Chess: The Musical

As a classic musical, everyone knows at least one or two songs from Chess (‘One Night in Bangkok’, ‘I Know Him So Well’) – even if you’ve never seen it.

Inspired by the life of Russian chess player, Garry Kasparov, the story looks at how global politics play out in something as innocuous as a chess competition.

In every scene, an unexpected level of detail and professionalism pervades GSODA’s version of Chess.

For example, during the last chess battle, choreographer and set designer Jules Hart uses the real moves from one of Kasparov’s games. No one in the audience is likely to pick up on this, but it’s these authentic touches that infuse the production with quality.

Amongst the singers, Kate Hebbard stands out as Florence. Her vocals find every note, and she infuses emotion into each lyric making the audience feel for her character.

As Freddie, Jules Hart has the looks of Kiefer Sutherland in the film, Stand By Me – and has the attitude! But while Sutherland’s character never transforms, Hart makes a convincing transition from arrogance to humility.

In ‘One Night in Bangkok’, Jules Hart let out all the stops in his choreography and performance: it’s a high-energy ensemble number, featuring cross-dressing, dancing, and lots of colour.

In 23 years of reviewing theatre, I’ve seen more than 1,500 shows. GSODA’s Chess is one of the few productions I’ve wanted to watch again.

Daniel G. Taylor