How do you resolve an issue like “Chess”?
With music and lyrics by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus (of ABBA) and Tim Rice, and now with a brand new model of Rice’s guide by Danny Robust, “Chess” tells of the Chilly Warfare chess rivalry between Freddie Trumper (Aaron Tveit) of the US and Anatoly Sergievsky (Nicholas Christopher) of the USSR, in addition to the lady, Florence Vassy (Lea Michele), who will get caught within the center. Whereas beloved by some, “Chess” is a famously messy musical, notably on account of Rice’s confused guide, which has been reworked too many occasions to depend. Songs have been moved, added, minimize, or reassigned. Settings (each places and years) have been altered. Characters have been expanded, eliminated, or considerably tweaked. The ending (notably for Florence) has gone by means of quite a few variations, every with utterly completely different meanings and messages. Even seemingly core and important particulars, like who wins the chess matches, have been modified throughout productions.
This revival represents director Michael Mayer and Robust’s third stab on the materials, having beforehand labored on it in 2018 and 2022. Amongst Robust’s bigger modifications is altering the timeline and offering some wider historic context, setting the primary act amidst the SALT II treaty negotiations and the second act culminating with the Abel Archer 83 navy workout routines. In idea, this could work, and within the first act, it mainly does. The second act premise, although, goes off the rails: the assorted shifting allegiances grow to be convoluted and the concept the US and USSR have been able to blow one another up with nuclear weapons primarily based on the end result of a chess match is absurd. The stakes are unnaturally excessive, with a countdown to world destruction — however then nothing occurs. No bombing happens. What’s extra, the guide has been pored over, snipped, and revised so usually that there stay remnants of earlier variations, similar to strains referencing moments which were minimize or motifs that by no means get resolved.
Whatever the model, there’s a compelling human drama on the heart of “Chess,” floating atop some killer songs and an usually attractive rating. In its sweeping musical moments (“No one’s Aspect,” “Anthem,” “I Know Him So Nicely,” “Somebody Else’s Story,” and the catchy however dated “One Evening in Bangkok”), it’s straightforward to see why “Chess” has diehard followers. Nevertheless, there’s a lot else that brings all the things down: clunky plotting, nonsensical character motivations, and, right here, a ineffective ensemble. Mayer has the refrain thrash about in a mob and sit onstage all of act one, however then utterly forgets about them for act two. We would have been higher off with out these ineffective pawns.
As quickly because the overture begins, this revival feels much less like a Broadway manufacturing and extra like Metropolis Middle Encores! live performance. The forged is stacked however there’s no set to talk of, past some stairs that home the onstage orchestra, a row of banquet benches, and several other columns stuffed with garden chess items. The again wall options some very on-the-nose projections, together with the domes of St. Basil’s in Moscow, American and Soviet flags, and an oft-repeated photograph of a kid being hoisted over a wall. The costumes are completely nondescript, with the leads in black and white, and the refrain in gray double-breasted fits. The lighting design is sometimes efficient, aside from a number of strips of skinny, chintzy LED gentle strips that rotate between blue and pink.
The manufacturing appears to haven’t any religion that the viewers will bear in mind this can be a Chilly Warfare musical, so it consistently reminds us within the projections, lighting, and within the speeches of the character referred to as the Arbiter (performed by Bryce Pinkham). As our narrator, the Arbiter right here is an annoyingly metatheatrical determine, who quips to the viewers, praising Michele’s singing, apologizing for Tveit’s character’s final title sounding like Trump (“bear in mind this present was initially written in 1984”), consistently referencing the truth that we’re watching a musical, and making cringy makes an attempt at topical jokes about RFK Jr.’s mind worm and Joe Biden’s determination to run for re-election. Pinkham comes throughout as pesky and tiresome, although that is principally the fault of Mayer’s course and Robust’s writing.
Regardless of this revival of “Chess” making some fallacious strikes, it all the time remembers that the queen is probably the most highly effective piece, correctly letting Michele shine just like the star she is. Not like in “Humorous Woman,” wherein she was perpetually the focal point, right here she has to share the stage extra, and does so with humility and aplomb. By no means overpowering or scene stealing, Michele has a commanding presence, and finds the depths of ache, longing, and battle in her character. She is an simple grandmaster, with the uncommon mixture of excellent approach, clarion tone, vocal energy, and exemplary emoting expertise. This efficiency solidifies that Michele is again on Broadway, hopefully for a very long time — and we’re definitely fortunate to have her. Her rendition of “No one’s Aspect” is so very good it would make you want we nonetheless had encores on Broadway.
Tveit is as proficient as all the time, and his hair is as mesmerizingly coiffed, however sadly he doesn’t have a lot to do, particularly within the second act. His voice is intoxicating and he’s clearly having enjoyable with the function, however because the present progresses, his presence turns into superfluous, with Robust counting on more and more unrealistic causes to maintain him round. Freddie shouldn’t be properly developed or nuanced, flipping between asshole antics and depressive paranoia. Tveit tries his finest, however he fades a bit in comparison with Michele and Chrisopher.
Of our three leads, Christopher could be the solely non-household title, however he offers a powerful efficiency. He captures the cynical and suicidal ache of Anatoly, a baby chess prodigy ripped from his household and became a Soviet robotic, who now should confront what he desires in life, if he can love, and the way he feels about his mom nation. Christopher’s singing is sort of highly effective, too, particularly his “Anthem,” however his key achievement is proving that performing and character work are important to nailing this function.
Sean Allan Krill as Walter, the CIA operative, and Bradley Dean as Molokov, the KGB chess mentor, serviceably signify feuding factions and are available off as equally slimy. Rounding out the principal forged is the normally pretty Hannah Cruz as Svetlana (Anatoly’s spouse) in a uncommon misstep. Regardless of utilizing a Russian accent in her dialogue, she makes no try and sing with it, a confounding and distracting alternative (made particularly stark as a result of Dean and Christopher expertly converse and sing with Russian accents).
For a musical about chess, this revival satirically doesn’t appear very within the recreation itself. This manufacturing has two chess matches, and in each the gamers stand at microphones narrating their strikes in monotone voices (“Pawn to E6,” “Knight to F3”), thus rendering the matches in a wholly nontheatrical and nonvisual method. For these unfamiliar with chess or unable to think about the board, items, and strikes of their head, the essential matches are inconceivable to comply with. Mayer and Robust appear completely invested within the symbolism of the Chilly Warfare as a chess battle, in order that they don’t allow us to see and perceive the contours of the particular chess matches.
Alas, the talk of whether or not “Chess” might be saved or fastened should proceed, for that is doubtless not one of the best iteration of the fabric. What Florence sings rings true for “Chess” total: “I’ve nonetheless lots to show; there have to be extra I may obtain.” There’s a lot potential, it’s exhausting to not regularly yearn for a model of “Chess” that totally works.
Though this “Chess” match could not have produced a brand new champion, there’s nonetheless some thrilling gameplay, particularly from Michele and Christopher, who assist present perception into the magic of “Chess” and make this typically uneven recreation nonetheless really feel completely value watching.
