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Music: Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus Lyrics: Tim Rice Director: Christopher Howell and Steven Harris Reviewer: Ian Foster The Public Reviews Rating: With music from Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus of ABBA and conceived by Tim Rice who also contributed the lyrics, the 1980s musical Chess had grand ambitions which have never really come to fruition as it [...]

Music & Lyrics: Benny Andersson & Bjorn Ulvaeus Reviewer: Jenny Antill The Public Reviews Rating: Abba’s musical legacy is one that has been around for over forty years. It has now been thirty-one years since the group itself last toured but their appeal remains incredibly broad, what with the Mamma Mia stage production and, more recently, the [...]

Lyrics: Tim Rice Music: Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus Director and Choreographer: Louise Denison Musical Director: Jim Lunt Reviewer: Maggie Poppa The Public Reviews Rating: Chess could be described as a ‘Marmite Musical’ – you will probably either love it or hate it. But what is quite evident is that whether or not this is your favourite musical, [...]

Music:/Lyrics: Benny Andersson & Bjorn Ulvaeus Book: Catherine Johnson Director: Phylidda Lloyd Reviewer: Helen Patrick The Public Reviews Rating: The mini spring heat wave may have disappeared from across the region, but summer has already arrived at The Palace Theatre with the welcome return of international smash hit and ‘Original’ Jukebox musical Mamma Mia. Over the past few [...]

Book/Lyrics: Tim Rice Music: Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus Director/Choreographer: Craig Revel Horwood Reviewer: Lucy Thackray The Public Reviews Rating: I wasn’t sure what to expect from the revival of Chess. Widely known for the breakaway pop duet I Know Him So Well and being co-written by the boys from ABBA, I knew from a brilliant amateur production [...]

Lyrics: Tim Rice Music: Benny Andersson & Bjorn Ulvaeus Director: Craig Revel Horwood Reviewer: Maggie Constable The Public Reviews Rating: Strictly Come Dancing’s Craig Revel Horwood directs an amazing cast in his new staging of the classic musical Chess. It famously got off to grand beginnings offstage, with the release of the album in 1984 and then [...]

Music: Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus Book and Lyrics: Tim Rice Director and Choreographer: Craig Revel Horwood Reviewer: Jim Nicholson The Public Reviews Rating: I loved it all, well very nearly all! The staging was excellent, superb lighting, terrific costumes, top notch choreography, great songs many of which we all know so well and a host of multi [...]

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 [...]