Durham Musical Company stages Chess at Gala Theatre

A musical theatre company is preparing to stage the great 20th century musical Chess for the first time this evening (March 29) - two years after originally planned because of Covid.

Durham Musical Theatre Company's production was to be a new version of the musical which had never before been seen in Durham.

With only nine weeks to go before the show was due to hit the Gala stage in 2020, Covid intervened and the country went into lockdown.

The Northern Echo: Durham Musical Theatre Company performing 'Chess the Musical' at Durham Gala Theatre Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT Durham Musical Theatre Company performing 'Chess the Musical' at Durham Gala Theatre Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

DMTC decided to postpone the production rather than cancel it outright. Various attempts were made over the past two years to find a new date for the show but all to no avail.

Now at last, this production of Chess is going ahead.

DMTC spokesperson said: "It has been a strange rehearsal process, with some cast members changing, but the entire cast is now getting very excited to be back treading the boards of the Gala Theatre again – the first time in three years since Evita was staged there."

Chess is regarded as one of the great late-20th century musicals. The book and lyrics of Chess were written by Tim Rice, partnered by the music-writing ABBA duo, Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus composing the brilliant score.

Chess is a heart-rending love story of a woman torn between two men, who happen to be the world’s greatest chess champions, one American and one Russian.

Set against the background of the 1980s Cold War, the two governments attempt to manipulate an international chess championship for their own political ends.

The Northern Echo:

In this love triangle of political intrigue, the protagonists’ personal lives are constantly being influenced by the superpowers, and the heightened passions of these political struggles threaten to destroy both their lives and loves.

Chess opened in London in 1986 and starred Elaine Paige. The score became an instant sensation and includes the ABBA hit numbers: I Know Him So Well, One Night in Bangkok, Anthem, Pity the Child, Heaven Help My Heart, Someone Else’s Story and many more.

Chess will be staged at the Gala theatre from this evening (March 29) to Saturday (April 2) at 7pm, with matinees on Wednesday/Saturday matinées at 2pm.

Tickets can now be obtained from the Gala Theatre Box Office, telephone 03000 266 600 or on line at www.galadurham.co.uk.

The Northern Echo:

Cast Florence Vassy (Freddie’s manager) – Pascalle Rossle (Crook) Anatoly Sergievsky (the Soviet Chess Champion) – Graeme Walton (Newton Hall, Durham) Freddie Trumper (the American Chess Champion) – Steven Berry (Bishop Auckland) Svetlana Sergievskaya (Anatoly’s wife) – Katy Walton (Newton Hall, Durham) Alexander Molokov (Anatoly’s second) – Anthony Smith (Newton Hall, Durham) Walter de Courcey (from Global Television) – Ed Turner (Satley) The Arbiter – Michael Taphouse (Spennymoor) Production Team Director – Fred Wharton (Newton Hall, Durham) Musical Director – Malcolm Moffat (Morpeth, Northumberland) Choreographer – Kathleen Knox (Sunderland).

The Northern Echo: