Royal Academy of Music – Chess

Emilio Moreno Arias and members of the cast in the Royal Academy of Music’s production of Chess at the Susie Sainsbury Theatre, London. Picture: Craig Fuller

Chess at Susie Sainsbury Theatre, London was performed by students from the Royal Academy of Music.

Rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Although Chess dates from 1986 this was the first time I’d seen it, and I was forcibly struck by the quality, beauty and breadth of Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and Tim Rice’s imaginatively orchestrated score. It ranges from rock to folk and chorale, with hints of Chopin, Sullivan and Puccini, lots of sumptuous melody and the audible influence of Jesus Christ Superstar. And the Royal Academy’s 31-piece orchestra plays it beautifully, every note and nuance coloured impeccably under the musical direction of Nathan Feeney and George Jackson.

On the stage above we get the Royal Academy’s usual high production values with, on this occasion, every single one of RAM’s 31 musical theatre students involved. The seven principal roles are played by two groups which each do three performances and are part of the (excellent) ensemble in the other three. That maximises the experience/opportunities for this group of talented young graduands.

Rice’s powerful narrative presents a fictional 1970s chess world title tournament between two grandmasters, a Russian (Anatoly Sergievsky) and an American (Freddie Trumper), at the height of the Cold War. The piece explores the tension between them, both professional and personal, and their involvement with the same woman, Hungarian-born, English-raised Florence Vassy.

At the press performance Emilio Moreno Arias nailed the arrogance and over confidence of American contender Trumper. His high tenor voice is well controlled and his acting very convincing. When he becomes a TV presenter he finds all the right cockiness too.

Of course the troubled Anatoly (Adam Haddour), Trumper’s opponent, has to be completely different and he is. His darker voice and personality is  appealing. What a good idea (costumes by Sophie Pardon) to put him in a long black leather coat while Trumper wears a casual red tracksuit jacket.

Laura Araiza Inasaridse is outstanding as Florence, the woman who starts as Trumper’s “second” (and mistress) but then falls in love with the much nicer Anatoly. Her vocal range and control are remarkable. Her passionate full belt in ‘Heaven Help My Heart’ impresses, her poignant duet with Anatoly’s wife Svetlana (Rachelle Ojomo) delights and her almost unbearably tragic epilogue accompanied by solo piano comes as a rich surprise.

There are no weak links in this fine cast, the members of which work smoothly together, but there has to be a shout-out for James Wang as Molokov – the sly Russian fixer. He has a magnificent basso profundo voice which rolls out with sinister authority. Bravo.

It’s a show which manages to be both serious and wistfully funny, The scene at the Foreign Office with rhythmic typewriters, paper, rapid officialese delivered as patter is hilarious. But Florence’s agonised decision-making and choices are done with tenderness. Of course director Bruce Guthrie runs with this and highlights the contrasts so that this Chess is both fast-paced and entertaining.

Susan Elkin