Chess

This production was destined for the Playhouse stage in April 2020, but for reasons we all remember clearly, it never made it.  Various attempts were made to resurrect the project, but further lockdowns got in the way and eventually it was time for the Company to move on.  But the cast had been promised that the show would be produced one day, the dream was sustained, and on a warm evening in August 2024 we gathered in the Playhouse to watch a cast drawn both from the production company of 2020 and the current membership finally bring this popular musical to the stage.

This wasn’t, however, the production that had originally been envisioned.  With a rehearsal period cut down from many months to just over a week, the show could only be semi-staged, although I agree with the Director that this brought some benefits: it’s quite an intense, cerebral tale in which the admittedly atmospheric and colourful settings of Merano and Bangkok are largely incidental.  On the other hand, the limited time meant that some of the complex, powerful company dance routines couldn’t be given the full MYCO treatment, the excellence of such routines being one of the hallmarks of the Company’s best work.  Budgetary restrictions meant that the orchestration was much reduced, but the five piece band gave an excellent account of itself, with the keyboards conjuring up a whole orchestra of synthesised strings as required, and a soaring lead guitar giving the enterprise that authentic rock opera feel.

Most of the leading principals were played by alumni of the original cast, in some cases reprising the roles they had been cast in, and this was amongst the strongest groups of principals I have seen: they all had fantastic voices, excellent technical control and power to burn.  The strength in depth was illustrated by the presence of several established and talented principals from the current company amongst the supporting ensemble of reporters, and the chorus.

The onstage movement promised much, with the company dancing at the beginning of act two drawing inspiration from the projections of Buddhist temples rather than from the seedy underside of Bangkok.  This very formal routine provided a clear contrast to the more folksy dancing seen in Merano, and I’m sure it would have been incredible to watch on the back of a six month rehearsal period.  As it was, it was amazing how much discipline and precision had been achieved in a week, with the graceful arm movements and extensions particularly impressive.  A highlight was the opening chess game played out by the company on the onstage board; there was a real feeling of drama and tension as the company replicated the moves projected above them, powerfully demonstrating that chess can be more than just a game.

The projections effectively removed the need for any scenery or properties (bar the odd clipboard or reporter’s microphone), echoing aspects of the original West End production which made ground-breaking use of live onstage video and banks of television screens.  They provided context and commentary through their use of graphics, historical clips (such as the tanks rolling into Budapest in 1956) and personal histories (such as the emotionally powerful photographs of one of the chess master’s upbringing).  There were also scene-establishing images of alpine Merano, bustling Bangkok and a hotel bedroom, for example, as well as a comprehensive gallery of past chess masters referenced in the lyrics.

At the end, you could only stand in awe of what has been achieved here.  While Covid had many more devastating impacts than the postponement of a theatre production, the effective cancellation of the original show was clearly a major blow to everyone involved.  It was a privilege to be in the Oxford Playhouse to see a dream realised, a promise kept and a musical staged that honoured the company of 2020, and which even gained some emotional heft through the long delay in production and the necessarily simplified presentation.  The Musical Youth Company of Oxford has and will put on more accomplished productions, but this staging of “Chess” will surely stand amongst its greatest achievements.

© NODA CIO.  All rights reserved.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.