NYC EOY 2025 (part four)

Photobooth, Lugo, Spain
(1984)

The summer of 1984, I spent several weeks in Spain as part of the Experiment in International Living (EIL). I had spent a few family vacations in England, France, and Norway when I was a child, so Europe was not entirely alien to me. But that was in the late 1970s, now Reagan was president, the Cold War was at a fever pitch. Also, there was a mass shooting (not a weekly occurrence in those days) at a MacDonald’s in San Diego while I was abroad and I was on my own to try to explain what exactly was wrong with my country. Almost forty-two years later, and I am still unable to.

Later that year, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus – half of ABBA – and lyricist released the concept album Chess. The single "One Night in Bangkok," led by Murray Head (who I was already familiar with from the concept album for Jesus Christ Superstar) was a hit in the United States, peaking at number 3 on American Top 40 in the spring of 1985, as I was finishing my junior year at Bay High School. Several other songs were hits across the world – "I Know Him So Well," "The Arbiter" – but not here. Those of us whose interests had been piqued by "Bangkok" bought the two-disc CD set, and many of us became enamored of the piece.

Murray Head
"One Night in Bangkok"

Like Superstar, the concept album was always intended to eventually become a stage production, and in 1986 Chess opened at the Prince Edward Theatre in the West End. Originally created as a dance-focused extravaganza directed by legendary choreographer Michael Bennet, the piece was brought to opening by Trevor Nunn when Bennet became too ill to continue. This version played for three years, and featured several of the artists who were on the original recording, including Head, Elaine Paige and Tommy Körberg. They never produced a cast recording of the West End production.

When it moved to Broadway in 1988, Nunn chose to revise the entire production, top to bottom, greatly expanding the book and removing many of the songs. This version was not well received and played for only 68 performances. I did purchase the original cast recording when it was released and still have it, though I believe I have listened to it once. Maybe once.

"Chess" (1988)
Original Broadway Cast Recording
(This design is terrible.)

So, what is Chess about? An international chess competition between an obnoxious American and a feckless Russian. The American’s second is a woman with whom he has a dysfunctional relationship, who forms the third in a love triangle set against the backdrop of Cold War intrigue as well as an appropriate amount of social commentary and a lot of really great songs.

And really, it’s the songs. That’s why this very 1980s Broadway flop has remained in the contemporary consciousness at all, because of people like me who really, really love the original recording. But it’s dated. Like, really dated. "Bangkok" features the first guy to play Judas kind of rapping. Several songs are ABBA-esque, and that act wouldn’t receive their flowers until the early 21st century and the advent of Mamma Mia! 

The year 1984 (not for nothing, the title of Orwell’s book) was peak nuclear anxiety. This year alone there we listened to pop songs like "99 Luftballons," "Distant Early Warning," "Two Tribes," "This World Over," "Dancing With Tears In My Eyes," "Minutes To Midnight," "Forever Young," and on and on. But by the time the show bowed at the Imperial Theater on West 45th Street in spring 1988, Glasnost had been established and apocalyptic anxieties had cooled. The show wasn’t just bad, it was irrelevant.

"Hamilton" stage door
with Nicholas Christopher
(2016)

Which brings us to the present. When it was announced that there would be a Broadway revival of Chess, and not only that but that it would star Tony-winner Aaron Tveit, Glee’s Lea Michele and (wait for it) Nicholas Christopher, I told my wife this is the reason we’re going to New York for the holidays, I have to see this.

So, if you are not already familiar with Nicholas Christopher, we saw him as the first person to take over for Christopher Jackson as Washington in Hamilton. His rendition of "One More Time" brought the house down, raised the roof, and made me cry, no cap. Since then he has played several leading roles on Broadway including Seymour in Little Shop and Sweeney in Sweeney Todd. I would have loved to have seen him in those. He sold my ticket to see Chess.

To be concluded.