Chess - Queanbeyan City Council

Chess - the musical Queanbeyan City Council Music: Benny Andersson & Bjorn Ulvaeus. Lyrics: Tim Rice. Director: Stephen Pike Musical Director: Lucy Bermingham. Lighting Design: Chris Neal. Sound: Eclipse Lighting and Sound Walking into a performance knowing absolutely nothing about the songs, the script or the premise of the production was a daunting task for this reviewer, though perhaps, it was just as well... Chess - the musical, almost ironically, is a conundrum - the game itself is methodical and precise, and yet the show, is well...complex, abstract and at times, obscure. One wonders what led the producers to decide upon a show such as Chess and yet, as an audience member you cannot help but to walk away with a strong sense of just having experienced something special on stage. Chess is apparently centered around the game and yet, it itself is rarely featured. Instead, a pastiche of largely unmemorable songs are awkwardly intertwined; allegedly telling a story of a dangerous liaison amid a backdrop of political struggle and the Cold War. Yes, this is flawed material, and therefore a directorial nightmare, but none of this is the fault of the company who have delivered what is a very enjoyable performance indeed. Most notable are the principal performers. Stephen Pike as Anatoly looked the part and delivered the money song, Anthem, in the corner pocket, despite a few minor stumbles on note accidentals in recitative throughout the performance. Lexi Sekuless was emotive as Florence, pulling the heart-strings in all the right places. Adrian Flor as the Arbiter deserved more time on stage and gave a charismatic and well-sung performance. Roy Hukari as the American champion started strong but found himself in a high register that was unfortunately out of his comfort zone. The standout performance though, was Christine Forbes as Svetlana - her solo in the second act was a truly touching and believable moment - with perfect vocal control grounded in a certain integrity. A special mention also to Derek Walker for an emotionally resonating baritone solo in the second act. The chorus were way above par navigating the difficult and ridiculously wordy score though understandably diction problems were left in their wake. Action on stage was punctuated with many highlights including some very well directed company moments - although some chorus scenes fell victim to cheesy "musicalness", strangely incongruent to the dreary plot. Technically speaking though, this show set an extremely high standard for an amateur production. The set was simple, effective and highly functional. The sound design was rich and full. The musical direction and completeness of sound from a five member ensemble was outstanding. The costumes were generally appropriate despite a few odd, un-ironed pieces and the choreography was interesting and well-executed. By far the star though, was the incredible lighting by Chris Neal - a testament to the remarkable effect lighting can have on a performance- this is a tremendous (and probably to-be award winning) achievement. You cannot help but to enjoy the amazing feat of staging this Chess, and yet, feel cheated that there is nothing left to hum after the final blackout. Perhaps Chess, like the game, exists for that moment, and nothing more. Congratulations to all involved. Performance seen 17 July 2009 On stage @ The Q Theatre - Queanbeyan 16 July - 1 August 2009 Bookings: (02) 62980290