Chess From Royal Albert Hall - Review- Page 5

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 11:03am

SweeneyPhanatic: Would you mind elaborating on the changes made to the Swedish version? I'm really curious.

Phyllis: I liked the decision to give the song to Svetlana, but I agree that it was too sudden.

[jsg03jd]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 12:48pm

The concert version a few years back assigned SOMEONE ELSE'S STORY to Svetlana. I forget the name of the Florence but it was also a live CD, and the poor thing was losing her voice throughout the concert.

Why couldn't they have the sound production be like as it was for the LES MIZ 10th Anniversary Concert? And that was 1995. I refuse to believe that the sound technology in 2008 is worse than 13 years prior.

As I said before, I think there was a lot of fixing up done on the telecast. Maybe that's part of the reason why the sound sounds so piped in to our speakers. You can barely hear that there's an audience watching the performers onstage.

The choreography was awful as well as the gestures of the choir. MERANO was hideous.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 2:03pm

Which version started with Florence's father singing her a lullaby? I know it was in English, but I don't think it was on Broadway or London. The Swedish concert maybe?

Updated On: 6/18/09 at 02:03 PM

[broadwayjim42]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 2:09pm

I saw the Broadway incarnation and I believe the father was there during both acts. First act appearance was a variation of "The Story of Chess" while "Lullaby" was in the second.

If my memory is faulty, please feel free to correct me.

[MisterRussell]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 2:25pm

Ive been a fan of the material since the beginning.

I watched the concert version last night, and here are my personal thoughts:

1. This is probably the version of the piece that works best; as Tim Rice says, they finaly "got it right." The story makes total sense now, the song reassignments all work, and the new material is great. They finally figured out that Freddy is a supporting character, and made the show about Florence and Anatoly. The show is in balance for the first time.

2. I had no problems with the technical aspects of the broadcast; it is rare enough that we get these kinds of programs at all, so why bitch about minor glitches? That being said, of course, I think that in 2009, to bleep curse words on PBS is ridiculously prudish.

3. The Cast:
Anatoly- A+
Freddy- B+ (and yes, it's right there in the text: Freddy may very well be gay.)
Florence- B+ (God, how I hate her vocal stylings; just sing the friggin' song!)
Molokov- A (Loved his voice, just not how I picture the character.)
Svetlana- A (Would have liked to have seen more of her.)
Walter- B
Arbiter- B- (Underpowered and muddy)

4. The big sreen was IMMENSELY helpful to the staging.

5. Yeah, I could have done without the chorus choreography.

6. And all the other choreography, as well. Epecially "Bangkok."

7. All the songs were great, old and new.

8. They (PBS) should do more shows like this!

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 2:28pm

I thought Freddie is in love with Florence. Isn't the love triangle kind of crucial?

[MisterRussell]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 2:34pm

Surely, Sporky, you have dated men who ended up being ambivalent about their sexuailty as a result?

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 2:53pm

Kind of unrelated seeing as how in this version Freddie tells Florence he loves her during the second act, but okay.

[BustopherPhantom]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 3:07pm

I'm a bad person, this was the first time I've actually heard the score (besides "One Night in Bangkok" and a few snippets). So this is from a total outsider.

TIM RICE: We didn't need a book. The songs tell the story.

Well, you needed something. The story is terrible. Impossible to follow for anyone who doesn't already know the political backdrop. Florence was singing a ballad every two minutes. Svetlana, the "important wife" had two scenes. Frederick spent the entire show being a brat, and then whined about having a bad childhood like that fixes everything. No focus (like Yankee said), everything was all over the place, no "characters" whatsoever, GOD IT WAS BAD.

I actually liked Idina: like everyone else, I thought she did the best with what she was given. Pascal was okay, Kerry Ellis had TWO ////ING SCENES, Josh Groban's voice is INCREDIBLE (the Anthem blew me away).

The score was... nice. There were great songs ("One Night," "Nobody's Side," "Anthem," "Merano") and a few good book scenes ("A Model of Decorum and Tranquility", "Endgame" [the only time the show managed to be dramatic]). But most of the score just blended into itself: maybe it'll sound better with repeated listening.

All in all: the score will probably grow on me, but the SHOW IS AWFUL. Please, Mr. Rice, do not bring this back to the stage. Simple as that.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 3:10pm

Freddy- B+ (and yes, it's right there in the text: Freddy may very well be gay.)

I never got that from it. I just got that his father was an a-hole.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 3:16pm

God in heaven, if that travesty is Tim Rice's idea of getting CHESS right, what on earth has it been like up until now?

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 3:27pm

LOL, Mister Russell.

I don't think there's anything suggesting that Freddy loves Florence anymore. He's more upset Florence leaves him for the man who beat him- and a Commie at that- than that she left him period. He sees it as a betrayal of politics and business, not of love.

[sylvesterbird]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 3:40pm

Really, I'm not going to complain too much considering how rarely musicals are broadcasted in any form at all. However, I thought Merano was way too long (and really not that clever, but then again I really couldn't understand what they were saying...) and REALLY wish they had just not done choreography at all. Especially the cheerleaders...
I was actually pleasantly surprised by Idina Menzel's performance. I had been dreading it, but thought she acquitted herself well. I love Julia Murney's take (I'll take her version of Nobody's Side over anyone's), but I felt Idina meshed better, especially with Josh Groban. As much as I love the both of them, he and Julia Murney did not match at all.
Sorely missed Raul Esparza as the Arbiter and Norm Lewis as Molokov. Also was annoyed at the random, way too loud electric guitar. Really I missed the entire Actor's Benefit cast, but Kerry Ellis blew me away! Also, I had only seen the Actor's Benefit Concert, so when Anatoly won my head exploded a little :P Does a bit more for his character though...

[MisterRussell]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 3:58pm

Well, I had hoped that readers like Sporky might have had the imagination to see what I saw in Pascal's prformance: A sexually ambiguous man who may well "love" Florence, but who may or may not still be questioning his sexual orientation. I ha always felt that Freddy doth protest too much in the "Bangkok" lyric: "I get my thrills above the waistline, Sunshine", and, despite the rewrite in "Quartet," at one point in the show's evolutuion, Rice had Anatoly suggest tha Freddy was "a fruit."

It's called "subtext." And it's there whether you like it or not. Of course, I may also be giving Pascal too much credit as an actor.

[Love the Tussin]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 4:13pm

"No focus (like Yankee said), everything was all over the place, no "characters" whatsoever, GOD IT WAS BAD."

I think 75% of the problem is a lack of focus, and 25% is that all of the characters (except for Anatoly's wife, who essentially gets three refrains and one song) are entirely unsympathetic. Anatoly's big epiphany (in this version) is that no one else and nothing else matters except for himself and his chess game. It's not exactly inspiring fare.

I'd like to see Chess on Broadway for merely selfish purposes (I think the music is gorgeous), but objectively speaking, every storyline (including the OLC version, which is essentially what we saw last night) has been subpar for the book of a musical. What a great score though.

Josh Groban and Kerry Ellis were the standouts for me, with Adam Pascal also turning in a good performance, despite sounding strained on a lot of the higher notes. Idina Menzel had no concept of her character.

As for playing Freddie as sexually ambiguous: it's a fair interpretation, although I doubt Adam Pascal made an conscious acting choice to do so.

Updated On: 6/18/09 at 04:13 PM

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 6:13pm

MisterRussell: Okay, fair enough. I guess I wasn't thinking about it, though I did find it funny that after he said that line he was essentially groped by chorus members, and did not appear to dislike it.

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 9:08pm

First I have to say I have loved this show/score all my lie it seems.

I love Josh, Adam and Idina as if they were family members.

This was exciting for me to watch.

Josh is amazing and he was a GREAT Anatoly. His voice is so pure and true. He's handsome, too... in a cute way.

Adam was perfect as Freddy. PITY THE CHILD was his highlight. I do not see what people who are saying, "Freddy is gay"- "Adam played Freddy gay."... No. Freddy is immature, clueless, spolied and trying to place blame and explain his problems and the way he is, but he's not gay. The line in PITY was about his father trying to hurt him and tease him about being queer. It was a slam, not a hint or an "out." Adam didn't consciously play him as asexual or bi or gay or whatever. He played him as spiteful, sad and confused.

There's only one way to say it: Idina disappointed me so much it hurt

Kerry sounded amazing with SOMEONE ELSE'S STORY. It works for Svetlana.

I really liked the staging.

[jsg03jd]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 9:48pm

"I saw the Broadway incarnation and I believe the father was there during both acts. First act appearance was a variation of "The Story of Chess" while "Lullaby" was in the second.

If my memory is faulty, please feel free to correct me."

I believe Florence's father did appear in both acts but was later revealed to be an impostor.

I don't think this book will ever get fixed because it's too much of a mess. Better just to stick with the songs and let them stand on their own in a concert staging. I've seen staged productions, and doing this piece in concert is the way to go.

[sanda]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 10:47pm

For those people who first know the show through this concert and judged the book by it, I want you to imagine watching a concert of "Sunday in the park with George" without any scenic design. You wouldn't be able to see how George struggled for his work. You would not be able to sense the passion and the frustration of art. All you could see for the first act is a love story.

To better understand the show, you should know in the original London production, the cast walked on a huge chess board. Every character was making a "move" just like the game. "Everybody playing the game but nobody's rules are the same. Nobody's on nobody's side". The show is about the game.

[Pgenre]

Posted: 6/19/09 at 12:10am

sanda's right.

This concert is in no way anything like seeing the show as it was done in London. (Or Sydney, which was a different but equally effective rendering of the material though very different).

This concert was thrilling for CHESS fans and may convert some to check out the score, best represented on the concept album or the Swedish Tour album (which was originally the entire london score, over 140 minutes of material, which was then edited down for the re-release to save disc space as discs running longer than 78 minutes cannot be insured by the printers so if there are printing errors there is no recourse).

Zubin Varla will forever be my favorite Freddy (and Judas - fierce doesn't even begin to describe it) and Anatoly's material is sonorous and gorgeous enough for me to enjoy any interpretation of the role, though I suppose Korberg in the 1994 CHESS IN CONCERT wins by a hair because of the spinetingling final note in "Endgame". Florence belongs to Elaine Paige, it was written for her, and anyone else who has attempted the role has appeared almost laughable... Carolee Carmello made it her own and brought layers to the character I never thought possible, so she is a favorite as well. Idina was underwhelming but I think time will look favorably on her slightly underplayed, stylized performance.

I love CHESS for what it is and this show will always be special to me in a way few are, so I love the fact it is on DVD (in English).

I find Rice's drastic re-write (which was produced in Australia and which I love for its uniqueness) and B&B's Swedish re-haul (which is a little too Euro, but interesting as a re-evaluation and addendum (3 new songs) to the score) equally interesting and effective in what they were trying to accomplish, neither of which served CHESS as a whole. The piece is delicate and anything straying too far from the concept album or this score in the concert will fail.

It needs to be a thrilling, elaborate pageant and a searing almost-melodrama to work properly. It is Bennett's American Megamusical and the original London book reflects that (and is reproduced here pretty much intact, with Nunn's influence barely apparent).

I think Michael Bennett's original concept of a multi-media pageant with the performers acting out the score on stage in front of video walls on the giant chessboard (essentially the score performed in this concert with slightly less recitative) with dance and video playing an important role in the storytelling, the show could have been as innovative as DREAMGIRLS or A CHORUS LINE.

Had he lived to follow his vision through to fruition... Essentially, all we got were the sets, costumes, cast and "The Story of Chess" from Bennett, alas. The Opening Ceremony was his last great accomplishment, though never personally polished in rehearsal of course because he was too busy dying in Arizona.

What could have been...

P

P.S. The only good thing I can say about Nunn's direction is that he kept every single bit of staging that Bennett and Avian had mapped out and was as minimalistic as he could be. What he did on Broadway is on the level of DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES rape and pillaging of great material.
Updated On: 6/19/09 at 12:10 AM

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 6/19/09 at 12:14am

I think MIRANDA could have straightened this all out....

[Janki]

Posted: 6/19/09 at 4:28am

"Even if the upcoming "Kristina" concerts turn out to be as diappointing as this, at least they will have gotten one thing right: the leading lady (Helen Sjoholm). "

Seeing that "Kristina" is based on 8 AMAZING books, I can definitely say that the music AND the book for the concerts will not dissapoint! And Helen is fantastic as "Kristina", only wish they had used her as "Florence" in RAH (and I love Idina, but just not in this)

The Complete "Danish" Recording (sung in English) is by far the best imho (with the Swedish version a close second...seein that I'm fluent in Swedish, could be the reason I love that one), and the way it ends with "Florence" singing a reprise of "Anthem" actually made me cry! What a perfect way to end the show!

[ken8631]

Posted: 6/19/09 at 8:07am

So, after all this, what IS the story? Sounds like you need to know the story ahead of time to better appreciate the musical (as in Les Mis, I think).

[broadwayjim42]

Posted: 6/19/09 at 8:26am

I know it's apples and oranges, but Kristina is based on four books (I have them--the Swedish cast album inspired me to read them) and I already love the music. I just hope the translation is decent.

It's just that this incarnation of "Chess" was disappointing enough, especially in the casting of Idina, that at least "Kristina" has a leg up thanks to Helen.

[Janki]

Posted: 6/19/09 at 8:57am

*lol*
Hey Broadwayjim,

They normally divide every book into two books nowadays if you find them, therfore I count them as 8! Originally they were released as 4 books, that is true. And aren't they the most amazing books??
Such an amazing moving life-story (it is not actually Kristinas story though, but her husbands), and some of the lyrics of the show are lifted directly from the books.
Hopefully they will be just as beautiful in English, "You have to be there" is certainly moving in English...and "I gott bevar!" will probably now make sense to all the non-swedish speakers (It actually means "In good care/well taken care of".