CHESS plays a Masterstroke at The Plaza

Stunning production with a strikingly modern-day relevance

An outstanding production of the musical CHESS plays at Stockport Plaza this week, courtesy of Stockport Operatic Society.

With a powerful score by ABBA’s Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, alongside lyrics by Sir Tim Rice, CHESS combines soaring melodies with a gripping tale of love, ambition and political intrigue, which continues to endure and captivate audiences 40 years after its original West End debut.

At present, the musical seems more relevant than ever, for although set during the tense years of the Cold War, the story inevitably prompts poignant comparisons for us in the here and now.

The stage and atmosphere are established from the outset at The Plaza, as two vast American and USSR flags totally dominate the backdrop, parted only by a digital screen displaying a chessboard.

While the ‘Red Banner’ is not Russia’s official flag today, it has been weaponised by Putin for military purposes as he seeks to re-establish the USSR of old following his invasion of Ukraine.

So, for ‘(1956) Budapest Rising’, read ‘(2026) Kyiv Fighting’, while the song ‘Difficult and Dangerous Times’ is just as true in these uncertain days. Even this week’s release of a 74-year-old American from a Russian prison reveals how history repeats itself.

The most obvious comparison modern audiences spot, though - and they certainly did at the Plaza - is that the American chess champ is named none other than Frederick Trumper.

All are modern-day coincidences, but they offer a fascinating reminder that global events evolve and unfold just like a never-ending game of chess, in which we are all pawns, influenced by politics, the press and those individuals whom we allow to shape our lives. Many of us would probably prefer President Trump wasn’t shaping anything right now.

But it’s also important to remember that this musical is grounded in its own timeline.

Certainly, as a former history student whose formative years were spent growing up in the Cold War under the threat of nuclear war, and also as someone who played chess from a young age, the musical has a very real nostalgic appeal. I certainly remember watching The Master Game on the BBC in the late ’70s and early ’80s, with its groundbreaking digital chessboards of the time.

But, while there is some strong language, the musical continues to enjoy universal appeal thanks to its ABBA influence and drawing on all the best pop and rock sounds of the ’80s.

If you don’t know the story, and without spoiling it, the tale centres on a fierce rivalry between two chess grandmasters: the American Trumper and his Soviet opponent, Anatoly Sergievsky, each determined to claim the title of World Champion. But as the battle of wits unfolds across the chessboard, personal loyalties are tested and emotions run high as the rivals battle over a woman who manages one and falls in love with the other.

More than a story about chess, the musical explores a world where personal relationships become entangled with international politics, against a backdrop of suspicion, propaganda and East-West rivalry.

First introduced to audiences through an acclaimed concept album in 1984, before making its West End debut in 1986, CHESS has endured thanks to its ambitious storytelling and unforgettable music. Its powerhouse score features much-loved hits, including ‘I Know Him So Well’ and ‘One Night in Bangkok’, songs that have long outlived the era that inspired the show.

TALENTED: James Cave as Trumper and Hannah Phillips as Florence.

Stockport Operatic Society boasts some remarkably talented performers, and there are some familiar faces in the cast for those who are regular theatregoers across our region. With all the principal players providing stunning performances, it’s easy to forget this is an amateur production.

Hannah Phillips steps into the iconic role of Florence, and one quickly runs out of superlatives to describe her performance - striking, dazzling - professional. Her role carries an entire first act, where the story and action gradually and inexorably build towards the excitement of that all-important ‘first match’.

Trained actor James Cave entirely embodies the ’80s singing icon as the loud, egotistical Trumper in a flash white suit, in stark contrast to the pragmatic, reserved, melancholic and conflicted Sergievsky, played by Ben Sweeney, whose role provides ample opportunity to reveal his operatic talents.

WINNER OR LOSER? Ben Sweeney is the conflicted Soviet chess master Sergievsky.

Steve Shepard shines as the voice of authority in the role of The Arbiter, the superior president of the World Chess Federation, who looks down on and narrates with disdain the political squabbling of the times, seeking to maintain ‘absolute’ law.

Trained and professional actor Gareth Smith is superb as the menacing and manipulative Molokov, the head of the Soviet delegation who plots to ensure the Soviet Union’s dominance, no matter what the cost, while professionally trained chorister Danny Sweeney is his equally manipulative American counterpart in the role of Walter De Courcey.

Becky Woolstencroft is exceptional in the role of Svetlana Sergievskaya, who emerges in the second act to give a simply sublime and emotional rendition of ‘I Know Him So Well’ alongside Hannah.

SUBLIME: Becky Woolstencroft and Hannah Phillips perform 'I Know Him So Well'.

But any production relies on the sum of all its parts to create a spectacle, and some 30 performers work tirelessly as dancers and ensemble members, amid speedy costume changes, to create the scenes and sounds of everything from press conferences to the backdrop of Merano, the vibrant and sexy ‘Golden Bangkok’ and more.

There’s plenty of creative choreography on display here, thanks to the talents of choreographers Gemma and Lauren Chapman, with dancers replicating everything from chess pieces to mountain dancers, with no little humour thrown into the mix, and even includes Russian ballet sequences.

All the action is spread across the wide yet shallow Plaza stage, which is not the easiest to negotiate, with the performers further challenged by having to navigate steps and platforms employed in the staging to create different tiers for the action.

Multimedia is integral to the production, with innovative visuals, slick technical effects and striking lighting combining to create a spectacular theatrical experience in their own right, with the plaudits going to production designer Chris Osborn. Audiences will certainly enjoy the cheerleading routine, while the digitally created TV broadcasts and grandmaster chess tournaments are an imaginative, clever and fun addition, providing a different dimension to the action. There were a couple of sound and technical issues on the opening night, but they did not detract from the overall accomplishment of this simply stunning show.

Amid it all, it is just as fascinating and enjoyable to watch the live orchestra, expertly conducted by musical director Claire Sweeney. In fact, there is so much to take in that, having seen it once, you are sure to want - if not need - to see it again.

Self-confessed CHESS anorak and director Seb Lassandro can be justifiably proud of his vision for this magnificent musical, as can all those involved, and they all deserved the standing ovation they received.

Enjoy the game but be quick to make your move for tickets, as CHESS only plays until this Saturday at Stockport Plaza.

Review by Nigel Skinner

Pictures courtesy Martin Ogden.