Willows Theatre Production of "Chess"

It took great courage for the Willows Theatre Company to present Benny Anderson/Bjorn Ulvaeus/Tim Rice’s "Chess" since this musical has had a checkered past. It is rarely presented today especially a full length stage production. This challenging musical needs top voices to sing the melodies of Anderson and Ulvaeus and sharp enunciations of the powerful lyrics by Tim Rice. The gorgeous score is a grand appropriation that touches many styles from Gilbert and Sullivan to Rodgers and Hammerstein to Italian opera.


I first saw “Chess” at the Prince Edward Theatre in London on April 30, 1986. (I had a vested interest in the musical as I was part of a British consortium who invested in West End musicals) I love the score and the production so much I saw it twice over a two week period. The British critics loved it and "Chess" played three years in the West End.

Some American producers decide to present the musical in the 1988. It premiered at the Imperial Theatre and the New York critics pulverized it. The Times said “three hours of characters yelling at one another to rock music…more lie stock car racing then chess”.

I saw the American version shortly after it opened and the musical lacked depth of feeling that should have stemmed from the characters. They came across as icily characters and looked like they were developed strictly as conveyances for the songs. The producers took out some songs and added new songs that were inferior and completely changed the structure of the musical drama. I could see why the New York critics pulverized the production. “Chess” closed after two months.

Since that time very few American regional or community theatres have attempted to produce the musical. The last time it appeared in the Bay Area was a successful concert version at the New Conservatory Theatre Center several years ago.


The Willows producers have now merged elements of the London and Broadway in this production of Chess in the two hour and forty minute production. Some of the singers were fine and caught the intricate melodies of Benny Anderson and Bjorn Ulvaeus. However the poor sound system did not help several of the singers and much of the dialogue was muddled when we were in attendance. The five piece orchestra situated on the second floor occasionally drowned out some of the singer’s voices. The one big number the erotic “One Night In Bangkok” was disappointing since it forced chorus members to engage in some uncomfortable gyrating. They were far better singers then dancers.


Lena Hart as Florence and Zachary Franczak as Anotoly rose above the defective sound system and presented pitch perfect resonance. Lena had beautiful vocal chops singing “Heaven Help My Heart” and “Nobody’s Side”. Zachary glorious vocalizing was outstanding. In “Anthem” and “Where I Want to Be” and his final duet with Lena “You and I” let the audience to his rich, natural gift. Joseph Brunicardi was excellent as the obnoxious American chess champion. He played the role to the hilt as he insulted everyone in sight. However this singer/actor has a good strong voice he did not need to be mike in this small theater. His voice was handicapped by the mike when singing his self-justification “Pity the Child”. Rebecca Pingree did a poignant performance as Svetlana the wife of Anotoly. She had a mellifluous voice when singing the “Someone Else’s Story”. Jesse Caldwell was provocative playing the KGB member Molokov. The complete chorus was commanding singing Anatoly’s climatic “Anthem”


Director Eric Inman used two screens on each side of the stage that was of little value. They would occasionally show pictures of an airport, Freddie’s hotel bedroom and some old newsreel shots. They did not use the screen when Freddie and Anatoly were playing chess. The British and American productions showed moves being made by these two chess players.
I think “Chess” is one of the great rock operas of the 20th Century and I do applaud the Willows for the courage to present this musical even with it technical problems on the date we saw the musical. It plays through October 30th at their theatre located as 1975 Diamond Blvd. Concord. For tickets online www.WILLOWSTHEATRE.org