[lozbloke]

I have heard rumblings of Tim Rice being in talks with Kenwright over touring Chess during 2009. Anyone else heard this?

The last I heard was Sir Tim himself pushing for Chess to be revived in the West End and/or Broadway following the successful ROH concert.
Please god this new rumour doesnt turn out to be true. Ok, Chess can be staged on the cheap within reason, but a Tesco Value equivalent I dont want to see! I would also imagine another reworked, simplified adaptation in this instance, rather than the original London version that Tim prefers if Kenwright gets his hands on it!

Thoughts???

[DuddersMonster]

I've heard rumours that it's coming back in one form or another but that's it. Just very vague rumours, some have said Broadway, some WE...I'm unconvinced at the moment.

[curzon]

DEAR GOD - NO!!!! Anyone but bloody Bill Kenwright. Chess only works if you are prepared to take it apart, cut heavily and put it back together again with some judicious re-ordering.Let's face it BK won't be prepared to take the time when he could just shove it out on the cheap and take the money...

[Mrs Cake]

I should imagine it would be a lot easier to follow if Kenwright did it....

Act one....some people buying 'chess' tshirts in a cold place, whilst an american chess player (Stephen Gately) is 'a bit mean' to his moaning girlfriend/partner who can't find her dad. He plays chess with a dirty commie who looks at his bird funny and so storms off. They get off with each other...on a mountain and he follows her home.

Act two....the same thing only in Bangkok and in reverse...with Barbra Dixon....and the 'I know him so well' megamix to get the coach parties on their feet at the end, even if Florence (Claire Sweeney) still can't find her dad and the russian chap (Jonathan Wilkes) is a bit cross at the futility of it all (no doubt expressed through a cheeky grin and thumbs up)

Playing 3 shows a day at the New London soon....briefly.

You're scaring me! Please don't give BK any funny ideas.

[Mr Fix 22]

I am in no way associated with BK Ltd and have never been employed by him or his company, however, whatever his faults may be, we must remember he is one of the biggest employers in our industry.

And unless the members on here who jump to the same tired old responses have actually had the graft and mounted a tour of their own, with an even semi successful outcome, I'm not entirely sure you should be too critical of a potential Chess outing.... lets see what he does with it.

Have seen several versions of the show ranging from Sidcup to Somerset as well as minor involvement with the RAH concert version... not a personal favourite show of mne but always intrigued as to how its interpreted.

Lets see what comes of it.

[Annasette]

I am in no way associated with BK Ltd and have never been employed by him or his company, however, whatever his faults may be, we must remember he is one of the biggest employers in our industry.

And unless the members on here who jump to the same tired old responses have actually had the graft and mounted a tour of their own, with an even semi successful outcome, I'm not entirely sure you should be too critical of a potential Chess outing.... lets see what he does with it.

Have seen several versions of the show ranging from Sidcup to Somerset as well as minor involvement with the RAH concert version... not a personal favourite show of mne but always intrigued as to how its interpreted.

Lets see what comes of it.

Must admit that after the RAH concert, I was hoping for a proper West End revival. But even if it was intended, there will undoubtedly have been, or will be, casualties to the financial situation. I do like the show, though, and if it is a choice between a tour or nothing, I would like to see a tour. It would be nice if it was one that was still potentially able to transfer though.

But you probably have a few intrigued Mr Fix 22. What was your involvement with the RAH concert? Or is that being too nosy? I won't mind if you tell me to mind my own business!

[dan]

I am in no way associated with BK Ltd and have never been employed by him or his company, however, whatever his faults may be, we must remember he is one of the biggest employers in our industry.

And unless the members on here who jump to the same tired old responses have actually had the graft and mounted a tour of their own, with an even semi successful outcome, I'm not entirely sure you should be too critical of a potential Chess outing.... lets see what he does with it.

Have seen several versions of the show ranging from Sidcup to Somerset as well as minor involvement with the RAH concert version... not a personal favourite show of mne but always intrigued as to how its interpreted.

Lets see what comes of it.

Of course, anyone should be given the benefit of the doubt, wait til it's open etc, but are you saying that it's better to have average shows with average production values, than no shows at all? As a paying customer I have to have been through the rigours of creating the product to have an opinion on it? "My flight on Easyjet today was appalling.....well have you tried flying a plane? You really shouldn't criticise til you've tried it etc" Art is there to be commented on, and if the responses are tired and old (ie the same) then perhaps there is no smoke without fire.

I certainly agree that Kenwright puts his money where his mouth is, producing plays aswell as musicals that may be of less than mass appeal and for that he is to be applauded. He has obviously hit upon a low cost (which I'm sure is still phenomenally expensive) formula for touring, and is therefore a big employer. It's easy (and fun!) to bash him and jokily speculate about what soap/reality star he'll cast next, but the same is true to a lesser extent of ALW, Sonia Friedman et al.

'Chess' is a real enigma because it is fantastic musically but it's story is really very dull, hence the constant re-jigs to try and make it cohesive and interesting at the same time. That no-one has given up on it after 25 years is very flattering and a testament to the fact that it must have something. But I do feel that until someone uses giant robots as chess pieces, and Idina Menzel and Josh Groban sign up for a year that 'Chess' will continue to be an anomaly and the one that got away.

[M George]

DEAR GOD - NO!!!! Anyone but bloody Bill Kenwright. Chess only works if you are prepared to take it apart, cut heavily and put it back together again with some judicious re-ordering.Let's face it BK won't be prepared to take the time when he could just shove it out on the cheap and take the money...

I don't know. Admittedly Kenwright has produced some utter tripe but his effort with Whistle Down the Wind resulted in a much better show than the original London production and his Evita is of s good quality, so I wouldn't write him off as a suitable producer for Chess.