not the wya she delievered them.

ithe last scene in Chess always ddrained me both physically and emotionally when I did the show. Kuhn and Murney made me cry, even a procuction i saw near phillyvwhere i felt the florence blew most of the show..she got it in the last scene.

but Menzel had no undertanding of Florence at all.

This is probably the most unintentionally funny put-down I have seen on this board in a long time. I know what I am talking about. I've seen and heard several dozen distinct performances of Chess, from the original London cast on down. I know the script, score and production history intimately. I've worked on multiple productions as a dramaturg based mainly on my knowledge and research into the material. I know Chess better than most people who've been in the show.

Idina Menzel is a talented actress. I saw her twice in Wicked, where she was frankly excellent. Her performance in Chess did not reflect this. She was miscast, she lacked command of the score, and she turned in a poor rendition of one of the best parts to come about in musical theater in the last twenty-five years. I've seen Judy Kuhn's performance (on video) - I have issues with the way she was directed, but she gave that part her all and turned in something that was brilliant, even given the sharp limitations she was working with. Jodie Gillies, who played the part in Sydney, Australia, took it up with more flair than almost anyone. She was among the best. Helen Sjöholm was absolutely sublime, her "Nobody's Side" was d*mn near perfect. I've heard probably a couple dozen other actresses play Florence, ranging from great to utterly terrible. I know this part, I know exactly how good it can be, and that's why it pained me to watch Menzel muddle through it.

To be blunt: the material matters. Chess is an intensely well-structured score, and the concert setting has always done it grave injustice. Performers, like Menzel, take it as license to ride roughshod over the actual printed music and "make it their own." This comes out sounding awful. She's not the only talented actress to do this - Lauren Kennedy, much as I love her other work, was sharply disappointing in the 2001 Nyack concert. The show is Florence's. Import the Swedish DVD, go to New York and watch the Broadway show at the Public Library for the Performing Arts. This is a show that can work real magic even when the whole thing is deeply imperfect. Menzel failed to do that. And it's a shame, because this album is now going to be a major part of the recorded canon, and at the end of the day it's not a great representation of the score.

(And, for what it's worth, I echo Thom's sentiments wholeheartedly.)

I have only heard her read this on the CD, and to me it sounded so exaggerated/melodramatic , it's the kind of line that someone would repeat over and over again in some kind of parody-fashion..hmm..I feel a YouTube video coming on.

I agree. Actually, I think I said something along those lines in my first post



I stopped reading at "I've seen and heard several dozen distinct performances of Chess" because I knew what was coming.

I don't care about your research of the show - the fact that you thought Julia Murney's Florence was "far from decent much less great" says to me that you don't know what you're talking about when it comes to theatre - therefore your opinion is no longer relevent - to me.

--redacted. no longer responding to actor. --

Um...yeah, because your attempts at rhetoric are certainly something to be proud of. I think Cadriel's trying to be the better man in this. Go argue with emoticons somewhere else.

I've become pretty disenchanted with the final scene of the show - whether we're talking about the Broadway or London versions, which is why I'm always on about ending the show with "You and I - Reprise." I think it veers dangerously close to cliched territory, in lesser performances wandering straight in. I much prefer ending on the sentiment "But we go on pretending / Stories like ours / Have happy endings." It makes the story less about politics and more about the compromises of people who are older and more mature than stereotypical musical theatre romantic leads. Of course, this also means things like leads who are well into their 30s, on the young side.

Out of curiosity, what was the Philadelphia area performance you saw?

People can have opinions..and it's a bit of a far conclusion to say someone does "not know what they're talking about when it comes to theatre" [in general] because they don't like a particular performer you do. It does seem more justified for someone to conclude a performer is poor if they are very familiar with the show/many production/many other performances though.

From my perspective, I just get the impression you're bitter 'cause Idina is being criticised - obviously as a fan you are slightly bias.

So I finally saw it. I cried that such a wonderful thing is actually avilable for purchase to the general public. It's outstanding. Even Idina isn't too bad. She's nowhere near as good as Julia or any other Florence, but I like her little money note in the Press Conference.

I agree that Chess, in addition to have too many openings, has too many endings. But isn't the åpolitical situation of Florence' father sort of the macguffin of the entire show? I know I had no clue about the motivations of the characters until I heard the Danish recording, where the point is made dramaturgically.

The concept recording, at least, spouts a totally incomprehensible ending, stating that "he has news for her...". About what? Ending Chess with You And I does have its dramaturgical merits, but leaves imo the entire show not only unresolved but bafflingly pointless.

That's also why I prefer the Danish recording, despite the weak performances everyone but me can hear. It's a contrived plot, but it's the only one I have been able to explain when asked what Chess is about, because the business of the father has some significance.

I only find Emma's performance weak. Anatoly, Freddie, Walter, Molokov, and The Arbiter are all fantastic on the Danish recording, despite Zubin's somewhat weak high C's. Emma is an amazing singer and her only crime is she overacts or underacts, can't really tell which..."my father alive?!"