73 posts
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Post by rosscoe on Apr 28, 2016 23:34:48 GMT
By John Doyle do you mean the actors playing their own instruments? If so, that's already been done with the Craig Revel Horwood version. Oh God No, I mean strip it back like he did with The Color Purple, find the real story within the text
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Post by Deleted on Apr 29, 2016 5:55:30 GMT
I think my favourite productio was the first UK tour, with Rebecca Storm and Maurice Clarke (i think thats his name...what ever happened to him?) For some reason, it's the Danish Tour Recording that I listen to most. Just Googled Maurice Clarke and before I had chance to type "Chess" the words "vocal coach" popped up! That's him!
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647 posts
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Post by ptwest on Apr 29, 2016 20:27:10 GMT
I think my favourite productio was the first UK tour, with Rebecca Storm and Maurice Clarke (i think thats his name...what ever happened to him?) For some reason, it's the Danish Tour Recording that I listen to most. Just Googled Maurice Clarke and before I had chance to type "Chess" the words "vocal coach" popped up! That's him! This was my favourite version as well out of the ones I've seen- the clearest storytelling and the inclusion of "someone else's story". Loved Maurice Clarke too, last thing I saw him in was Martin Guerre at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in 1998!
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204 posts
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Post by Sue on Apr 29, 2016 20:38:43 GMT
I vote Chess for the next ENO musical! Get Ria Jones to do it again! And Glenn Close as understudy perhaps?!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 30, 2016 16:01:25 GMT
Any Chess fans should watch the clip on Youtube of Karin Glenmark saving the day in the Chess Concert 1884. Barbara Dickson, playing Svetlana, had become ill backstage mid performance. Tommy Korberg is going at it full welly in Engame, when suddenly he becomes aware that there's no Barbara... There's a missed line. He looks around for her, and at that point Karin Glenmark (one of the chorus here, but who had played the role previously) steps in and delivers all Svetlana's lines. And just listen to how she does it! Priceless viewing...
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4,799 posts
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Chess
Apr 30, 2016 18:45:07 GMT
Post by The Matthew on Apr 30, 2016 18:45:07 GMT
Any Chess fans should watch the clip on Youtube of Karin Glenmark saving the day in the Chess Concert 1884. And also, I assume, kudos to whoever was on sound and lighting for catching on and adjusting to suit.
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243 posts
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Post by musicallady on May 1, 2016 14:54:48 GMT
I think my favourite productio was the first UK tour, with Rebecca Storm and Maurice Clarke (i think thats his name...what ever happened to him?) For some reason, it's the Danish Tour Recording that I listen to most. Mine to. Saw it countless times. Maurice Ckarke singing Anthem was the highlight of the show. Nobody can sing it better.
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Chess
Sept 29, 2016 21:37:04 GMT
via mobile
Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2016 21:37:04 GMT
ENO reviving this 2017/18
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2,452 posts
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Chess
Sept 29, 2016 21:51:30 GMT
Post by theatremadness on Sept 29, 2016 21:51:30 GMT
ENO reviving this 2017/18 Really? I'm bored already! One of the only musicals I really can't get into.
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Chess
Sept 29, 2016 21:54:34 GMT
via mobile
Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2016 21:54:34 GMT
Sir Rice 'confirmed' it in Brighton tonight. Says it's never really worked as a production but does as concert and says he's excited bout the ENO production.
Seen an amateur production years ago and hated it but I'm a SUCKER for I know him so well so I'm in!
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1,329 posts
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Chess
Sept 29, 2016 22:41:00 GMT
Post by CG on the loose on Sept 29, 2016 22:41:00 GMT
I love the score and have seen a number of productions over the years - the most recent at the Union in Southwark probably being my favourite. Agree it is probably better in concert form rather than full-blown production - indeed that's how I first saw it, and loved it, in its first ever live performance at the Barbican back in the 1980s.
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3,057 posts
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Chess
Sept 30, 2016 5:48:37 GMT
Post by ali973 on Sept 30, 2016 5:48:37 GMT
Really happy to hear that it's being revived. I'e never seen it before but love the music and have so many different recordings.
Is Ruthie Henshall suitable for this? I feel that she needs a major return.
Kerry Ellis is boring, but man can she sing. Would love to see her as Florence instead of Svetlana.
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2,557 posts
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Post by viserys on Sept 30, 2016 6:00:06 GMT
I agree that Chess only really works as a concert - the plot is too convoluted, slow-moving and uninteresting and also feels horribly dated. It shouldn't matter that the Cold War is over as it should work as a historical story as well, but it just doesn't really (for me). I guess the big production in Stockholm some years ago, which I saw with Tommy Körberg and Helen Sjöholm, was "as good as it gets" but just not really good either.
Whether I'd buy tickets for the ENO concerts depends on the cast I guess. I now wish I had seen the RAH concert - Josh Groban blew the roof off with his "Anthem" on the DVD and will be a hard act to follow (for me).
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Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2016 6:32:54 GMT
More good news for a Friday! This'll sound amazing with a big orchestra, just as Sunset did.
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18,777 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Sept 30, 2016 6:35:12 GMT
it will sound fabulous with that huge orchestra.
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18,777 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Sept 30, 2016 6:35:47 GMT
Ooh caiaphas we are as one!
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617 posts
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Post by loureviews on Sept 30, 2016 6:37:22 GMT
The original album is one of my all-time favourites. Absolutely stunning.
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7,492 posts
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Post by alece10 on Sept 30, 2016 6:40:16 GMT
I'm in. It will be a stalls ticket for me after sitting in the stalls twice for Sunset and now just cant go back to the cheaper seats. Love Chess and this will be superb with big orchestra and chorus. Last saw it for the 25th Anniversary Concert at the RAH and also got to see the original west end production
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3,738 posts
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Post by anthony40 on Sept 30, 2016 8:02:55 GMT
The original album is one of my all-time favourites. Absolutely stunning. I still listen to the concept album even though it doesn't include Someone Else's Story. It's always a bit of a frustration for me that The Argument is always cut whenever this show is performed.
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Chess
Sept 30, 2016 8:23:10 GMT
Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2016 8:23:10 GMT
O. M. Gosh.
Someone get Helen Sjöholm on the phone NOW to block out her diary. The Swedish production cast was quite possibly the best I've seen (such a shame that Josefin Nilsson passed away recently).*
* I am, of course, MUCH too young to have seen the original with La Paige.
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3,057 posts
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Chess
Sept 30, 2016 9:53:06 GMT
Post by ali973 on Sept 30, 2016 9:53:06 GMT
The "original" Actors Fund concert with Josh Groban and Julia Murney (sensational) was intended to star Belgian pop singer Lara Fabian as Florence before she pulled out. She doesn't have musical theatre experience (she's done one of those funny French musicals that was done specifically for her, but I would like to say that it doesn't count). My point is, her voice is rather extraordinary actually (think Celine Dion meets..I don't know..Stephanie J Block?), and her singing could have been absolutely thrilling. I would also like to perhaps see Wellemijn Verkaik as Svetlana.
But to go on on another tangent..For Anatoly and Svetlanta and all the other Russians, here's a crazy thought- but how about actual Russian musical theatre singers instead of the silly accents native English speakers tend to put on when they perform foreign roles? Russia is enjoying a rather reinvigorated musical theatre scene with large and medium scale productions of major musicals, and I am sure there's great talent to be discovered.
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Chess
Sept 30, 2016 9:58:47 GMT
Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2016 9:58:47 GMT
The "original" Actors Fund concert with Josh Groban and Julia Murney (sensational) was intended to star Belgian pop singer Lara Fabian as Florence before she pulled out. She doesn't have musical theatre experience (she's done one of those funny French musicals that was done specifically for her, but I would like to say that it doesn't count). My point is, her voice is rather extraordinary actually (think Celine Dion meets..I don't know..Stephanie J Block?), and her singing could have been absolutely thrilling. I would also like to perhaps see Wellemijn Verkaik as Svetlana. I always thought Lara Fabian sounded like she had a mouth full of marbles . . .
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1,936 posts
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Post by wickedgrin on Sept 30, 2016 10:00:48 GMT
More good news - this and Follies! My bank have been informed of seriously depleted funds next year!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2016 10:03:14 GMT
I just have one demand here. On NO account should Idina Menzel be allowed anywhere near this. Unless she's going to be an usher.
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7,492 posts
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Post by alece10 on Sept 30, 2016 12:13:09 GMT
I just have one demand here. On NO account should Idina Menzel be allowed anywhere near this. Unless she's going to be an usher. If Idina is in it then my theatre companion will definitely not be going. She sat with her fingers in her ears during the RAH concert and vowed never to see anything with her in it again. Plus I was completely embarrassed.
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665 posts
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Chess
Sept 30, 2016 12:20:29 GMT
Post by westendcub on Sept 30, 2016 12:20:29 GMT
What amazing news!!
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3,057 posts
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Post by ali973 on Sept 30, 2016 12:51:19 GMT
She sounded like Minnie Mouse on helium at RAH concert. Dreadful.
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617 posts
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Chess
Sept 30, 2016 17:07:17 GMT
Post by loureviews on Sept 30, 2016 17:07:17 GMT
I just have one demand here. On NO account should Idina Menzel be allowed anywhere near this. Unless she's going to be an usher. Seconded.
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243 posts
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Chess
Sept 30, 2016 17:10:57 GMT
Post by musicallady on Sept 30, 2016 17:10:57 GMT
I think my favourite productio was the first UK tour, with Rebecca Storm and Maurice Clarke (i think thats his name...what ever happened to him?) For some reason, it's the Danish Tour Recording that I listen to most. My favourite version to. Its the only one I listen to.
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1,936 posts
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Chess
Sept 30, 2016 22:21:54 GMT
Post by wickedgrin on Sept 30, 2016 22:21:54 GMT
The RAH concert version was a very mixed bag! The whole thing was full of sound issues - as is usual I have found at this venue. Josh Groban and Kerry Ellis were fabulous but the less said about Idina Menzel the better!
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