Chess at ENO
Chess at ENO
9Mirrors
Swing Joined: 12/17/12
#1Chess at ENO
Posted: 10/19/17 at 4:13pm
Apparently there have been auditions this week for a Spring 2018 staging of Chess at the English National Opera in London.
Anyone heard anything more?
BIG BALONEY
Leading Actor Joined: 6/21/03
#2Chess at ENO
Posted: 10/20/17 at 4:44pm
Theatreboard.co.uk has a long listing on Chess. The site has news on West End and across U.K.
#4Chess at ENO
Posted: 10/27/17 at 4:56amWhy won’t they let this awful show die?
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
#5Chess at ENO
Posted: 10/29/17 at 12:37pm
...because it needs a new revival to right the ship to this incredible score!...let's hope this is it!!
Pan_Am_L-1011
Chorus Member Joined: 12/11/10
jo
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
9Mirrors
Swing Joined: 12/17/12
9Mirrors
Swing Joined: 12/17/12
#9Chess atENO
Posted: 2/5/18 at 2:05pm
Apparently Tim Rice has disclosed that Michael Ball will be one of the leads.
9Mirrors
Swing Joined: 12/17/12
#10Chess atENO
Posted: 2/15/18 at 2:58am
Still not officially confirmed but a leak that the following are cast. But still no news on Molokov and Walter roles.
Florence: Cassidy Janson
Anatoly: Michael Ball
Freddie: Tim Howar
Svetlana: Alexandra Burke
mkmswain
Stand-by Joined: 2/1/16
#11Chess atENO
Posted: 2/16/18 at 7:18am
Casting finally confirmed!
https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Confirmed-Starry-Cast-Set-for-West-End-CHESS-Ball-Burke-Head-Howar-and-Janson-Announced-20180215
#12Chess atENO
Posted: 2/28/18 at 4:34pm
Oddly, I might actually get to see this. Do we like this cast?
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
rjm516
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/24/09
Pan_Am_L-1011
Chorus Member Joined: 12/11/10
#15Chess atENO
Posted: 3/9/18 at 10:43pm
It's not an awful show. It's got a fantastic score and is packed with great songs. Don't be rude!
Posner11
Stand-by Joined: 8/13/11
#16Chess atENO
Posted: 4/6/18 at 7:21am
Have been checking the booking for seats and suddenly found mid week they have changed a lot of the performances to £125 all stall seats when bar weekends they had been £75/£125 mix - weekends are now £150 all seats - other areas seem to be the same pricing as before
Considering how many seats are left across the dates find it surprising they think they can raise the prices especially since the cast news and advertising has not seemed to have filled seats anymore than before and certainly apart from the first Sweeney Todd shows tkts seems to have had reduced tickets most days for previous runs of these specials semi-staged shows
Since the £75 seat I was going to book is now the 125.00 price will wait and see any offers nearer time - would like to see but with the underwhelming cast (Murray was the only one keen to see) the only real reason is to hear a full Orchestra play the score not too worried about missing this as there have been far more exciting local and touring productions at a fraction of the cost.
Gizmo6
Broadway Star Joined: 6/16/17
#17Chess atENO
Posted: 4/6/18 at 12:06pm
Murray Head has withdrawn from the production as of yesterday.
Posner11
Stand-by Joined: 8/13/11
#18Chess atENO
Posted: 4/13/18 at 8:34am
yes with Murray Head leaving and the hike in prices this is one I hope to see if can get a reduced ticket as in London at the time but its no longer a must book which is sad as chess does have such a great score and have always enjoyed the various versions seen before.
Dont have issue with the cast members but the mix is odd with the ages and while no doubt they will all belt out the score (and MB has done Anthem enough times) its hard to see they will bring anything new to the show - hopefully in a couple of weeks we will see and hope they can make it more vibrant than it currently sounds but despite a blitz of online ads the mass of unsold tickets days away from opening tend to prove others producers right that despite 30 years and a lot of love for the show there is not a overwhelming desire for Chess back in the West end - at least not a over priced semi staged version - pity they did not give the Craig revel Horwood version a run a few years back
#19Chess atENO
Posted: 5/2/18 at 8:14pm
Has anybody here seen it? It was just reviewed in Variety...not so favorably. Interested to hear other opinions from those who have seen this ENO production.
rjm516
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/24/09
#20Chess atENO
Posted: 5/4/18 at 8:51am
For anyone interested, it looks like it is consistently on TodayTix for about 21 gbp and there are still rush tickets for tonight.
clockworkchess
Swing Joined: 2/12/18
#21Chess atENO
Posted: 5/8/18 at 10:22am
Based on some of the production pictures it's sad to see they haven't removed the unnecessary songs yet. Great show otherwise.
#22Chess atENO
Posted: 5/11/18 at 5:31pm
Perhaps I had low expectations but that was a surprisingly enjoyable night at the theatre! Don’t get me wrong, I feel now more strongly than ever that this show is a complete unsalvageable mess. The book is awful - the premise is absurd, the characters are paper thin giving rise to weird unearned moments and songs. It’s just bizarre. However, the score is eclectic and I doubt it ever sounded better than it did with this orchestra. The production is sung and acted very well - I was disappointed hearing about this cast after the Kennedy Center cast but they all deliver. One performance I would consider Tony-worthy in an average year (I.e., without a Ben Platt in DEH to compete against), is the Freddy (whoever the actor is - I’ve never heard of him). I love Raul but in hindsight if the show ever comes to Broadway with this guy instead I doubt any of us would be disappointed.
The staging is very interesting - it ranges from what I would consider quite interesting and innovative, the floating squares sometimes used in an interesting way with some useful projections and paying homage to the almost iconic musical artwork, to what I would consider some of the most cringeworthy amateur **** I’ve ever seen on a professional stage.
Anyway, I definitely recommend if you are in the area.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
rjm516
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/24/09
#23Chess atENO
Posted: 5/17/18 at 11:17am
Finally saw it! It was pretty enjoyable but man, they really worked hard to make it tough to watch. I mean literally, the set design/projections were cringey. And the sound design was somehow awful too! Michael Ball is extremely miscast but he sounded great.
SteveL2
Swing Joined: 4/19/17
#24Chess atENO
Posted: 5/19/18 at 6:42pm
After mostly terrible reviews I was dreading nearly 3 hours cramped in the balcony being bored senseless. But I thought it was great, after the glorious Sunset Boulevard here 2 years ago followed by the dire Carousel last summer, this proved for my wife and I to be most enjoyable. And the benefit of being in the gods was the use of big screens so that we felt we were far nearer than we actually were. So the story is thin and you can’t take it too seriously, maybe like Michael Balls acting. But can he sing, as could the others, throw in the huge orchestra and choir and first class staging and this became a really good night.
