Chess

A Youth Stage Version of the Musical (2003)

Adyak Theatre Company, Hungary

Music by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus

Lyrics by Tim Rice

Adapted and Directed by Albin Balint

Musical Director: Angéla Mercs

Choreographer: Barbara Bakai

Artistic Director: Ilona Várhalmi

Cast: Soma O. Szabó, Attila Fejszés, Viktor Klem, Kitti Sajben, Virág Győri, Annamária Nagy, Eszter Varga, Tamás Harsányi, Alexandra Szálkai, Tamás Ács, András Balogh, Diána Drága, István Tömöri, Judit Turcsán, Richárd Barabás, Mónika Bisi, Linda Fejes, Ádám Jakab, Fruzsina Jankó, Hedvig Tamás

Photographs courtesy of Anna Hollósi

The World Chess Championship is to take place in a little Italian town called Merano, where the current world champion, the conceited Frederick Trumper must defend his title against an introversive chess genius, Anatoly Sergievsky. The atmosphere of the competition becomes more and more tense when Anatoly falls in love with the champion's second, Florence Vassy. The professional fight between the two men gradually spread from the chessboard to their private lives, and finally Anatoly is forced to decide between his love and own career.

By eliminating the overtly political tone of the original piece, Adyak Theatre Company's youth stage adaptation of Chess, the world-famous ABBA musical experiments with blending the story with certain traits of a medieval morality play: thus in this stage version Anatoly is caught not only between Florence and her wife, Svetlana, but also between his reason and instinct, personified by the implacable figure of the Arbiter and the dark muse of chess, Caissa.

This production was awarded First Prize and the Prize for Best Musical Actress (Annamária Nagy, Svetlana) by the Hungarian National Festival of Youth Musical Theatre in 2004.