Review: Porchlight Finds New Moves to Invigorate CHESS

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CHESS, Porchlight Musical Theatre's final staged reading in the third season of its "lost" musicals-as- staged-concert series manages to present the show's glorious, pop opera score in all its glory and nearly succeeds in covering up the fault lines that run through the book.

Porchlight's Artistic Director Michael Weber kicks things off with a short multi-media presentation about news and pop culture events at the time of its development as well as how one of Broadway's most successful lyricists (Tim Rice) came to work with Sweden's most successful pop music co-composers (ABBA's Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus). The show's sordid history is detailed -from chart-topping concept album, to successful West End production, and, finally, expensive Broadway flop.

If there is a minor point to quibble, this is not the UK version of the show (as Weber incorrectly noted in his introduction), but rather a third version of the work. It jettisons the ill-fated script from the Broadway show in favor the UK production's mostly sung-through score, but adds in a song from the Broadway production.

Set in 1979, the show centers around the world chess championship between the American "bad boy" of the sport (Adrian Aguilar as Freddie) and his more reserved Soviet counterpart (Justin Adair as Anatoly).

When Freddie upends the board and refuses to finish a match, Freddie's chess second Florence (Danni Smith) is left to smooth things over with the Soviet delegation led by Communist Party hardliner Molokov (John B. Leen) as well as with the World Chess Federation's no-nonsense Arbiter (Brandon Moorhead).

Florence and Anatoly fall in love and he defects in the midst of all of this, but the pair are mere pawns in a larger game being played out by Molokov and his U.S. counterpart, Walter (Daniel Riley as a CIA operative working as a television correspondent covering the games).

Smith's Florence is fierce, feisty and very much Freddie's equal. She plunges into a relationship with Anatoly even though she realizes from the get-go it is most likely doomed. Her electrifying rendition of "Nobody's Side" is perhaps reason enough to catch this.

Adair, however, matches her in intensity. In previous roles, he has come across more as a singer than an actor, but he emotes really well here. His Anatoly is clearly conflicted between his love of country, love of Florence and love of the game of chess. His performance of the first act closer "Anthem" caused the good kind of chills that one so rarely has in theater these days.

Aguilar's Freddie is equal parts tennis great John McEnroe and chess Grandmaster Bobby Fischer. He's willing to do and say anything to draw attention to his sport and earn lucrative sponsorship and endorsement deals for himself. And let's face it: as a spectator sport, chess ranks right up there with bass fishing . Aguilar's character ends up being less abrasive than in the Broadway version. A thinking man's Harold Hill, if you will.

Moorhead scores a few comedic moments when his delusional Arbiter feels like he is still in control of the game over which he presides. Britt-Marie Siversten (as Anatoly's abandoned wife Svetlana) also scores points (though her character still comes into play far into the proceedings).

Weber's direction is tight. Choreography by Brenda Didier elevates this from a mere stage reading to nearly a full-fledged production. Music direction by Jimmy Morehead succeeds in producing the lush and operatic score with a minimal amount of instruments (Morehead on keyboards, Jake Saleh on bass, Corey Richardson on guitar and John Agno on drums). Vox 3 Collective, a vocal group with whom Morehead is affiliated, also provides exceptional ensemble chorale work here.

The show's yet-again revised book remains -to borrow a chess phrase-the weak square. Florence's actual relationship with Freddie is never really fleshed out (she is supposed to be both his chess second and his lover, but we never really see the latter aspect of the relationship). Her relationship with Anatoly, as well as his decision to defect, also seem to happen a bit too quickly.

The show's ending also remains confusing. In chess terms, both the ending and changes to the show itself, remain a draw. The show's score -which has a cult like following-as well as the terrific performances-elevate things above the noticeable flaws. For fans of the work (and I count myself as one), this is perhaps the closest thing anyone in Chicago will see to a perfect, definitive version.

Until Porchlight or another Chicago theater does a full stage production, that is. Your move, Chicago theater companies.

Porchlight Revisits CHESS runs through May 5 at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont. Tickets, $35. 773.327.5252. porchlightmusictheatre.org

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