The show, which was recorded, was directed by Peter Flynn, choreographed byChristopher Gattelliand conducted bySeth Rudetsky.The cast includedAdam Pascalas Frederick,Julia Murneyas Florence,Josh Grobanas Anatoly,Norm Lewisas Molokov,Jonathan Dokuchitzas Walter,Raúl Esparzaas the Arbiter, andSutton Fosteras Svetlana.

The Estonian production premiered in 2006 at the theatreVanemuineinTartu.The cast includedKoit ToomeandGerli Padaras Freddie and Florence, respectively.

A concert version was presented in 2007 at the Ford Amphitheatre, Los Angeles, California, mi xing the British and American versions. The cast includedSusan Eganas Svetlana,Kevin Earleyas Anatoly,Ty Tayloras Freddie,Cindy Robinsonas Florence, Thomas Griffith as Alexander, andMatthew Morrisonas the Arbiter. The concert was directed by Brian Michael Purcell. A portion of the proceeds went to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.A German-language version premiered in 2008 at StaatsoperetteDresden.It ran two seasons until 2010.

In 2008, Heartaches andWarner Bros. Recordsproduced a two-performance concert version ofChess in Concert[1]together with the City of London Philharmonic Orchestra, directed byHugh Wooldridge[2]at theRoyal Albert Hall.This version, substantially adapted by Tim Rice and Hugh Wooldridge with additional new lyrics, including almost no dialogue or set, but otherwise substantially following the British version in plot and music, was recorded and released as a 2-CDcast albumand DVD, both titledChess in Concert.It was also broadcast on American PBS channels in June 2009.Tim Rice stated in the concert's programme that this version ofChessis the "official version", after years of different plot and song combinations. Though the plot and score is almost entirely based on that of the British version, this version also adds in two American-originated songs: "Prologue" and "Someone Else's Story". The cast includedAdam Pascalas Frederick,Idina Menzelas Florence,Josh Grobanas Anatoly,Kerry Ellisas Svetlana,Marti Pellowas the Arbiter,David Bedellaas Molokov, andClarke Petersas Walter. The Civil Servants (in "Embassy Lament" ) were sung byCantabile

In 2009, the first official Italian production (in Italian language) took place in Firenze, then replicated in Prato (2010), Campi Bisenzio-FI (2011), and Siena (2011). The cast included Alberto Putignano/Emanuele Nardoni as Frederick, Irene Vavolo/Alessandra D'Onofrio as Florence, Piercarlo Ballo as Anatoly, Ilaria Bongini/Giulia Gazzeri as Svetlana, Riccardo Andreoni as the Arbiter, Maurizio Capuana as Molokov, and Matteo Gazzeri/Marco Davide Toci as Walter. Direction by Piercarlo Ballo.

2010 to 2019

A Hungarian revival ofChessran in 2010 in Budapest. This concert production closely followed the script of the Royal Albert Hall production of 2008, though the songs "Hymn of Chess", "The Merchandisers", "The Arbiter" (reprise) and "Talking Chess" were cut. It was produced by PS Produkció and directed by Cornelius Baltus. The Hungarian lyrics were written by Ágnes Romhányi and the choreographer wasKaren Bruce.The first major American revival ofChesssince 1993 ran at theSignature TheatreinArlington, Virginiain 2010.The show followed the story of the American version, though it streamlined the book and reordered some of the songs. It was directed byEric D. Schaeffer.The cast includedJeremy Kushnieras Freddie,Euan Mortonas Anatoly, andJill Paiceas Florence.

A production directed byCraig Revel Horwoodtoured for 10 months in the UK, Italy and Ireland in 2010–2011. It was an actor-musician production, with 25 out of the 30 cast members playing instruments. Changes to the libretto included the removal of "Merano" and "Walter and Florence". The cast includedJames Foxas Frederick, Shona White as Florence, Daniel Koek as Anatoly, Steve Varnom as Alexander,James Graemeas Walter, David Erik as the Arbiter, and Poppy Tierney as Svetlana.Mirvish Productionsstaged a Toronto run in 2011 at thePrincess of Wales Theatre,following the UK tour, using most of the UK Tour cast withTam Mututaking over the role of Anatoly andRebecca Lockas Svetlana. Changes to the libretto included the removal of "The Merchandisers".Another German version (with the songs performed in English) was produced by theTheater Bielefeld (Municipal Theatre Bielefeld)inBielefeld,Germany in 2011–2012.

A one-night concert was given atLincoln Center,in New York in 2012, billed asChessin Concept 2012: A benefit performance for the Actors Fund of America. The cast includedRobert Cucciolias Anatoly, Natascia Diaz as Florence,Drew Sarichas Frederick, and Tamra Hayden as Svetlana. This version returned to the original concept album for its musical structure, Tim Rice's original scenario, and incorporated virtually all of the British score. It was produced and directed, and the score was arranged, by Christopher Martin.

A New Zealand production ofChessran in 2012, in theRegent On Broadway,directed by Steven Sayer. The show was produced by the Abbey Musical Theatre.A 2012 Melbourne, Australia production was directed byGale Edwardsand mounted byThe Production Company.The cast featuredMartin Crewesas Frederick,Michael Falzonas the Arbiter,Silvie Paladinoas Florence, andSimon Gleesonas Anatoly,It was staged at the State Theatre, backed byOrchestra Victoria.The role of the Arbiter was expanded slightly by sharing Florence's song "Nobody's Side".The show ran for 10 performancesand was nominated for twelveGreen Room Awardsin 2012,eventually winning seven.Chess was also nominated for two 2013Helpmann Awards,with Paladino winningActress in a Leading Role.

In 2012, the GöteborgsOperan (Gothenburg Opera, Sweden) ran the Swedish-language version, Chess på Svenska, under the direction of Mira Bartov. The musical ran until the Fall of 2013. The roles of Anatoly and Freddie were played by Philip Jalmelid andChristopher Wollter.Evelyn Jons played Florence and Nina Pressing played Svetlana.

East West Playersstaged a revival of the UK version ofChesswith a multi-cultural cast in 2013 at theDavid Henry HwangTheatre in Los Angeles, California, directed byTim Dang.The production garnered a positive review from theLos Angeles Times.

A South Korean production opened in 2015, with K-Pop starsJo Kwon,CNU,Key,andKenquadruple-cast as Anatoly.

Porchlight Music TheatrepresentedChessas a part of their "Porchlight Revisits" season in which they present three forgotten musicals per year. It was in Chicago, Illinois in May 2016. It was directed by Artistic Director Michael Weber, choreographed by Brenda Didier, and music directed by Jimmy Morehead.

In 2017, a Swedish theatre group, UnderhållningsPatrullen, presented the Swedish-language version, Chess på Svenska, at the Kristianstad Theatre, with a premiere date of 23 September 2017.The production included a completely new orchestration byAnders Eljasinvolving a smaller orchestra, just 13 members as opposed to the usual 24 members, to introduce a new version for future productions better suited to smaller theatre venues. The roles of Anatoly, Florence, and Freddie were played by Johan Wikström, Frida Modén Treichl, and Patrik Martinsson. Hanna la Fleur performed as Svetlana, Peter Järnstedt plays Molokov, and David Rix plays Jean Jacques van Boren the Arbiter (chefsdomaren). Director: Ola Hörling, Conductor: Nils-Petter Ankarblom and subsequentlyThomas Bay (Conductor),Producer: Åsa Jensen, Costume: Fredrika Liliius, Scenography:Leif Persson,Musical Instruction & Pianist: Jonas Svensson. The Kristianstad production ran for an expanded schedule and finally closed in December 2017 after 47 shows.

A limited-run West End revival began at theLondon Coliseumon 26 April 2018 through 2 June 2018, officially opening on 1 May 2018. Billed as the first revival of the show in 30 years, the production was directed by Laurence Connor, with choreography byStephen Mear.The cast includedMichael Ballas Anatoly, Phillip Browne as Molokov,Alexandra Burkeas Svetlana, Cedric Neal as the Arbiter,Tim Howaras Freddie andCassidy Jansonas Florence.Described as a new interpretation of the original concept album, the production kept the first act in Merano and the second in Bangkok, and included all songs from the concept album (including "Argument" ), along with the popular "Someone Else's Story", removed the character of Walter entirely, and dropped the final twist of Florence's father never having been found after all, instead ending on the bittersweet parting of Florence and Anatoly amidst the triumphant crescendo of You And I.

On 20 June 2017, Tim Rice announced that after a recent table reading, a revival of the musical with a restructured storyline will be staged on Broadway in late 2018. The production featured a new book penned byDanny Strongand was directed byMichael Mayer.On 29 November, it was announced that the show would have a pre-Broadway tryout in theEisenhower Theaterat theKennedy Centerfrom 14 to 18 February 2018. The cast includedRaúl Esparzaas Freddie,Ramin Karimlooas Anatoly,Karen Olivoas Florence,Ruthie Ann Milesas Svetlana,Bradley Deanas Molokov,Sean Allan Krillas Walter de Courcey, andBryce Pinkhamas the Arbiter.This production, though keeping much of the original plot of the 1986 West End production, expanded on it significantly. Each act has a political background: Act One, set in 1979, centers on negotiations for theSALT-IItreaty, and Act Two, set four years later, centers on suspicions surrounding theAble Archer 83exercises. Walter no longer has a cover, and is openly a CIA agent. Freddie is portrayed as havingparanoid schizophrenia,and the show ends with Florence's father being released.

2020 to present

Chessplayed at the Umeda Arts Theater Main Hall in Osaka, Japan (January 25–28) and at the Tokyo International Forum Hall C in Tokyo (February 1–9).Ramin Karimlooplayed Anatoly withSamantha Barksas Florence, Luke Walsh as Freddie, Takanori Sato as the Arbiter, Eliana as Svetlana, and Hideya Masuhara as Molokov. The ensemble included Megumi Iino, Hiroaki Ito, Takashi Otsuka, Kana Okamoto, Naoki Shibahara, Tatsunori Senna, Kota Someya, Tomohiko Nakai, Nanaka, Ai Ninomiya, Ami Norimatsu, Maaya Harada, Kan Muto, Daisuke Moriyama, Sayaka Watabiki, and Kiyoka Wada. THe show was directed and chroeographed by Nick Winston.

In February 2020, Oslo's Folkteateret began previews for a new production based onChess på svenska.This was put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and finally opened on 24 August 2022. It starred André Søfteland as Anatolij, Espen Grjotheim as Freddie, Karoline Krüger as Florence, Marion Ravn as Svetlana, Øystein Røger as Molokov, and Elisabeth Andreassen as the Arbiter. On 7 July 2022, the production released a cast album.

On 17 October 2020, the first Russian production of Chess premiered at the MDM Theatre inMoscow.It was produced byDmitriy Bogachov,the former head of Stage Entertainment Russia, founder of Moscow Broadway, and member of The Broadway League. The opening had been scheduled for 10 October, but was moved a week later. The cast included Aleksandr Sukhanov and Kirill Gordeev as Anatoly,Anastasia Stotskaya,Olga Belyaeva, and Yulia Iva as Florence, Aleksandr Kazmin and Aleksandr Bobrov as Freddie, Anna Guchenkova and Yulia Iva as Svetlana, Stanislav Belyaev and Denis Demkiv as the Arbiter, and Aleksandr Marakulin, Aleksandr Matrosov, and Andrey Shkoldychenko as Molokov.The lyrics were translated byAleksei Ivaschenko(Nord-Ost,Russian versions ofThe Phantom of the Opera,The Sound of Music). The show was mostly based on the West End version, but took many cues from the original concept album. The prologue is set in Moscow, as in the Swedish version, and the rest of the show is set in Merano (Act I) and Bangkok (Act II). Walter was omitted and the songs "Merchandisers", "Florence and Molokov", "Anatoly and the Press", "One More Opponent", "Talking Chess" and "Finale" were removed. The song "Argument" was included. The chess games played on stage are actual historical chess games:Karpov-Korchnoi (1978)andSpassky-Fischer (1972)in Act I, andKarjakin-Caruana (2016)in Act II. Starting 7 April 2020, the omitted song "Merchandisers" was performed by the chorus in the theater lobby during intermission. The production closed on 16 October 2022, running for over 600 performances, making it the second-longest running professional production of the show, after only the original London production.

A semi-staged concert hall production toured Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane from April to June 2021.A cut-down version of the general plot of the original London version, changes included the movement of "Someone Else's Story" back to Act One and "I Know Him So Well" before "The Deal". It was accompanied by a 26 piece orchestra and 40 person choir. According to the musical director's notes in the program, they tried to stay faithful to the sound, feel and spirit of the concept album, sourcing original keyboard and drum sounds. Although "semi-staged", it had a small set consisting of a chess boardwith large pieces representing towns where the tournaments were held, and a dance ensemble, elaborate choreography and lighting.

A two-day concert based mostly on the London version was held at theTheatre Royal, Drury Laneon August 1 and 2, 2022. The show starredSamantha Barksas Florence,Hadley Fraseras Anatoly, Joel Harper-Jackson as Freddie,Frances Mayli McCannas Svetlana,Ako Mitchellas the Arbiter, and Craige Els as Molokov. The show largely followed the plot of the London version, but cut several songs and added "Someone Else's Story" before "Embassy Lament".

On 12 December 2022, a one-night benefit concert for theEntertainment Community Fundplayed at theBroadhurst Theatre.Ramin Karimloo reprised his role as Anatoly, joined byDarren Crissas Freddie,Lena Hallas Florence, andSolea Pfeifferas Svetlana. Bradley Dean, Bryce Pinkham, and Sean Allan Krill reprised their roles of Molokov, The Arbiter, and Walter, respectively. The script used was a slightly revised version of the Kennedy Center book, mostly expanding on Freddie and Anatoly. Anatoly's dissatisfaction with life in the Soviet Union was heightened to contemplating suicide and increased suspicion of Svetlana, and Freddie's schizophrenia was changed to undiagnosedbipolar disorder.A plot point was also added where Florence and Anatoly had already met and had a brief affair at a previous tournament in Rome.

The MunyOpera Theatre inSt. LouisstagedChessas part of their 105th season from July 5 to 11, 2023. The cast featuredJessica Voskas Florence,Jarrod Spectoras Freddie, John Riddle as Anatoly,Taylor Loudermanas Svetlana,Rodney Hicksas Walter, Tally Sessions as Molokov, and Phillip Johnson Richardson as the Arbiter. The production was directed and choreographed by Josh Rhodes. The production stuck mostly to the plot of the original London version, but moved several songs around and added some new dialogue scenes. The production was sponsored by theSaint Louis Chess Cluband theWorld Chess Hall of Fame,both located close to the theatre.

Principal roles and casting history

Character	Original West EndProduction	OriginalBroadwayProduction	First US National Tour	First UK National Tour	Royal Albert Hall	Kennedy Center	West EndRevival
	1986	1988	1990		2008	2018
Anatoly Sergievsky	Tommy Körberg	David Carroll	John Herrera	Maurice Clarke	Josh Groban	Ramin Karimloo	Michael Ball
Florence Vassy	Elaine Paige	Judy Kuhn	Carolee Carmello	Rebecca Storm	Idina Menzel	Karen Olivo	Cassidy Janson
Freddie Trumper	Murray Head	Philip Casnoff	Stephen Bogardus	Richard Barnes	Adam Pascal	Raúl Esparza	Tim Howar
Molokov	John Turner	Harry Goz	David Hurst	Malcolm Rivers	David Bedella	Bradley Dean	Phillip Browne
Svetlana Sergievsky	Siobhán McCarthy	Marcia Mitzman	Barbara Walsh	Linda-Mae Brewer	Kerry Ellis	Ruthie Ann Miles	Alexandra Burke
Walter	Kevin Colson	Dennis Parlato	Gregory Jbara	Paul Haley	Clarke Peters	Sean Allan Krill
The Arbiter	Tom Jobe	Paul Harman	Ken Ard	Brett Forest	Marti Pellow	Bryce Pinkham	Cedric Neal

Cast replacements

West End (1986-89)

• Anatoly:David Burt
• Florence:Siobhán McCarthy
• Freddie:Anthony Head,Peter Karrie
• Molokov:Kevin Colson,Eric Flynn
• Walter:Eric Flynn,John Turner

Main characters

Character	Voice Type	Description
Anatoly Sergievsky	Baritenor,F♯2–A♭4(B♭4optional)	"The Russian": The champion from Soviet Russia—a troubled husband (and father, in the British and Swedish versions) who despises the propaganda and politics of the tournament, eventually deciding to defect from his homeland, even at the cost of deserting his family.
Freddie Trumper	Tenor,B♭2–D♭5	"The American": The champion from the United States—a self-absorbed, fame-and-fortune-seeking, short-tempered,Russophobicbad boy,who either matures and aids Anatoly a year after his own defeat (in the British version), or remains selfish and wins the tournament (in the American version).
Florence Vassy	Mezzo-Soprano,E♭3–E5	Freddie's strong-willedsecondand possibleparamour,who was separated from her presumably captured or killed father during theHungarian Revolution of 1956;Florence feels strained by Freddie's brashness and falls in love with Anatoly, eventually becoming his mistress.
Svetlana Sergievsky	Alto,F3–E♭5	Anatoly's estranged wife who, under Molokov's machinations, tries to persuade Anatoly to return to his homeland and family; although upset at Anatoly's betrayal, she also understands that Florence has given Anatoly something she cannot herself.
Molokov	Baritone,F♯2–G4	Anatoly's conniving second who is apparently also a manipulativeKGBagent; his first name is given as "Alexander" in the British and Australian versions and as "Ivan" in the American version.
Walter	Varies	A financial administrator in Freddie's delegation and seemingly a secretCIAagent; his surname is given as "de Courcey" in the British and Australian versions, and as "Anderson" in the American version. Absent in the concept album. In the revised 2018 script, Walter has no "cover" and is overtly a CIA agent.
The Arbiter	Tenor,B2–A4	The coldly objective, no-nonsenserefereeof the championship tournament and also (in the British version and its spinoffs) the president of the International Chess Federation. In the revised 2018 script, this role is expanded as a narrator who "becomes" the arbiter during two chess matches.

Differences between the major versions

Version	Notable plot differences	Notable song differences	Commercial recordings	Only this version includes	Miscellaneous notes
Original concept (released in 1984)	Act 1 set inMerano,Italy; Act 2 inBangkok, Thailand Each act presents a separate chess tournament with Act 1 occurring a year before Act 2 During Act 1, Freddie is the champion challenged by Anatoly; during Act 2, Anatoly is the champion challenged by Viigand Freddie is the primary antagonist throughout the whole show Anatoly wins (in both tournaments)		Chess(1984), the original album Chess Pieces(1986), the original's Swedish"best of" album Chess: The Concert Tour(1984) Chess in Concert(1996), theGothenburgconcertcast recording(in English)	The song "Argument"	The characters known as Freddie and Anatoly in all later versions are here known only as "The American" and "The Russian", respectively The character of Walter (present in most later versions) is not yet conceived
British stage version (premiered in the West End: 1986–1989)	Mostly the same as the concept album Instead of Freddie being the antagonist, the character of Walter is added as a parallel to Molokov, and Freddie is granted a redemption arc. Florence is given an increased role in the plot, and the subplot of Florence's father potentially being alive is added.	Addition of 12 new songs Reordering of songs Reordering and division of the "Opening Ceremony"	Chess: Complete Cast Album(2001), the Danish tour recording (in English) Chess in Concert (2009),a live recording of theRoyal Albert Hallconcerts (both as double CD and singleDVDof the performances) Highlights from Chess in Concert(2009), the Royal Albert's corresponding "best of" compilation	The character of Viigand (extant but unnamed in the concept album) These songs: "Commie Newspapers" "Florence and Molokov" "One More Opponent" "The Interview" "Talking Chess"	Various songs retitled from the original concept album Minor lyrical alterations and song reductions or extensions throughout, compared to the original album Molokov's first name is Alexander; Walter's last name is de Courcey
American stage version (premiered on Broadway: 1988)	Prologue set inBudapest, Hungary(during theHungarian Revolution of 1956;Act 1 thirty years later in Bangkok, Thailand; and Act 2 in Budapest again Both acts feature the same chess tournament with Act 1 showing the first half and Act 2 the second half Anatoly is the champion challenged by Freddie Freddie wins A sub-plot in which Walter introduces Florence to a man deceitfully claimed to be her long-lost father	Addition of 5 new songs Omission of 11 British songs Alterations of Score	Chess: Original Broadway Cast Recording(1988) This was also the direct inspiration for aChesskaraokeCD byPocket Songs.	These songs: "Freddie Goes Metal" "Hungarian Folk Song" "Lullaby"	Many miscellaneous lyrical alterations, new song orderings in the plot, and minor characters now given names (such as Nikolai, one of the Russian delegates, and Gregor, Florence's father) "Chess Hymn" appears on the recorded album, but was deleted from production after opening night and from the licensed script "The Arbiter's Song" was cut after opening night, but included as an appendix in the published score and script Florence's role in the plot is increased further, with the show focusing on her conflicting relationships with Anatoly, Freddie, and her father Molokov's first name is Ivan; Walter's last name is Anderson
Australian stage version (premiered in Sydney: 1990–1991)	Both acts present the same chess tournament in one single setting: Bangkok, Thailand Anatoly wins Many new plot points	Several song alterations	None	The songs: "Introductions" "Cocktail Chorus" and other reprises of "One Night In Bangkok" Extended portions of "Soviet Machine" and "The Deal".	Florence's nationality here is Czech (not Hungarian), which means the Sovietsoverran her countryin 1968 (not 1956), leading to accompanying alterations in the lyrics of the song "The American and Florence"
Swedish stage version (Premiered in Stockholm: 2002)	Prologue set in Moscow, the rest of the story showcases only one tournament in one location, Merano, over the course of four days. Anatoly purposely loses the match, Freddie wins. Molokov and Svetlana are each given a more extensive backstory through two new songs. The subplot with Florence's father possibly being alive is removed.	Omission of 8 British songs Various song alterations	Chess på svenska(2003), both as CD and DVD Chess på norsk(2021)	The songs: "He is a Man, He is a Child" "Forget Me If You can"	Molokov is generally referred to as Sasha (a Russian diminutive of Alexander), and is much closer to Anatoly The Arbiter is given a name, Jean Jacques van Boren, and occasionally speaks French instead of Swedish Walter is removed The story's focus is shifted away from the politics and towards the personal consequences of Anatoly and Florence's affair

Possible film adaptation

Tim Ricehas always expressed his desire of adaptingChessfor the big screen. In 2003,Kylie Minoguewas in talks to play one of the two female parts. She met with Rice in Paris to discuss the script.Jude LawandBrendan Gleesonwere discussed as male leads.

On 10 January 2022, on his podcast "Get Onto My Cloud", Rice stated that in addition to a possible Broadway revival happening soon, he hopes for a film adaptation to follow suit, in part bolstered by the recent success of the chess-focused Netflix miniseriesThe Queen's Gambit.

Awards and nominations

Original West End production

Year	Award ceremony	Category	Nominee	Result
1986	Laurence Olivier Award	Best New Musical		Nominated
		Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical	Elaine Paige	Nominated
		Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical	Tommy Körberg	Nominated

Original Broadway production

Year	Award ceremony	Category	Nominee	Result
1988	Tony Award	Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical	David Carroll	Nominated
		Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical	Judy Kuhn	Nominated
	Drama Desk Award	Outstanding Actor in a Musical	David Carroll	Nominated
		Outstanding Actress in a Musical	Judy Kuhn	Nominated
		Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical	Harry Goz	Nominated
		Outstanding Music	Björn UlvaeusandBenny Andersson	Nominated
		Outstanding Lighting Design	David Hersey	Nominated
	Theatre World Award		Philip Casnoff	Won

External links

• ​Chess​at theInternet Broadway Database
• icethesiteArchived21 September 2010 at theWayback Machine– Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus news site, including West End and Broadway reviews ofChess
• Plot summary & casting breakdown
• Chessthe Musical 2010
• "CHESS The Musical" by Edward Winter