Broadway Review: CHESS - Bored and Confused?

BUCKLE UP - this may be my LONGEST review yet! Use the chapter time codes below to jump ahead to the parts of the review you are most interested in. I played the lottery and won a discounted ticket to see the Chess revival at the Imperial Theatre starring Lea Michele, Aaron Tveit, and Nicholas Christopher, with a new book by Danny Strong and direction by Michael Mayer. As someone who first encountered this show at BYU in 1993, I had LOTS of nostalgia and LOTS of thoughts! In this RAMBLE (I warned you!), I break down why Act 1 is brilliant and Act 2 completely falls apart, the genius of using Bryce Pinkham as narrator, why the book repeats the same beats twice, and my issues with Tim Rice's lyrics, the choreography choices, and that confusing ending with Florence's father. The score is incredible, the singers are phenomenal, and the minimalist staging works beautifully. But does the book make sense? Watch to find out! Chapters: 0:00 Introduction - History of Chess (Concept Album to Broadway) 4:38 Michael Mayer's Concept & What Works 7:32 Act 1 is BRILLIANT! They Figured It Out! 7:56 Act 2 Falls Apart - The Narrative Collapses 12:43 Tim Rice's Lyrics & "Someone Else's Story" Problems 16:33 "Pity the Child" Placement Issues 18:01 One Night in Bangkok Choreography Problems 21:02 Performance Reviews - Bryce Pinkham Saves Everything 22:42 Lea Michele Needs to Find Humor 25:00 The Confusing Ending - Florence's Father 29:11 Final Verdict & Lottery Ticket Box Seat Tips Worth seeing for the score and performances, but bring your patience for Act 2! Photography by Matthew Murphy