Great Performances (TV Series) Chess in Concert (2009) User Reviews

Great Performances All Round

[wpaul-1 · 9/10 · 30 September 2009]

I've always been a fan of this musical and seen two travelling reps versions of it, both different and often wondered why the various producers had to "Update it" politically at various times. (references to what they built the Berlin Wall for by the British Embassy Staff" were altered and so on.

This was a refreshing change, following more or less the writings of Tim Rice Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson concept album. The extra songs and bits of dialogues filled in the missing pieces and made it a wonderful performance, my only regret was that most of the main cast in this version are Americans, not that I have anything against the people, but as it was co written by an Englishman, and recorded at The Royal Albert Hall, it would have been nice to have a fellow countryman playing and singing a major part possibly one of the Russians.(I know Svetlana (Kerry Ellis) comes from Suffolk in England and has a magnificent voice, but it is not as major a part as the rest.

In years before the Iron Curtain came down, whenever a film called for a Russiain, quite often it was a British actor that got the part.

I would highly recommend this DVD to anyone who has ever heard of Chess to see it as Tim Rice puts it as the definitive version of how it should be.

Just a shame the Film Studios rushed out to make Mamma Mia into a movie and not Chess as I can imagine it with its great settings and scenery. Perhaps after seeing this someone may just do that, I hope.

Great version of an underrated musical!

[jtbwriter-1 · 9/10 · 12 July 2009]

This is a great version of an underrated musical-a must see! Performed as a period piece without too much window-dressing, "Chess" truly depicts the ugly underseam of a so-called "Cold War" battle over a game. Adam Pascal as the Ugly American, a surprisingly effective Josh Groban as Sergei and Idina Menzel as Florence give a clear and expressive performances as a triangle of love, ego and heartache. Pascal's Freddie acts like a spoiled brat when faced with a superior player, Sergei, and he turns his assistant and love, Florence into a handy scapegoat when he loses control. Trying to smooth things over, she soon falls for Sergei and helps him defect after he becomes champion. Complicated by the machinations of the media and Russian handlers, and the arrival of Sergei's wife, the love story between Sergei and Florence dissolves as deals are made and broken and made again. The music is outstanding and memorable, depicting the torn hearts of all the protagonists. There is a twist that is a departure from the original productions, revealing that not all is fair in love and chess! I heartily recommend this and hope a soundtrack will soon be released.

I really really loved it!

[MashaDewdrop · 9/10 · 30 October 2009]

I have to admit I bought the DVD because I am a huge fan of Adam Pascal though I grew up listening to Chess and I was never really bothered about it.

But I really enjoyed this concert. I thought Josh Groban was excellent as Anatoly, he even made the not-so-great songs a treat to listen too.

I thought Adam Pascal was fabulous, his Pity the Child was powerful. He has a great range and he actually acted not just stood there and sang.

I liked Idina Menzel as Florence, I know there are better people out there for the job but I don't think she killed the part either. I preferred her to Julia Murney, who scared me a little bit.

Two people who I don't think are mentioned enough are David Bedella and Clarke Peters as Molokov and Walter. I loved both their voices and both were delightfully sinister.

Kerry Ellis was sort of wasted as the wife, gorgeous voice even if she only sort of stood there and sang.

Orchestra wonderful to listen to! One aspect of the concert I really didn't like was the dancing. It looked weak and unrehearsed and they didn't have a lot of room.

Phenomenal - Highly Recommended

[ajh193 · 10/10 · 28 July 2009]

This was a tremendous remake of an underrated musical. The cast was terrific and captured the disposition of each character.

Josh Groban (Anatoly Sergievsky) - delivered an extraordinary performance with his powerful, crooning baritone voice. He also managed to capture the internally-troubled character of Anatoly exactly the way that Tim Rice portrayed him.

Idina Menzel (Florence Vassy) - did a very good job, to my surprise. I have seen Menzel in other Broadway performances and always thought she was mediocre, thus giving me a bias for this play. However, she did a terrific job acting/singing-wise and like Groban, captured the true characterization of Florence.

Adam Pascal (Frederick Trumper) - was the perfect person to act as Freddie--not only because of his excellent acting skills, but his high vocal range as well. He remarkably improved from the 2003 Actor's Fund Version he performed.

Kerry Ellis (Svetlana Sergievsky) - Although she did not make enough of an appearance in the show, she did a great job with "Someone Else's Story," a song which highlights her character in its essence.

Overall, the entire cast was outstanding and bring to life the show that hasn't made a grandiose appearance in over two decades. The show itself is brilliant; symbolizing tensions between the US and Soviet Union in the heart of the Cold War. This play is one that you may need to watch a few times before fully understanding the plot and its implications toward the Cold War; but once you do, you will realize how great the play truly is.

Rice's gambit pays off.

[tucostevens54 · 10/10 · 16 October 2009]

Watching Chess with no idea what to expect, I was completely blown away by this DVD.

First of all, despite many negative comments, Idina Menzel makes a very convincing Florence, and while she does falter on some of the high notes, her performance more than makes up for it. Josh Groban brings a quiet intensity to Anatoly and manages to wow audiences in his big numbers, particularly the act-ending 'Anthem' while Adam Pascal, playing his opposite number, is brilliantly boorish, but manages equally to play Freddie's change of heart and inner monologues (Pity the Child) convincingly.

The supporting cast all compliment the key players well, my particular favourite being David Bedella as the sinister, yet charismatic Molokov. The staging and storyline show just why Chess was never a success on the West End or Broadway, but as a recording, it is sure to endure along with the greats.

Outdated show but brilliantly performed

[didi-5 · 3 January 2010]

A show which pits the US against the USSR obviously means less now than it used to, and that is perhaps the weakness of this musical - however, the lyrics of Tim Rice and music by Bjorn and Benny from ABBA are still excellent, and that is its biggest strength.

Filmed live at the Royal Albert Hall, London, in May 2008, this concert version of Chess presents a largely American cast to fill the difficult singing roles. Adam Pascal as Freddie and Idina Menkel as Florence are probably best known for their appearance in Jonathan Larson's Rent; Josh Groban is a pop-opera singer and here plays Anatoly, while Kerry Ellis from Wicked is Svetlana. Rounding out the cast are Clarke Peters as a TV anchorman with an agenda, David Bedella as Anatoly's KGB second, and Marti Pellow of Wet Wet Wet as the Arbiter.

Is the music good? Definitely. Are the roles performed well? Yes, although Idina Menkel isn't really my taste, too shrill and too much face-pulling. Groban and Pascal are a revelation in their respective roles - although they will not displace memories of Tommy Korberg and Murray Head from the 1984 concept album of the show.

Semi-staged with modern dance routines and some lively singing from the choir, this version of Chess should please fans old and new, or anyone who loves musicals.

Chess In Concert

[jcolyer1229 · 9/10 · 30 January 2014]

Tim Rice introduced this production of the CHESS musical at London's Albert Hall, named after Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert. Rice said he wants this version to be the official one. It seems this show can be put together in an endless number of ways, like the game of chess itself. There is a gap between the plot and the ABBAesque songs of Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus. Adam Pascal plays the American. Josh Groban plays the Russian. Rice spent a good bit of his life wrestling with this show. My own paper brings traffic to my website. CHESS is the most spiteful, cynical, pessimistic piece ever staged. There is not one trace of hope in it. Even so, it is a masterpiece.

Worth watching, but too many weaknesses

[stjohn-lorca · 6/10 · 6 January 2019]

The semi-staging of the concept of "Chess" works very well in some aspects, but reveals the weaknesses that Rice, Ulvaeus and Andersson made so many attempts to resolve. This filmed concert has its own weaknesses in some areas, too. That the (revised) plot is somewhat dated is not at all a problem. There is enough drama to maintain interest in the characters and their motivations, all against the clever foil of timeless game. The staging did not benefit as much as it could have from its layout or from the animations in the background which added valuable information but whose execution was at times tacky and amateurish. I had the impression that the dancing could have been better rehearsed, but even then seemed uninspired and supported the plot and visuals but without adding anything beyond breaking some of the static nature of the blocking of the singing characters. Musically, the unevenness of the score becomes apparent in the use of the choir and the uninspired recitatives that seem to be trying too hard to join the musical numbers together in a way that is not apparent in the concept album. There are very noteworthy performances that held my attention: Pascal, Bedella, Ellis and Peters were all in very fine form, adding richness to their interpretations. Pascal in particular dealt more than adequately with the vocal demands of the role and excellent characterisation. Groban was vocally certainly capable and very pleasant to listen to, although I found his characterisation a little too earnest and mawkish for the character of Sergievsky: in particular, his sudden infatuation with Florence Vassy was not convincing. Pellow was competent, although the part in performance and voice could have done with more gravitas. It was Idina Menzel's performance that contributed most to my disappointment. I think she was poorly cast and possibly vocally too immature for Vassy and would have benefited from a master class with a dramatic operatic soprano or champion belter. With very little sense of the music, ensemble work, nuance or dynamic range, she belted her way enthusiastically and athletically through everything. Her excessive melisma and vibrato were in my opinion generally unnecessary and ill-judged, at times creating harmonic distractions from the score and ensemble to the detriment of the whole. Physically and emotionally she did not appear to embody any of Vassy's character at all, focusing only on getting the notes out. Loudly. For any fan of the musical, it is a pleasure to see and hear this concert version, and it is recommended, but prepare for some disappointments.

Disappointing overall

[imthegugu · 5/10 · 30 June 2009]

Josh Groban was surprisingly good singing musical theater. I'd like to see him do more in the future.

Idina Menzel did sound like she was shouting most of her performance. I don't think this was a good part for her, it was kind of jarring when taken with the whole performance.

Kerry Ellis was vastly underused.

Adam Pascal was unexpectedly excellent as The American. I figured he'd do well, but his performance was really a treat in this performance.

I realize this piece has been a work in progress for what - 25? 30 years now? But I don't think it's any great improvement on the original concept album. Tim Rice once commented on his disappointment in the relative commercial failure of Chess - that I think the changes made to this show over the time have only made it choppier and, yes, a little dumbed down for the populace. It's too bad - if you haven't heard it, get the original concept album (with Elaine Paige, NOT the US Broadway cast album) and listen to it. It's a gem.

Amazing!

[tannochbrae · 17 June 2009]

I've loved the music from way back when but tonight listening (and watching) this on PBS really moved me to another level. Josh Grobhan ---- what an amazing voice! The ensemble was fabulous, but Josh stood head and shoulders above the others. Wow, wow, wow!!!! I have the original cast recording. I will dig it out and listen again but I doubt I will hear Josh's amazing rendition.

My one negative comment will be Idina Menzel who sang Florence -- great voice but very discordant to me in this role. She seemed to shout the vocals and it was not pleasant to listen to. Great performance, great music, and think Chess works very well in this format.

Was really disappointed

[jerry-berglund-133-337378 · 5/10 · 29 April 2012]

Warning, might be a little spoiler in my text.

Well, it was not like the real thing. The first second I head Josh Groban sings his part, the whole musical went down for me. Sorry everyone, but no one really makes that part better then the Swedish original singer Tommy Körberg. Sorry, to all the rest of the crew is great, but Josh doesn't have the power to do this part. He really did destroy "Anthem" for me. The only one I heard sing that song in class of Mr Körberg is actually another Swedish Musical singer Peter Jöback. Sorry, the music is still great, and many of the others makes a real good day of work. But Josh destroy that part so real bad.