Chess at Susie Sainsbury Theatre, London was performed by students from the Royal Academy of Music. Rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ There are no weak links in this fine cast.
Tag Archives | Chess
Music Review: Chess – 2025 Broadway Cast Recording
Chess – 2025 Broadway Cast Recording (Ghostlight Records). Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ This latest version more than delivers on polish and modernisation.
National Youth Music Theatre – Chess
Chess, performed by National Youth Music Theatre, continues at Leicester Curve until 13 August 2022. Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩ Following hot on the heels of last week’s Drury Lane concert production, another variation of the musical Chess is being performed at Leicester’s Curve theatre this week by the National Youth Music Theatre […]
Chess the Musical in Concert – Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Chess the Musical in Concert was performed at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London. Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ For three performances only, the Theatre Royal Drury Lane served as the venue for a concert version of Tim Rice, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus’ musical Chess, starring the magnificent Samantha Barks […]
Extra performance and full cast for Chess concert
This summer’s Chess the Musical in Concert will play an additional performance at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London next month. After selling out its initial single date (1 August) in just seven days, and the addition of a second performance on 2 August, the concert will now play a matinee show on 2 […]
NYMT’s summer season productions announced
The National Youth Music Theatre’s 2022 summer season will feature two major musical productions, Chess and Ragtime, along with the world premiere of A Kiss For Cinderella – a new musical based on a play by J M Barrie – and a new showcase concert. A large cast and orchestra of young people will star […]
LMTO to present summer concert versions of Chess, Kinky Boots and Treason
The London Musical Theatre Orchestra will present star-studded concert versions of Chess, Kinky Boots and new British musical Treason at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London this summer. Currently starring in Frozen at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Samantha Barks will take to the same stage on 1 August 2022 in another guise, as […]
CD Review: Musicals, Vol. 1 – Tom Solomon
MUSICALS, VOL. 1 – Tom Solomon (released on 10 December 2021). Take eight of the greatest numbers in musical theatre history and, if the voice is good enough, you can’t really go wrong. Put experienced crossover performer Tom Solomon on their case, get it on the market for Christmas and you have a compilation that […]
Musicals: The Greatest Show – BBC1 and BBC iPlayer
Musicals: The Greatest Show – BBC1 and BBC iPlayer (where it is available for a year). Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ As soon as the great Ramin Karimloo launched into a sublime ‘Music of the Night’, tears started rolling down cheeks and shivers tumbled like a waterfall down the spine. We […]
Performance Preparation Academy – Chess
Chess by Performance Preparation Academy at the Electric Theatre, Guildford. Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩ Sometimes, but not often, a young singer displays such an awesome talent that it takes the breath away of even the hardest-to-please critic and, in Michael Vien, Guildford’s Performance Preparation Academy may well have unearthed a special one. […]
First judges and competitors revealed for West End Bake Off 2018
Actresses Ruthie Henshall and Wendi Peters will be among the judges at this year’s West End Bake Off which has been scheduled for the day of Prince Harry’s marriage to Meghan Markle, Saturday 19 May. Due to be held once again at The Actors’ Church, St Pauls the fourth edition of the annual fundraiser organised […]
Chess – London Coliseum
Chess continues at the London Coliseum until 2 June 2018. Star rating: three stars ★ ★ ★ ✩ ✩ Can we drop the use of “semi-staged” when talking about Grade-Linnit’s annual summer musical revivals at the London Coliseum now? That the production team continues to use the term in association with their shows seems more […]
Writers join Chess stars for first rehearsals
Rehearsals have begun for the eagerly-anticipated new production of Chess which is due to begin a strictly limited five-week season at the London Coliseum on 26 April. Two of the show’s creators, Benny Andersson and Tim Rice, joined director Laurence Connor and members of the cast in the rehearsal room as they prepared for the […]
Chess at the London Coliseum – starry line-up led by Michael Ball and Alexandra Burke
The first West End production of Chess since 1986 is to star Michael Ball, Alexandra Burke, Murray Head, Tim Howar and Cassidy Janson. The production will open at the London Coliseum on 26 April 2018 (press night on 1 May 2018) for a strictly limited five-week season. This is the fourth production in collaboration with English […]
Musical Theatre 2018 Preview – all you need to know
You can’t get more comprehensive than this, here’s a preview of all the 2018 musical theatre openings we know about so far in the West End, on the London Fringe and across the UK. JANUARY Girl From the North Country – Noel Coward Theatre, London The Old Vic’s critically-acclaimed world premiere production of Girl From […]
Chess receives West End revival at London Coliseum in 2018
Chess, the epic musical love story set amidst the tensions of a world championship chess match, will play at the London Coliseum for a strictly limited five-week run from Thursday 26 April 2018, with a press night on Tuesday 1 May. Tickets go on public sale on Friday 3 November from 10am. This will be the first West […]
Elaine Paige – Stripped Back – G Live, Guildford and Touring
Elaine Paige – Stripped Back at G Live, Guildford. The show continues to tour England and Wales on selected dates until 18 December 2016, ending in the West End. Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Following on from Elaine Paige’s sell-out tour Page by Page by Paige and the associated concert I’m Still Here two years ago, […]
Mamma Mia! London cast performs charity cabaret to celebrate 40th anniversary of ABBA single release
The London cast of Mamma Mia! will mark the 40th anniversary of the release of the single version of the show’s title song with a celebratory charity show this Thursday (24 September). Current leading ladies Dianne Pilkington and Gabriella Williams will join other cast members and a four-piece band to pay tribute to the music of ABBA’s […]
Daniel Koek – The Pheasantry
Daniel Koek performed at The Pheasantry, London. Star rating: 4 stars **** Having recently left the cast of Les Misérables as one of the longest serving Valjeans, Daniel Koek’s first live gig of 2015 afforded a rare opportunity to experience, in the intimate setting of The Pheasantry, a performance by an internationally acclaimed star of musical theatre […]
Daniel Koek – London Hippodrome
An Evening With West End Star Daniel Koek was performed at the London Hippodrome. Looking at Daniel Koek, it is hard to believe that someone so young has played the lead role of Jean Valjean in Les Misérables. Hearing his voice, however, it is even harder to believe that Les Mis didn’t snatch him up […]
Elaine Paige in Concert – Royal Albert Hall, London
Elaine Paige in Concert (50th Anniversary Farewell Tour) at the Royal Albert Hall, London. It seems strange to imagine but to anybody under the age of 20, Elaine Paige is probably more regarded as a Sunday afternoon radio presenter than as a musical theatre star. Certainly her presence on the Radio 2 show has given musical theatre a […]
Daniel Koek launches new album at the Royal Albert Hall
Les Misérables star Daniel Koek graced the stage of the Elgar Rooms at the Royal Albert Hall this week to showcase his new album High. The highly-regarded Australian performer moved to London ten years ago when he was awarded a place on the musical theatre postgraduate course at the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, graduating in 2005. This was followed by lead roles in shows […]
Guildford School of Acting – Little Women/Chess
Little Women and Chess, performed by the Guildford School of Acting final year students at the Union Theatre, London and Ivy Arts Theatre, Guildford. Life’s full of surprises, isn’t it? I fully expected to love Chess, the underrated collaboration between Tim Rice and the Abba boys Andersson and Ulvaeus, but was less sure about Little […]
