Chess The Musical
The Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre
Jul 16 2009 – Aug 1 2009
Review by Shanna Provost for The Word Ezyzine
The Q (Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre) came of age this month with its local production of Chess, the infamous ’80 musical with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson (ABBA).
While most punters will remember Chess for its runaway hits One Night in Bangkok and I Know Him So Well, it has enjoyed varying degrees of success. It has polarised audiences because of its difficult musical score that features sporadic and oftentimes intentionally discordant rhythmic patterns that can make it challenging to follow the story – which makes it even more of a delight to see local theatre practitioners meet the challenge admirably.
The story weaves around a romantic triangle during a world chess championship with a Cold War struggle between the United States and the Soviet Union as the thematic backdrop.
Under the direction of Duncan Ley, The Q’s Chess is quality all the way.
Stephen Pike nails the role of the Russian Anatoly. His female interest Florence is played by the talented Lexi Sekuless. Both actors are accomplished and sit in their respective roles comfortably, with consistent vocals throughout. Standouts were Pike’s Anthem and Sekuless’ That Girl is Me.
The third star of this production is the lighting! Multi-award winner Chris Neal has created a compelling visual montage with a prudent use of sharp downlights and spots that support the mood of the play; give it depth and fill in the blanks.
Ley’s directorial expertise is evident in powerful scenes including the Russian ‘candle scene’, the Embassy Lament and the Anthem scene.
It’s great to see that choreographer Jacqui Richards has stretched her dancers to perform edgy steps that add to the level of competency of the ensemble.
Kudos to Musical Director Lucy Bermingham whose obvious attention to harmonies and vocal dexterity pays off big time. The duets and chorus work are outstanding – and her band behind the scenes work well to keep the show’s driving pace.
As with all amateur productions, the supporting cast is an eclectic mix building their theatrical skills – some more proficiently than others. Derek Walker’s Molokov and Christine Forbes’ Svetlana are solid in their roles and vocals. Ten year old dancer Maddison Catlin shows the bright future she has in front of her in this genre.
While the costuming is indicative overall of the Cold War era, there could have been some better choices in just a couple of the scenes.
With so many intricate numbers, transitions and focus on outstanding choral vocals, it’s no wonder the chorus was a little lacklustre in the finale. Nonetheless, this production of Chess is one of the finest you’ll see in the Canberra region and certainly worth seeing.
