Checkmate
-
- June
- 17
To the fan who recently wrote me inquiring if Josh Groban was coming to PBS soon, the answer is a resounding “Yes!” He stars with Idina Menzel and Adam Pascal in ”’Chess’ in Concert” on PBS’ “Great Performances” tonight (9 p.m., THIRTEEN locally). And — Josh Groban groupies, please take note — he’s by far the best thing in this mediocrity.For those who don’t remember the ‘80s – or have conveniently forgotten them (understood) — “Chess” was the 1986 musical by Tim Rice and the ABBA guys (Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus) set against the political and romantic intrigue of the Cold War era. Groban sings Anatoly, a Russian chess player who’s sort of like grandmaster Viktor Korchnoi with a little Boris Spassky thrown in. Pascal sings Freddie, an American chess player who’s sort of like Bobby Fischer, with a dash of John McEnroe for good measure.
Amid the infectious, ABBA-style melodies and biting Rician lyrics there’s an intriguing subtext of Ugly Americanism. The American player is an obnoxious figure indeed — controlled, of course, by the all-powerful, money-grubbing American media — while the Russian is the soulful, self-sacrificing hero of the tale. (In truth, Fischer was an extremely demanding, neurotic individual who ended his days an embittered exile spewing anti-Semitic, anti-American rant.)
Though no Kenneth Branagh in the theatrical department, Grobin manages to convey the existential turmoil of a man who understands that he is a mere pawn in a bigger game. And his voice has a certain power and beauty of tone, never more so than in the Act 1-ending “The Anthem,” which brings down the house in London’s Royal Albert Hall.
It’s more than can be said for Menzel and Pascal, who co-starred in the overrated “Rent.” Her thin, angular voice and looks are suited to the Hungarian business manager who has had a hard childhood behind the Iron Curtain and finds life no easier now that she must choose between her love for one man and her loyalty to the other. Ultimately, however, the harshness of Menzel’s voice and appearance (encased in a lumpy black-and-white gown) defeats the performance.
As for Pascal, beefier than in his “Rent” days, he’s appropriately petulant. But his voice becomes strained whenever he reaches for a high note, which is often.
What’s really surprising is just how dry even the choral singing is. Apart from Groban, there’s just no lushness here.
”’Chess’ in Concert” isn’t as bad as the recent, disastrous concert “Camelot,” with Gabriel Byrne woefully miscast as Arthur. But it in no way approaches the transcendence of the concert “South Pacific,” with Brian Stokes Mitchell and Reba McEntire heading a sublime cast.
Consider it checkmated.
This entry was posted
on Wednesday, June 17th, 2009 at 6:00 am by Georgette Gouveia.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Print
| 
Email
