Full cast announced for the anticipated West End revival of Chess
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Nicholas Ephram Ryan Daniels
(Updated on Feb 18, 2019)
The chessboard has now been fully set up. Find out who all have been cast as the pawns in this politically charged musical, which is set in the Cold War era.
Chess will feature an all-star cast. Multi-platinum selling singer and actress Alexandra Burke (The Bodyguard Musical, Sister Act The Musical), who became a household name when she won the fifth series of The X Factor, will play Svetlana. Olivier Award-winner Michael Ball (Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, Passion) is set to star as Anatoly. Tim Howar (On The Town, Peggy Sue Got Married) will be starring as Freddie, Cassidy Janson (Tick Tick Boom, Beautiful) will play Florence, and Philip Browne will play Molokov.
Murray Head will also be a part of the cast and played Freddie in the original 1986 West End production. This time around, he will be playing The Arbiter. Head is noted for rapping on "One Night in Bangkok," which served as the 1984 single from the concept album for the original production of Chess. The song peaked at number 12 on the UK Singles chart.
Other cast members include Alexandra Waite-Roberts, Callum Evans, Carrie Willis, Cellen Chugg Jones, Chris Gage, Chris Gardner, Jack Horner, Jennifer Robinson, Jeremy Batt, Joe Watkins, Jo Morris, Jonathan David Dudley, Jordan Lee Davies, Jo Servi, Kimberley Blake, Matt Harrop, Matthew Walker, Nicholas Lee, Richard Emerson, Robbie McMillan, Robin Bailey,Sabrina Aloueche, Sarah Bakker, Sinead Long, Sophie Camble, Stevie Hutchinson, and Stuart Winter.
Chess was written in 1984 by ABBA members Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, and Tim Rice (The Lion King, Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar). It follows two chess champions, Freddie and Anatoly, in the midst of a chess match during the Cold War era. The original 1986 London debut starred Murray Head, Elaine Paige and Tommy Korberg. Notable numbers include "One Night in Bangkok," "I Know Him So Well," "The Soviet Machine," and "Endgame."
The 2018 revival is directed by Laurence Connor (Miss Saigon, School of Rock) and is being presented by the English National Opera, whose orchestra and chorus will be featured in the production and conducted by John Rigby. Chess also features stunning choreography by Stephen Mear, who alongside Sir Matthew Bourne won an Olivier Award for Best Choreography in the West End production of Mary Poppins.
The Chess match begins at the London Coliseum on 1 May 2018 and will run for a limited time only until 2 June 2018. Previews start on 26 April 2018. Be sure to book your tickets early for guaranteed great seats!
For tickets to see the West End revival of Chess, click here.