CHESS (2025 Broadway Revival) Reviews- Page 3

[Jumpin_J]

Posted: 11/17/25 at 4:18pm

malcs98 said: "Jeffrey Karasarides said: "

Depending on howCatsandThe Rocky Horror Showare both received in the spring, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this one left out for Best Musical Revival."

The only real front-runner for Best Musical Revival at this point is still RAGTIME, correct?"

It seems to be the case. To be fair, Rocky Horror won't open until the spring as is Cats: Jellicle Ball (which I have to presume will be counted as a revival). Short of either of them blowing the roof off, I think Ragtime should get several awards but Best Revival is all but certain. 

 

[Jarethan]

Posted: 11/17/25 at 5:04pm

I hope you are right because I think this is one of the three most 'thrilling' productions I have seen in the last decade, the others being Oklahoma (which I hated until the Daniel Fish production) and SB.  Since neither of the others returned their investment, I would like to see at least one do so.  Further, I won't be back in NYC until late May and want this to be around when I return.

I have to say that I expected more reviews like Sara Holdren's (it may be a mess, but that did not prevent me from loving it), and I was really disappointed to see that there were not more of those.  Of course, it is totally unclear to me how much impact reviews have on a musical's box office success unless they are all raves or mostly pans. 

Someone commented that they have a lot of great pull quotes...do shows still take full page ads in the Sunday times? (I have not seen a hard copy Sunday Times in at least 15 years).  If not for the full-page ad, how much do pull-quotes even matter anymore?  I have been assuming that the cast, combined with the Chess 'cult', and positive audience word-of-mouth will sell enough tickets to at least last through the current cast's first year (vs. peter out after a few solid grossing months), but don't know how much of that is wishful thinking.

[shomeika]

Posted: 11/17/25 at 5:12pm

I loved the show-  truly I did.  Lea, Aaron, Nik, all fab.

The reviews are as I suspected.  I still wish that they would have cut the stupid jokes - talking directly to the audience in real time (2025) - from the Arbiter, I mean narrator. I mean Bryce.  Or in the words of Molina "Only At The Movies" ---WHATEVER IT IS!  

Maybe they should have just called it Chess in Concert.

Some reviews were positive, I hope this show lasts for a nice long while.  

Updated On: 11/17/25 at 05:12 PM

[BJR]

Posted: 11/17/25 at 5:42pm

As Gatsby proves, you can’t tell people not to see what they want to see. And these current grosses are massive. 
 

it’s got a shot at a run while they’re in it. 

[MysteriousLady]

Posted: 11/17/25 at 5:51pm

Jarethan said: "I hope you are right because I think this is one of the three most 'thrilling' productions I have seen in the last decade, the others being Oklahoma (which I hated until the Daniel Fishproduction) and SB. Since neither of the others returned their investment, I would like to see at least one do so. Further, I won't be back in NYC until late May and want this to be around when I return.

I have to say that I expected more reviews like Sara Holdren's (it may be a mess, but that did not prevent me from loving it), and I was really disappointed to see that there were notmore of those. Of course, it is totally unclear to me how much impact reviews have on a musical's box officesuccess unless they are all raves or mostly pans.

Someone commented that they have a lot of great pull quotes...do shows still take full page ads in the Sunday times? (I have not seen a hard copy Sunday Times in at least 15 years). If not for the full-page ad, how much do pull-quotes even matter anymore? I have been assuming that the cast, combined with the Chess 'cult', and positive audience word-of-mouth will sell enough tickets to at least last through the current cast's first year(vs. peter out after a few solid grossing months), but don't know how much of that is wishful thinking."

I see pull quotes all over social media ads.

[shomeika]

Posted: 11/17/25 at 6:14pm

BJR said: "As Gatsby proves, you can’t tell people not to see what they want to see. And these current grosses are massive.


it’s got a shot at a run while they’re in it."

True that!  Insanely massive.  I hope it has legs.  Look, I adore Chess. I adore this production (mostly) but if this version doesn't work out - IMO they need to give this show a rest.