Tim Rice takes in Chess premiere in T.O.

Chess: the Musical, composed by those two Abba guys Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, debuts in Toronto tonight.

Attending the opening is Tim Rice, writer of the story and song lyrics. Rice talked with Alex Reynolds about the game of chess as a theme musical.

“The title is probably misleading because it’s set in the background of a chess match, but it’s not about chess. You don’t have to understand anything about chess to enjoy it. And the other factor is that the background is the Cold War which us no longer with us, and in essence the background of chess and the background of the Cold War, it’s a love story which is set in this weird setting and if I have a message, or if there’s a theme to the show, it’s that if you are successful in any walk of life, be it culture, be it show business, be it sport, be it chess, you are interfered with by politicians.”

The musical has a troubled history.

It ran for three years in London during the mid-1980s, but was a resounding Broadway flop.

This production plays through October 30th at Toronto’s Princess of Wales theatre, then will move to London.

Tim Rice has contributed book and words to “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” “Jesus Christ, Superstar,” “Evita,” “The Lion King,” and “Beauty and the Beast.”

Alex’s review will be featured on Friday’s Morning Live, News Now, the Evening News and of course, on www.chch.com.
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