24th-29th March 2003
This highly acclaimed musical develops the ancient and distinguished game of chess into a metaphor for romantic rivalries and East-West political intrigue. The principal pawns form a love triangle: the loutish American Grandmaster, the earnest Russian champion, and the Hungarian-American female chess second, who arrives at the international championships with the American but falls for the Russian. From Tyrol to Thailand the players, lovers, politicians, CIA and KGB make their moves to the pulse of this monumental rock score. Several numbers, including “One Night in Bangkok” and “I Know Him So Well”, are international hits.
Creative Team
| Creative | Name |
|---|---|
| Director | June Thomas |
| Musical Director | Derek Canfield |
| Choreographer | Joyce Atlee |
| Stage Manager | Mike Davall |
Cast List
| Character | Name |
|---|---|
| Anatoly Sergievsky (The Russian) | Jonathan Astill |
| Florence Vassy | Mary Heath |
| Frederick Trumper (The American) | Philip Mumford |
| Alexander Molokov | Steve Woolford |
| Svetlana Sergievskaya | Suzie Hond-Stiff |
| Arbiter | Paul Tapley |
| Walter de Courcey | Haydn Thomas |
| Mayor | Chris Armes |
| Leonid Viigand | Mike Williams |
| Civil Servants | Matt Benbrook, Tim Canfield, Mike Lehman, Richard Young |
| Pop Chorus | Zoë Woodhams, Emma Loader, Jo White, Lucy Armes, Suzi Canfield, Vanessa Higgins |
| Dancrers | Chris Armes, Stuart Armes, Tania Armes, Matt Benbrook, Annabel Brash, Tim Canfield, Julian Clinton, Lisa Fletcher, Sue Grosvenor, Roger Johnson, Samantha King, Emily Nancolas, Siân Thomas, Susan Watt |
| Chorus | Phil Alner, Chris Armes, Lucy Armes, Stuart Armes, Tania Armes, Matt Benbrook, Annabel Brash, Carrie Canfield, Sue Canfield, Tim Canfield, Julian Clinton, Jean Collington, Susie Cooke, Tony Doherty, Anne-Marie Moss, Lisa Fletcher, Claire Fryer, Sophie Fryer, Ali Godfrey, Cath Goss, Sue Grosvenor, Pam Hammick, Juliette Hammond, Vanessa Higgins, Roger Johnson, Samantha King, Mike Lehman, Emma Loader, Eric McLoughlin, Brian McMahon, Jade Mellish, Charlotte Morrish, Emily Nancolas, Giga Phillips, Eric Smith, Siân Thomas, Annette Toll, Susan Watt, Larissa Waring, Darren White, Jo White, Zoë Woodhams, Richard Young |