Chess Review

I get my kicks above the waistline, sunshine.

Chess is one of my parents’ favorite musicals. They saw it on their honeymoon in London and still talk about how thrilling it was. After 30 years, it's finally back on Broadway with a sexy, flashy young cast. Naturally, I was excited, but also hesitant, as the original was a flop in both London and New York. A modern makeover of a show isn't always a guarantee of success, and as I learned from The Last Five Years, an actor I love won't always make a show work. So, my friend and I bought tickets thinking we'd just enjoy the music and look at the gorgeous Aaron Tveit.

Fans, even the ones who saw and loved the original productions, were divided, which added to my lower expectations. Those who enjoyed it loved it and spoke about the incredible vocal performances, the chemistry between the cast members, and the amazing soundtrack. Those who didn’t enjoy it were quite passionate in their opinions about the acting performances and the changes to the book—specifically, the ending. 

I went into this show 95% blind. My dad used to play “One Night in Bangkok" for me, which is the only song from the musical that hit the charts, and I knew the musical took place during the Cold War and that there's a chess game involved. I was not familiar with either the original New York or London books, so my opinion of the show was swayed by this. I am not attached to the original material and have no preconceived notions about it or any previous iterations to go off of. 

The critics were quite mixed on the show, calling the book “weak and jumbled,” and stated that there was no chemistry between the three leads, but that the music was beautiful, and the cast sang their butts off.

I am thrilled to report that this show was an absolute blast! It was some of the most fun I've had in a Broadway theater this year. I turned to my friend after “The Arbiter Song” and said “holy shit, I’m seeing this again.” I’ve only ever done that mid-show once, after “Mack The Knife” during Just in Time.  

Chess tells the riveting and tense story of two chess grandmasters: the narcissistic and arrogant Freddie, an American, and the thoughtful and loyal Anatoly, a Soviet. Both have feelings for the beautiful and seductive Florence, Freddie’s chess strategist and lover. The show explores themes of political identity, betrayal, lust, and loyalty to one's family and country, set against the backdrop of the Cold War and to a banging 80s synthpop soundtrack.

The set up and costumes had an aesthetic reminiscent of Jamie Lloyd’s. Aaron Tveit, Lea Michelle, and Nicholas Christopher were always in simple monochrome costumes, the sets were kept simple, and there were very few props save the occasional chess piece or mic. The only pops of color came during the overture and the iconic “One Night In Bangkok" scene, where some female ensemble members wore pink or blue bras and panties. Like many of Jamie Lloyd’s productions, this show also used video screens, though they worked perfectly and weren’t overused. I do wish that they’d incorporated some design elements to show us what was happening on the board during the actual chess matches rather than having Aaron Tveit and Nicholas Christopher standing there narrating the moves. If you don’t have basic knowledge of the game, these scenes may be tricky to understand.  

The music is the reason that Chess has endured all these years later. The arrangements are thrilling. Every single song emanates manic energy into the theater. The songs didn’t get the modern makeover we see in many revivals, and quite frankly, they didn’t need one, as the original soundtrack is already a masterpiece. I was happy when I listened to the soundtrack a few days later and realized that not much had changed. Every single number is a showstopper! There were several moments where I was dancing in my seat. This is one of those shows where you can’t help but wiggle around to the music.

Bryce Pinkham is an energetic, fun, and slightly unhinged Arbiter, as well as the narrator. Originally his character wasn’t funny—a change which the critics loathed, finding his jokes cringey—but Pinkham made me laugh so hard multiple times. His self-aware jokes landed very well: he knew why we were here, who we wanted to see, and he played with that. His political jokes especially flowed perfectly and were relevant and timely, and one particular joke about RFK Jr. almost made me fall out of my seat laughing. In addition to his outstanding comedic timing, Pinkham’s voice fit this score perfectly; he was like a rock star up there. I wish he had more solo songs because his big number brought down the house and had me wanting more. We even moved Pinkham to tears with our tremendous applause. The friend I was with made comparisons to Hugh Jackman and even asked if it was Jackman on stage. Pinkham was more Luke Evans than Hugh Jackman, which I mean as a compliment. As my Facebook friend says, “I came for Aaron Tveit but I stayed for Bryce Pinkham.” 

The reason I wanted to see this show was Aaron Tveit. His gregarious nature seemed like a hand-in-glove fit for Freddie, and I was right! Tveit plays “the hotheaded Yank” Freddie as a broken but brilliant and manic genius. He is such an asshole, but I couldn't help but root for him. He brought the same charisma to Freddie that Jonathan Groff brought to the role of Franklin Sheppard. Two of his songs were particularly thrilling: the first, the iconic “One Night in Bangkok,” which kicks off Act Two, and the other, his big 11 o’clock number, “Pity The Child.” I’ve seen Tveit sing and act, but in “Pity The Child,” he is otherworldly and sounds like a rockstar more than a Broadway singer. He sings like his life depends on it and his belt at the end sent chills up my spine; I think he held it for 15 seconds, which sent my jaw to the floor. Tveit may just be up there as one of the greatest vocalists we have on Broadway right now. Freddie’s songs are not easy, but Tveit makes it look like a walk in the park. Tveit’s chemistry with Lea Michelle was sizzling and sexy, with points in the show where I thought they were about to rip each other's clothes off. His scenes with Nicholas Christopher’s Anatoly were gripping, tense, and angsty, like watching something out of an action thriller without the violence. I was on the edge of my seat multiple times just waiting for the fists to fly. I was already a fan, but this really turned me into a Tveithead. I get the hype. 

Nicholas Christopher was an absolute triumph as Anatoly. I previously saw him in the ensemble of Sweeney Todd, and having seen him in Chess, I now regret missing him as Sweeney. His Anatoly is brooding, grounded, and calculated, but he has some tender moments. His vocal performance was the most impressive. While the acting felt a little deadpan and Jamie Lloyd-esque, it worked perfectly for this role. Before I go any further, I have to talk about “Anthem,” the first act closer, because, holy shit, I've never heard a belt with as much soul as Nicholas Christopher’s in this song. It felt like my soul was going straight to heaven as the song progressed. By the end, I was ready to cry and nearly fell out of my seat in pure awe. I was floored. How Christopher has managed to fly under my radar is beyond me. I now want to see everything else he is in. Christopher manages to portray the deep suicidal pain Anatoly has while also grappling with his character’s changing motivations, fueled by his upbringing, his feelings for the woman he loves, his conflicted feelings towards his motherland, and the trauma of being snatched away from his family to become a Soviet chess pawn. While Christopher is a phenomenal singer, he really shines when doing the deep character work, which is vital when playing this kind of role. And, my goodness, is this man handsome!

Lea Michelle as the chess genius Florence was sexy, witty and sharp, but not as strong as her two male costars. While I enjoyed her singing, her acting wasn’t as strong, though she performed better alongside Tveit than with Christopher. She really is giving her all when singing this challenging score and you can tell she’s pushing herself. I was close enough that I could see the veins in her head throbbing during some of her bigger belting moments. She really shines in her quiet and tender moments, but some of her more feisty scenes feel like she’s channeling Rachel Berry, her character from Glee, more than Florence. 

In addition to being an all-around fun afternoon at the theater, I walked out having learned a little more about The Cold War. As The Arbiter says, “there are things you’ll see on this stage tonight that might seem a bit ludicrous, but I assure you some of this crazy shit actually happened.” Up until that day, I didn’t know what the SALT 2 Treaty or the Able Archer 83 Military Exercises were. 

Is Chess a perfect show? No. Is the book 100% fixed? No. Is this the greatest revival known to mankind? No, that would probably be Merrily We Roll Along. But this show was pure campy fun. I haven’t had this much fun since “Just In Time.” The show has no need to be serious and it really leans into its 80s nostalgia and the pure ridiculousness of the whole thing. 

To quote The Arbiter once more, “my god…that was hot!” Chess is hot and will continue to be the hot ticket of the season. Although it won’t have the staying power that Hamilton does, especially once the lead trio inevitably starts leaving, I can see this still having a healthy run.

I enjoyed the show so much, that I went to the box office a week latter and got a front row seat for another performance.

CHECKMATE indeed!!!