What are your top three songs from chess, favourite versions of your fave songs and dream cast?
First and foremost, thank you so much. I began to vibrate when I saw this ask. Thank you💥💥💥💥‼️‼️
Top three songs:
Someone else’s story,
Nobody’s side,
Endgame.
Special mention: pity the child, press conference, and embassy lament.
Favourite versions:
Someone else’s story: I am inclined to say Kerry Ellis’ performance (Chess in concert 2008, but that may be because I am most familiar with this version. With this song, I can be a bit particular with how this song is performed, especially towards the end (“I could be in someone else’s story” and onwards). It is a very powerful song, especially if performed well, and not all people can do that. It’s one thing to be able to belt out a song, and hit all the notes, but it’s another to actually embody the song and Perform it. For example, Lea Michele, she is a very talented performer, but I’m not convinced that this song is for her. Admittedly this opinion is based on official recordings rather than an actual stage performance, so take this with a pinch of salt. I’m willing to be proved wrong (though I doubt I will be).
There is, on Youtube, a performance by Helen Sjöholm (to whom I would give my first born) on a Swedish tv show, 19 years ago. (Helen Sjöholm- Someone Else's Story)
Special mention: Lea Salonga in the 2002 Broadway run (Lea Salonga--Someone Else's Story). Cynthia Erivo from “Tim Rice: A life in song” in 2014 (Cynthia Erivo: Someone Else's Story (2014)). This one is especially good, however part of the song is skipped so it isn’t a favourite.
Nobody’s side: I am partial to the original (I love you Elaine Paige).
Endgame: Again, the original is quite good. Endgame is a very long, very dramatic song, and that’s why it’s a favourite of mine. However, in ‘Ni dömer mig’ from Chess På Svenska there is a specific part that I love. Towards the end of the song, Svetlana calls Anatoly “Judas” instead of simply a liar (in most, if not all, English language productions he’ll just be called a liar). This is so much more dramatic, and I really like it. Though they do function as different songs, with Ni dömer mig being an argument between Svetlana and Anatoly rather than this incredibly dramatic song that gives the audience a large pay out. It’s also quite early in the second act which disserves the rest of the production. Also, it slows the act down and we lose what would be a very climactic moment, but that’s a different conversation.
Dream Cast:
This is a complicated question… which version are we using? This hypothetical production would be an amalgamation of Chess in Concert (2008) and Chess På Svenska.
Freddie:
Murray Head (originated the role) could be a good choice, his awful american accent is wonderful and vocally he really suits the role.
Anders Ekborg is also a solid choice, he embodies the character very well and is incredibly sleazy and slimy and very Freddie. Though, some of his vocal choices aren’t my favourite.
Anatoly:
Tommy Körberg (originated the role), could be good. However, I didn’t enjoy his characterisation of Anatoly in På Svenska.
Michael Ball is a phenomenal performer and I would love to see him as Anatoly, if only for the vocals.
A possibly rogue choice is Jakob Norrgård. Anatoly is well within his capabilities, and would make for a compelling performance. I did think about Freddie, and it would certainly be interesting to see, but I don’t know if he could play such a sleazy character. Although, his character Jona in Halln is very Freddie-esque, so there is a seed of doubt.
Florence: Helen Sjöholm as she played Florence in Svenska. To me, this is THE Florence.
Svetlana: Lea Salonga, or Cynthia Erivo.
Arbiter: I didn’t mind Marti Pellow in choncert. Off the top of my head I can’t think of anyone else. Seeing a woman play the arbiter could be an interesting change though.
Molokov: David Bedella, he was good in Choncert (2008), plus in 2015 he played Dr. Frank N’ Furter and that is a funny contrast, To Me.
Walter de Coursey: Murray Head could be interesting, a sort of full circle thing. On a very surface level it could be an interesting choice.
