The Muny’s first production of Chess is a winner.
The show began its life in 1984 as a concept album featuring music by ABBA’s Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, lyrics by Ulvaeus and Tim Rice, and a book by Rice. The success of the concept album led to a full theatrical staging that ran for three years in London.
This production had only a few minutes of spoken dialogue. Its book was replaced when Chess came to Broadway. The new book had much more dialogue and a substantially different plot. Previews of the revised version began in April 1988. The show closed the following June.
The London version is the one currently at The Muny. Because this show is made up almost entirely of musical numbers, it benefits enormously from having Josh Rhodes as both director and choreographer. His brilliant staging moves the show forward with unflagging dramatic thrust and brings striking clarity to the emotions at the heart of the story.
The show was inspired by the Cold War tension surrounding the 1972 chess match between the Russian world champion, Boris Spassky, and the American challenger, Bobby Fischer. The players were not simply competing as individuals; they were proxies for their countries’ political and economic systems. The Muny set design includes a powerful evocation of the superpowers’ showdown. The boom that serves as The Muny’s curtain is decorated with two enormous, clenched fists separated only by a king from a chess set. A Russian flag is superimposed on the left fist; an American flag is superimposed on the right one.
In the musical, the American, Frederick Trumper, is the champion; the Russian, Anatoly Sergievsky, is the challenger. They are competing not only for the title and their country’s supremacy, but also for the love of the same woman, Florence Vassy. She begins the show as Trumper’s lover and second, but her feelings toward both men evolve in the wake Trumper’s antics.
The Muny principals are superb. Jarrod Spector captures Trumper’s brashness, while John Riddle evinces Sergievsky’s soulfulness. Jessica Vosk’s Vassy has the spine needed to stand up to Trumper and the heart needed to appreciate Sergievsky’s depth. All three sing gloriously in their set pieces.
The supporting cast is just as impressive. Taylor Louderman is profoundly sympathetic as Sergievsky’s wife. Rodney Hicks as the head American delegate and Tally Sessions as head Russian delegate are splendid antagonists. The arbiter of the chess match is completely devoted to his task in Phillip Johnson Richardson’s portrayal. These four are wonderful singers, too.
The first chess match is a highlight of the Muny staging. As Trumper and Sergievsky face off across the board, a cameraman circles them like a vulture. The live video is projected on the huge digital display screen at the rear of the stage. The closeups let the audience see gestures and facial expressions that convey the full drama of the players’ battle. The frame projected around the match video will be familiar to anyone who remembers televisions with picture tubes. The wordless music in this scene is a chance to savor the Muny orchestra under Jason DeBord.
The centerpiece of Edward E. Haynes, Jr.’s scenic design is a large platform that looks like a chess board. It slants slightly upward until the squares at the far end rise in three dimensions. The platform is on a turntable, so it can be revolved for a completely different look.
Alex Basco Koch’s video design supplies imposing backdrops for the action. The visuals include scenes from the Italian mountains in Act 1 and Bangkok in Act 2. The production’s high standards are maintained by Emily Rebholz’s costumes, Tommy Kurzman wig, Rob Denton’s lighting, and John Shivers and David Patridge’s sound.
Chess continues at 8:15 p.m. through July 11 at The Muny in Forest Park.
—Gerry Kowarsky
Photo by Phillip Hamer Photography
The video screen captures a closeup of Frederick Trumper (Jarrod Spector) during his match with Anatoly Sergievsky (John Riddle, right side of board) in Chess at The Muny.
