Chess on PBS
“Chess” airs tonight at 9pm on WOSU TV as part of “Great Performances.” I was enough of a theater geek in 1984 that I owned (and still do) the album, which came out even before the London production (1986), which preceeded the Broadway show (1988), etc.
The show was laregly re-worked to fit the tastes of those in the States, with very mixed reviews. It hauled in some major theater awards, but fizzled on the American stage before coming a “cult” musical (a term that is applied to almost anything these days).
I admit some guilty pleasure in the album. I wanted to be The Arbitor, who got to own the stage for a few minutes during “Opening Ceremony.” It satisfied by semi-hidden rock ‘n’ roll nature to come off like a prima donna, and the music has plenty of good hooks. As much as I cringe at Momma Mia, Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, the writers behind ABBA, are better musicians than they are given credit for, though their work with lyricist Tim Rice on this production can veer into the stupid. (Sample: “I get my kicks above the waistline, sunshine!”)
The PBS broadcast features Idina Menzel (”Wicked”), Adam Pascal (”Rent”), and Josh Groban in a London concert revival. It features “One Night in Bangkok,” “I Know Him So Well,” and “The Anthem”), and was recorded in performance at Royal Albert Hall.
Read the interview with Josh Grobin about the music
– Scott Gowans