Theatre Royal - Plymouth then various venues around the UK
Previews: 14 March 1990 ? Opened: 19 March 1990 Tour Ended: September 1991
A year after Chess had closed in the West End a new touring production was mounted. It had its premier at the Theatre Royal, Plymouth and was visually almost identical to the London production. It used the same sets and costumes, but without the large lifting, tilting, rotating stage floor. This was replaced with a much smaller chess board, set into a revolve. It could rise to quite a high tilt, but was only used in this position very briefly at the beginning of The Deal and then on a much smaller tilt for Endgame. A video-wall was included, but only on-stage, flown in as in London, but much smaller than the original 64 screen version and I think only used for match scores. (How many screens, 8 / 16?)
The story was set in the present day with Florence being Czech born rather than Hungarian as had been adopted for Sydney. Various other aspects of the new Sydney script were incorporated into the production. The modified post cold war dialogue was added and certain lyrical alterations were also adopted in some songs.
The most noticeable changes were the Introductions which were added just after The Story of Chess and in place of Merano/ What a Scene, which were both cut. Someone Else’s Story (original lyrics) was given back to Florence rather than Svetlana, who had of course sung it in Sydney with revised lyrics. It took the position of Nobody’s Side which was relocated to the very end of the show. Argument from the concept album was added to this version, thus this music with the album lyrics was fully staged for the first time. It had been used in both Broadway and Sydney, but with new lyrics and re named How Many Women. The Arbiter sung into a microphone all through The Arbiter and the scene contained no dancing, though there was a good amount of 'synchronised walking' by the Arbiter's various female assistants. TV Interview was cut and also Quartet, though possibly it was originally included and cut later in the tour.
Walter replaced the various TV reports that had been seen on the TV screens in London and became a 'reporter' for Global Television, recording various TV reports between scenes, updating the world on the events at the championships. Other than these few alterations the show was very much as had been seen in London.
The production was directed and choreographed by Anthony Van Last and although he cut the dancing from The Arbiter, he introduced a ballet sequence to the act one chess games. It did look quite interesting, but possibly distracted from the tensions building between the two players at the board. Embassy Lament had four embassy officials rather than London's two, who each participated in a few choreographed movements during the first half of the song, then proceeded to drink tea during the second.
Songs / Scenes
Act 1
THE STORY OF CHESS (The Arbiter sung the first half of the song (up to ..invented chess) in front of a gridded gauze. Behind the gauze as the second half of the song began, the chorus appeared dressed in the original London chess pieces costumes.)
{CUT: MERANO / WHAT A SCENE}
Introductions
(Shorter version of Sydney, without Svetlana and no singing) this was later changed to just The Arbiter speaking, as he provided a 'résumé of the main characters. The gridded gauze flew out and each of the main characters (except Svetlana) were highlighted with a spotlight as the Arbiter gave a brief résumé of each.)
COMMIE NEWSPAPERS
PRESS CONFERENCE
MOLOKOV AND ANATOLY WHERE I WANT TO BE
US v USSR (Sydney lyrics - encouraging times) THE ARBITER (No instrumental break and no dancing)
Objections (Sydney lines added)
CHESS HYMN
MERCHANDISERS (Updated lyric and additional/altered instrumental section)
Walter TV Report (The opening match.... got underway today...)
CHESS 1
Stop the Clock - Yoghurt! (As per Sydney) {CUT: QUARTET} FLORENCE & MOLOKOV YOU WANT TO LOSE YOUR ONLY FRIEND
SOMEONE ELSE'S STORY (Broadway lyrics)
Pre Meeting Conversation - Walter & Molokov, then Florence and Anatoly (As per Sydney) MOUNTAIN DUET
CHESS 2
FLORENCE QUITS
PITY THE CHILD
Resignation announcement & Anatoly defects HEAVEN HELP MY HEART Walter TV Report ("The drama of the World Chess Championships is now off the board...") EMBASSY LAMENT
ANTHEM
Act 2 The Arbiter's Speech (Explaining where the next championship is to be held, who is playing and that Freddie is working for Global Television) ONE NIGHT IN BANGKOK
Walter & Freddie TV Report (Walter welcomes Freddie as the expert chess commentator)
ONE MORE OPPONENT
YOU AND I
WHO NEEDS A DREAM/ YOU AND I (Anatoly & Svetlana)
SOVIET MACHINE
Walter & Molokov (Heart Warming International Cooperation...) {CUT: TV Interview} THE DEAL
A TASTE OF PITY ARGUMENT (This took place in the hotel lobby)
I KNOW HIM SO WELL (Also hotel lobby - Svetlana and Florence on either side, they don't meet)
Talking Chess (Hotel lobby again. Only dialogue, no singing and slightly different lines)
ENDGAME
YOU AND I
Walter & Florence NOBODY'S SIDE (Lyric change: Our love was ever faithful, Our contract truly signed!)
The Cast
Florence Vassy: Rebecca Storm Frederick Trumper: Richard Barnes Anatoly Sergievsky: Maurice Clarke Svetlana Sergievsky: Linda-Mae Brewer Walter De Courcey: Paul Haley Alexander Molokov: Malcolm Rivers The Arbiter: Brett Forest
The Creative Team
Director: Anthony van Last Set Designs: Robin Wagner Costume Design: Theoni V. Aldredge Lighting Design: Nick Richings Original Orchestrations and Arrangements: Anders Eljas Musical Supervision and Arrangements: Roger Ward Sound Design: Greg Pink Musical Director: Kevin Amos / Robert Purvis
Leaflets, Brochures, Programmes and Posters
The publicity flyer used images from the original London production. I'm not sure if they ever updated this to images of the actual tour, but I don't think they did.
The tour travelled to a number of venues around the UK. Below is a fairly complete list of the tour, though there are possibly a few venues missing. If you know of any missing dates / venues, do please let me know. There have also been some conflicting info on dates/venues, so this is still a work in progress...
Plymouth - Theatre Royal (14th Possibly previews) Mon 19 March - Sat 2 April 1990 Nottingham - Theatre Royal Tue 5 April - Sat 23 April 1990 (Seems this date didn't happen) Liverpool - Empire Tue 24 April - Sat 5 May 1990 Dartford - Orchard Tue 8 - Sat 26 May 1990 Bristol - Hippodrome Tue 29 May - Sat 23 June 1990 Cambridge - Corn Exchange Tue 26 June - Sat 14 July 1990 Northampton - Tue 17 - Sat 28 July 1990 Guildford -Yvonne Arnold Tue 17 - Sat 28 July 1990 (Seems this date didn't happen) Southend-On-Sea - Westcliff Pavilion Tue 31 July - Sat 11 August 1990 It is believed there was a week off here as Rebecca Storm was appearing in Summer Season Glasgow - Kings Theatre Mon 20 - Sat 25 August 1990 Bradford - Alhambra Tue 25 September - Sat 13 October 1990 Southampton - Mayflower Tue 16 October - Sat 7 November 1990 Missing venue? Manchester - Opera House Mon 17 November 1990 - 1 Sat 12 January 1991 Missing venue? Birmingham - Hippodrome Mon 21 January - Sat 2 March 1991 Missing venue? Dublin - Point Mon 18 March - Sat 30 March 1991 Newcastle - Theatre Royal Mon 1 April - Sat 13 April 1991 Aberdeen - His Majesty's Theatre Mon 22 April - Sat 4 May 1991 Edinburgh - Playhouse Tue 7 May - Sat 25 May 1991 Missing venue? Crawley - Hawth Tue 4 June - Sat 15 June 1991 Oxford - Apollo Mon 17 June - Saturday 29 June 1991 Trondheim, Norway Wed 3 July - Sat 13 July 1991 Canterbury - Marlowe Tue 30 July - Sat 10 August 1991 (Seems this date didn't happen) Paignton - Festival Theatre Tue 13 August - Sat 24 August 1991 Torquay - Princess Theatre Tue 27 August - Sat 10 September 1991 (Seems this date didn't happen) Darlington - Civic Tue 13 - Sat 24 September 1991
Review from The Stage
1996 UK Tour
In 1996 a 10th Anniversary touring production was mounted and began at the Orchard Theatre, Dartford on 22nd March. This production was once again choreographed and directed by Anthony Van Last and was more or less the same as the 1990 version. There were a few additional scrip changes and I believe some of the sets were slightly different. There does not seem to have been a brochure created, so no photos at the moment.
The main difference was that this production was set in 1974 and so any post Cold War changes that had been written for Sydney and adopted in the 1990 production were removed. Florence was once again Hungarian born.
Sadly this production simply did not sell well enough and it had to be stopped after just a few weeks of touring. Info is still somewhat sketchy, but I will hopefully be able to add some additional information soon.
Song / Scene List 1996
Act 1
THE STORY OF CHESS {CUT: MERANO / WHAT A SCENE} Introductions (The résumé version, but slightly different to 1990) {CUT: COMMIE NEWSPAPERS} {CUT: PRESS CONFERENCE} Molokov and Anatoly WHERE I WANT TO BE US v USSR (Original lyrics) THE ARBITER (No instrumental break, but don't know yet if any dancing) Objections (Slight variation in a few lines from 1990) CHESS HYMN MERCHANDISERS Walter TV Report ("The opening match will take place today...") CHESS 1 (Presumably the ballet sequence was kept for this production?) Stop the Clock - Yoghurt! (As per Sydney) {CUT: Quartet} FLORENCE & MOLOKOV YOU WANT TO LOSE YOUR ONLY FRIEND SOMEONE ELSE'S STORY (Broadway lyrics) Pre Meeting Conversation - Walter & Molokov, then Florence and Anatoly (As per Sydney) MOUNTAIN DUET Walter TV Report ("At the start of today's match... Freddie looks set to fight back...") CHESS 2 (Ballet sequence included?) FLORENCE QUITS TASTE OF PITY (Pity the Child moved to Act 2) Resignation announcement & Anatoly defects HEAVEN HELP MY HEART Walter TV Report ("The drama... is now off the board...") EMBASSY LAMENT ANTHEM
Act 2 Arbiter's Speech (As per 1990 with a few slight alterations) ONE NIGHT IN BANGKOK Walter & Freddie TV Report (Introducing Freddie as chess expert...) ONE MORE OPPONENT YOU AND I WHO NEEDS A DREAM / YOU AND I (Svetlana) SOVIET MACHINE Walter & Molokov ("Heart Warming International Cooperation...") THE DEAL PITY THE CHILD {CUT:?? ARGUMENT} (Seems to have been cut, but may have been in it at one point...?) STORY OF CHESS (First verse only.. Each game of chess... Sung by The Arbiter) I KNOW HIM SO WELL {CUT:?? Talking Chess} (Not sure if cut, not listed in programme, but could be dialogue?) ENDGAME YOU AND I Walter & Florence NOBODY'S SIDE
Leaflets, Posters, Programmes etc. 1996
As you will see below, they were still using the original London production images in the leaflet.
Thanks Kacey for the pic
There doesn't seem to have been a brochure for the 1996 tour, but you can download the programme on the Programme and Brochures page. The first date listed on the Wimbledon programme is Monday 22, but I think possibly that date was cancelled and the first performance was Tuesday 23.
The Cast 1996
Florence Vassy: Jacqui Scott Frederick Trumper: Bogdan Kominowski Anatoly Sergievsky: Maurice Clarke Svetlana Sergievsky: Julia Howson Walter De Courcey: Simon Clarke Alexander Molokov: Nicholas Pound The Arbiter: Michael Winsor
The Creative Team 1996
Director: Anthony van Last Set Designs: Robin Wagner Costume Design: Theoni V. Aldredge Lighting Design: Ross Corbett Original Orchestrations and Arrangements: Anders Eljas Musical Supervision and Arrangements: Kevin Amos Sound Design: Clem Rawling Musical Director: David Shrubsole
Tour Dates 1996
Dartford - Orchard Fri 22 March - Sat 6 April 1996 Manchester - Opera House Tue 9 April - Sat 20 April 1996 London - Wimbledon Tue 23 - Sat 27 April (A second week was cancelled) Hatfield - Forum Mon 29 April - Sat 4 May 1996 (This date didn't happen - cast had week off) York - Grand Theatre Royal Tue 7 - Sat 18 May 1996 Plymouth - Theatre Royal Tue 21 May - Sat 1 June 1996