Broadway’s Chess Revival Grapples with Sincerity and Snark, Anchored by Lea Michele‘s Vocal Power
NEW YORK – A new revival of the musical Chess, currently playing at the Imperial Theater, is dividing audiences with its deliberately conflicted tone, even as powerhouse performances from its cast – including Lea michele – shine through. Directed by Michael Mayer, the production, featuring music by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, lyrics by Tim Rice, and a book by Danny Strong (based on an idea by Rice), presents a visually striking but emotionally ambivalent take on the Cold War-era story of a chess championship entangled with espionage and romance.
Michele, known for her vocal prowess, delivers a concert-like performance of the show’s iconic songs. While her acting has been described as “flat and presentational,” her vocal moments – particularly high notes – are drawing praise. The review notes that when Michele “lets rip with a note as big as Siberia, who really cares?” notably, original ABBA members andersson and Ulvaeus were observed attending a performance at the Kennedy Center, “lovingly gazing down” while wearing rainbow necklaces.
The production also features strong performances from Aaron Tveit, playing a faded wunderkind, and Bryce Pinkham. Tveit’s rendition of “Pity the Child” is singled out as a standout moment, described as ”a rock concert in heaven,” despite his character’s costuming – “dressed like Danny Ocean at a Miami funeral.” He even delivers “One Night in Bangkok” “almost entirely straight.”
However,Mayer’s directorial approach consistently undercuts emotional sincerity with a layer of meta-irony,embodied by the character of The Arbiter. The review points out that even seemingly appreciative comments from The Arbiter carry “the slightest hint of sarcasm.” This creates a tension where talented performers are given a platform for “top-tier broadway cheese,” only to have the production immediately “scramble to insist that what we just watched is actually bad for our diet.”
The revival’s central conflict, the review argues, isn’t about the plot’s Cold War intrigue or the game of chess itself - which “barely factors in here, save for two inventively staged sequences” – but rather a commentary on the shift in cultural sensibilities from a pre-ironic to a post-ironic world.
Ultimately, the review concludes that the production is a “draw” in the “unending battle between sincerity and snark,” acknowledging both its stylistic strengths and its emotional withholding.
The Chess revival features:
* Cast: Nicholas Christopher, Lea Michele, Bryce Pinkham, Aaron Tveit
* Director: Michael Mayer
* Book: Danny Strong, based on an idea by Tim Rice
* Music and Lyrics: Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, Tim Rice
* Set Designer: David Rockwell
* Costume Designer: Tom Broecker
* Lighting Designer: Kevin Adams
* Sound Designer: John Shivers
* Video Designer: Peter Nigrini
* Producers: Tom Hulce, Robert Ahrens, The Schubert Association
* Venue: Imperial Theater, New York.