Tim Rice Hopes CHESS London Concert Will Lead to Revival

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 1/25/08 at 3:01am

Just read this on today's Riedel's colum on the Post. It really is tragic that Bennett never got around to doing work on this show, the score isn't half bad (I know it has some big fans on this board, from what I have heard from it, I like some of it, and dislike some of it) but if someone could pull a show together it was Michael Bennett.
I do hope I get to see the Carnegie Hall concert if Rice does get the chance to do it in New York. Wonder if Menzel will play Florence here as well:

"It's just an excuse, really, for me to have the show done by the best possible people, the way I want it performed," says Rice, who's putting up the entire $250,000 production cost himself. (His monthly royalty check from "The Lion King" should cover that.)

"I'm not doing it to make money," he says, "just to satisfy myself and to remind people how good the show is."

If all goes well, he'd like to bring the concert to Carnegie Hall later this year, and he hopes it might lead to a West End or Broadway revival.
Rice's CHESS Strategy

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 1/25/08 at 3:22am

i think Bennett would have done wonderfull things with this show and while having seen a couple of productions ( Sydney Australia, i think i must have been the only person to love this production. Set inside a Bangkok hotel. the show worked perfectly. Would love to find the soundboard recording. )

I am not sure that the cast they have is right the cast for this show, but as long as Rice goes back and tires to fix some of the issues with the show, all i can say is welcome back.

[sanda]

Posted: 1/25/08 at 8:41am

"If all goes well, he'd like to bring the concert to Carnegie Hall later this year, and he hopes it might lead to a West End or Broadway revival."

I heart you, Mr.Rice. I soooooo want to fly to London to see this.

If they can make a revival on Broadway based on London's script and started with Anthony Warlow as Anatoly, I am in heaven.

[TheatreBuzz2]

Posted: 1/25/08 at 9:59am

Love to see this back. I just hope this stick what works best with the show and leave it as that. They messed around with it far too much previously which damaged it greatly, esp on Broadway.

[sweetestsiren]

Posted: 1/25/08 at 10:07am

Broadway revival, please! There's no show that I'd rather see revived. I think the show has so much unrealized potential.

The Bennett aspects of the OLC production were really stunning, and I can only imagine how much better the show would have been if he'd been able to follow through with his staging. Nunn's staging of the numbers was completely at odds with the set and feel of the show (don't even get me started on Broadway).

[acrocksyo]

Posted: 1/25/08 at 10:24am

From what I have heard of Chess the music is amazing. Does anyone have any information on why the show was not successful? Was it a bad book, bad direction?

Thanks.

[mikem]

Posted: 1/25/08 at 10:30am

"But the score lived on, with the gorgeous ballads "I Know Him So Well" and "You and I" becoming contemporary standards. "

Is "You and I" being performed or recorded? I didn't realize it had a life outside of the show.

[sanda]

Posted: 1/25/08 at 10:43am

Is "You and I" being performed or recorded? I didn't realize it had a life outside of the show.

Yes, it is. You can find it in Danmark Cast recording. And it's performed in the second act twice.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 1/25/08 at 10:51am

I agree with Tim Rice's sentiments about the Broadway version of Chess. Trying to turn it into a book musical was a mistake. It is so much more engrossing sung through.

[Justin D]

Posted: 1/25/08 at 10:57am

There was also a rumour that the recent Sweden incarnation would be the one used if it ever comes back to broadway.

I hope not, although it had 2 new and somewhat interesting songs, I could not follow the story, they made the arbiter into a bafoon and the set was rather boreing.

I love the version on the Danish CD (which is basically the London version with a few extra bits)

[sweeedboy]

Posted: 1/25/08 at 11:07am

This is definitely exciting! I think going back to a sung through show is essential. Listening to all the millions of versions that exist, it was really the original London show that had the most energy and quickest action. Also "The Endgame" from the original is just simply astonishing.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/25/08 at 11:45am

There are some wonderful clips of the Swedish production on the "nameless site!"

[musicalmaster703]

Posted: 1/25/08 at 3:35pm

idina and Adam should be in it, they were both in chess before weren't they

[MisterRussell]

Posted: 1/25/08 at 3:37pm

I hope "Merano" is reinstated...

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/25/08 at 4:11pm

Musical Master, Idina is doing the two London concerts and Adam did the Actor's Fund concert as Freddie.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 1/25/08 at 4:29pm

sanda - I don't believe that is what mikem meant. I think it was in reference to You and I being a "contemporary standard", which it isn't. I Know Him So Well has been recorded several times as well as Heaven Help My Heart and Anthem. But I don't believe I've seen much of You and I outside of a cast recording of the show.

[sanda]

Posted: 1/25/08 at 4:48pm

Mr.Matt, you are right. I misunderstood the meaning. The only time I heard the song performed out of the show was when Anthony Warlow did it during one of his concert.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 1/25/08 at 6:14pm

I never got a chance to see it the first go around so hopefully it will come back to broadway

One imagines how it originally would have turned out had Bennett not taken ill.

[*brina-doll*]

Posted: 1/25/08 at 6:24pm

If this happens I'd love to see Josh Groban as Anatoly. His concert version of the character sounded fantastic, and I hope the concert with Ms.Menzel will show this.

[#1Elphie]

Posted: 1/25/08 at 7:21pm

This is my absolute favorite musical, so I would LOVE to see a Broadway revival.

I'm not crazy about Groban's acting, so I would rather see someone else as Anatoly. But I'm not picky; I'd just love to see it back on Broadway.

[*brina-doll*]

Posted: 1/25/08 at 9:03pm

I'll definetly agree that his acting abilities are not quite up to par; but I would personally love to a have a legit cast album instead of a boot

[alliez92092]

Posted: 1/25/08 at 9:05pm

If they bring this back to Broadway and Julia Murney does not get to play Florence, then things will not be okay.

[MiniMenzel08]

Posted: 1/25/08 at 9:07pm

I want it to be revived!!!

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 1/25/08 at 9:14pm

Considering Idina's CD is not being very well received by critics, I hope she would continue to a full scale production.

[alliez92092]

Posted: 1/25/08 at 9:18pm

There's been like what? One review of her CD so far? I wouldn't jump to conclusions yet.