Chess – Lowry Theatre, Salford
Music: Benny Andersson & Bjorn Ulvaeus
Book/Lyrics: Tim Rice
Director: Craig Revel Horwood
Reviewer: John Roberts
The Public Reviews Rating: 
Craig Revel Horwood and Sarah Travis have been long time collaborators for many years, but Chess marks the first show for their own production company and is by far the largest challenge they have set themselves. Gone is the small intimate surroundings of the glorious Watermill Theatre and a big hello to large scale/ Number 1 Venues…but does this latest Actor-Musician style show work in such big auditoriums? Well not completely!
The musical is based around a World Chess Championship Finals between USSR and USA and is by all accounts a metaphor for the tense relationship between the two super power countries during the Cold War. This is not a topic that is in my realms of Knowledge. The Cold War was before I was born, and it was never taught to me in school, so I have to admit to being a little ignorant on the political statements the material tries to make. So it is perhaps fitting that Revel Horwood has given the musical such a radical facelift that is so big on impact that its style and design wouldn’t look out of place from a Lady GaGa or Kylie Minogue Concert with its bright white lighting, video screens and outrageously camp and textured costumes by Christopher Woods.
It must be said that although the set was a snug fit in the Lyric Theatre, the performances stood out like a sore thumb. Granted the ensemble as always in a Revel Horwood production are pushed to their max and give an ensemble performance worthy of any prize, but when it comes to the leads certain members struggle from the start and never really pick up their game.
James Fox as Freddie Trumper the American has charm and certainly looks like the suave and sophisticated champion, however his vocals were so underpowered that even 8 rows back I found it a real struggle to hear what he had to say, whilst quite the opposite problem with Shona White as Aide turned lover Florence Vassy, her vocal delivery often lacked the subtle tones needed to really portray the vastness of emotion her character needs to deliver (I never thought it possible to hear a version of ‘I love Him So Well’ that was worse than the original recording) however her rendition of Nobody’s on Nobody’s Side was one of the shows stand-out numbers.
Poppy Tierney looked every bit the glamorous leading lady reminding me of an older Lea Michelle, and she handled her small second act part well, one would have liked to have seen more. Daniel Koek as the Russian Champion was splendid as the man torn between lover and wife, country and chess and gives a consummate portrayal that almost carries the show on his shoulders.
Revel Horwoods usually slick direction seems a little misguided with Chess, instead many of the 30 members of the cast are left sat on the side of stage playing their instruments and reacting to the action, rather than the tight knit interaction we have come to expect from him. It seems his usual pin sharp storytelling techniques have gone awry – could this be down to doing far too much and not concentrating on individual projects?
Sarah Travis’ orchestrations again are sublime yet one questions the use to stick with the synthetic sounds used during ‘I Love Him So Well’ when you have so many interesting instruments used throughout.
Overall Chess is a visual wonderland it’s a shame that it didn’t quite hit the same mark in other areas, It lacks the finesse of The Hot Mikado and the charm of Spend, Spend, Spend! A disspointing night at the theatre from a team we have come to expect only the best from.
Runs until Sat 30th Oct
Tags: Benny Andersson, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Chess, Christopher Woods, Craig Revel Horwood, Daniel Koek, James Fox, Lowry Theatre, Poppy Tierney, Salford, Sarah Travis, Shone White, Tim Rice
11:06 am on October 27th, 2010
Whilst Chess is not the best of shows I disagree that any of the leads were unsuited (Shona was incredible as all other reviews on the tour have pointed out), Fox was also great but his vocals seemed to get over powered by the music. I thought Poppy (who I loved in Eastwick) was flat and her accent came and went. As for the directing it was superb, I think you may have missed the point of what Craig has achieved with this new staging of Chess.
10:19 am on October 28th, 2010
I agree with the review, as do several friends who attended the show yesterday.
The diction from all performers was appalling throughout particularly James Fox. I could not understand a word which ruined scenes such as the interview with Sergievsky.
To describe Shona White as incredible is a huge exaggeration. She was ok in the role but a but a bit wooden and her vocals were not impressive, particularly when heard alongisde Poppy Tierney’s lovely voice.
I loved the orchestrations and thought the cast did a magnificent job of playing it all from memory whilst performing, but I felt this was to the detriment of other things such as the diction and also the choreogrpahy, which was very messy.