After the success earlier in the year of Bonnie and Clyde in Concert, the bar has been set rather high for what concert productions at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane can provide, and Chess the Musical in Concert certainly hits the mark.
Mark Shenton confesses all about his top ten guilty theatrical pleasures
We’ve all got them: things we enjoy — sometimes mightily — that it’s just a little bit embarrassing to admit to liking. Like admitting, in my case, a massive passion for Selling Sunset, the real estate reality TV show set in the cramped offices of an LA boutique agency that sell houses to millionaires and billionaires. (But somehow seem to work cheek-by-jowl in a tiny office on Sunset Boulevard).
Mark Shenton bemoans the lack of British songwriters in Radio 2’s forthcoming musicals celebration
Radio 2’s Greatest Show could — and should — have been a platform to celebrate more British musicals, especially here, especially now, with the industry floundering so badly. A show of support for our own creators of new musicals would not have gone amiss.
Text of the Day: Ravens: Spassky Vs Fischer
Random and topical thoughts and quotes gathered by My Theatre Mates contributor Aleks Sierz, first published on www.sierz.co.uk.
REVIEW ROUND UP: Chess at the London Coliseum
Chess is officially back in London, directed by Laurence Connor and starring Alexandra Burke, Michael Ball and Cassidy Janson. Here’s what the critics have been saying about it…
‘Bold & confident production well worth seeing’: CHESS – West End ❤❤❤❤
There’s no denying that the plot in Chess could, despite changes in this version, be better structured. But this is a show best enjoyed by sitting back and letting the music and staging blow you away. Overall, it’s a bold and confident production well worth seeing.
‘Has stood the test of time’: CHESS – West End
Chess is also a musical about love, about honour, about freedom and about hard choices. It is when these come to the fore that the musical really shines.
‘An evening of stunning musical theatre’: CHESS – West End ★★★★★
If you can get (or afford) a ticket, go and see Chess, if only because the score is unlikely to be played quite so sumptuously ever again. The whole production makes for an evening of stunning musical theatre.
‘It’s really the music that steals the show’: CHESS – West End ★★★★
If you’ve never seen Chess before then I think you’ll love it. I urge you to see the show regardless of its faults, it’s got a beautiful score and a moving story that you can’t help but fall in love with.
‘Breathtakingly stunning’: CHESS – West End ★★★★★
The beauty and simplicity of Chess allowed the audience to enjoy the sublime orchestration and performances. It really is a beautiful visual delight which shouldn’t be missed in this short five-week run
7 shows to look out for in May – Red, Chess, An Ideal Husband & more
Here’s a guide to a few of the shows that Love London Love Culture is looking forward to throughout May…
‘The saving grace comes with a suite of strong performances’: CHESS – West End
It’s taken over 30 years for Chess to return to the West End (though it was seen at the Union in 2013) and though it has a huge amount of resource thrown at it in Laurence Connor’s production for English National Opera, it doesn’t necessarily feel worth the wait.
NEWS: Full cast announced for revival of Chess at the London Coliseum
The full cast has been announced for the first West End production of Chess since 1986 which stars Michael Ball as Anatoly, Alexandra Burke as Svetlana, Murray Head as The Arbiter, Tim Howar as Freddie, Cassidy Janson as Florence and Philip Browne as Molokov.
Star-studded cast revealed for ENO’s Chess led by Ball, Burke, Head, Howar and Janson
The first West End production of Chess since 1986 is to star Michael Ball, Alexandra Burke, Murray Head, Tim Howar and Cassidy Janson.
What were our Top 10 news stories in October 2017?
As it’s the first of the month, we’re taking a brief moment to remind ourselves of the biggest news stories from the month just closed. What were the headlines that got readers clicking most? Any surprises? Our Top 10 News stories from October 2017 are listed below with summaries and links to read more.
NEWS: ENO announce the first major West End revival of Chess in over 30 years
CHESS, the epic musical love story set amid the tensions of a world championship chess match, will play at the London Coliseum for a strictly limited 5 week run from Thursday 26 April 2018, with a press night on Tuesday 1 May 2018. Tickets go on public sale on Friday 3 November from 10am.
IDINA MENZEL – Royal Albert Hall
If you’re a theatre fan then I’m sure you’ve heard of Idina Menzel. The last time she played the glorious Royal Albert Hall, she was known among the theatre community for creating the roles of Maureen in Rent and Elphaba in Wicked but since then has reached a stratospheric level of fame.