Chess

Loved most of the cast and what it looked like, hated the weedy sound and constant dicking around with instruments. As someone just said; it’s a pop score, so why are we trying to recreate it with a couple of violas and Margarets old cello?

I sat in balcony for Sweeney Todd. They built the stage over the orchestra pit and the musical was mainly played to the front of the stage. Couldn't see anything. Theatre apologised and said they only knew this was going to happen when they constructed stage and set.

Surely it'll have to be in the pit to make room on the stage for the giant tilting chess board

What ways are there around there being no giant tilting illuminated chess board? Maybe each seat gets either a white square or black square to hold up at key times and turn the whole auditorium into a giant chess board? Maybe not?

Dear God, no. No they don’t. They sit nicely in their seat and enjoy the fantastic music, applauding where appropriate. You may stand at the end if you must. It is not Boyzone... 😂🎶

If they would use the washington script, there will be a lot of laughs, because that script is rather funny (in a good way).

Do they still expect to get rid of all those still unsold premium stall seats at 175 quid a pop with THIS casting? As much as I like Michael Ball and his casting has made me have a look for tickets again,surely absolutely stellar casting for the female roles could only justify those prices. Burke and Janson are not stellar in any way.Maybe they will come down in price now?

It’s all entirely subjective. Some people will buy tickets to see Michael, others will buy to see Alexandra, others will buy to see Cassidy. Others will buy simply because they love the musical, regardless of the cast.
What is your definition of ‘stellar?’- the question is whether the producers believe A&C have the chops to pull off the role and be commercially appealing.
Like them or not, both Alexandra and Cassidy have shifted a fair few tickets in their respective roles in other shows.
There will never be a casting choice who is universally appealing.
I’m assuming the cost of these tickets must have a lot to do with the overall production- i.e the staging and orchestra, rather than the ‘stars’ alone.

^ I wasn't aware they were charging £175 to be honest. I’ve had a quick look on the ENO website and even for weekend performances the top price looks to be £150. (When I’ve been on there has been the odd queue to purchase tickets for some dates although when I’ve seen the plans there do seem to be huge numbers of unsold seats and this is now after the announcement on Friday.) That said, I agree with what you have said about the casting. Part of the problem is that because it’s for a five week limited season it’s seen as an Event, with big names to top the bill, and the longer we’ve had to wait the higher expectations have risen. (Some of these names seem a bit ridiculous to me- Lady Gaga???- but what do I know?) Now the announcement has flopped out, with little fanfare, it seems a complete anticlimax. As you say, names we really could see anytime, anywhere...

With regard to the staging, we’re still in the dark about whether it’ll be fully or semi-staged: it simply states “Landmark musical in first major West End revival in over 30 years,” making no mention of staging. To me a “major West End revival” suggests a full blown version. Many Chess fans will remember the RAH concert which actually turned out to be semi-staged in the end. Does RAH not constitute the West End? I don’t know. Again, because information is scant, we’re left to speculate and draw our own conclusions. Realistically I can’t see we’ll get more than a fairly simply staged production with the orchestra at the back rather like Sunset. And once again, I reckon we’re going to be a bit disappointed when we find out what we’re actually getting for our money.

All in all the ENO must be fully aware how shabbily they’re handling this, how badly it’s coming across to theatre-goers and how poorly it’s selling.

That said, I really can’t wait. Hate the game; love the musical!

True. But the sheer greed motive is now pushing up tickets into the100-175 pounds bracket elsewhere too. While Central London is attracting people with plenty of money, and tourists with, brexit  inflated,  spending power,  we are going to see normal humans facing mega prices all over the place - from Hamilton to Chicago.. One reaon this may have so many empty premium seats, while the nearby,  just  expensive,  seats are taken,  is that its not got a Glenn Close to appeal  to the international audience, or justify the price for whats essentially a standard cast, sans sets, and with more musicians. 

Admittedly I'm not a regular attendee but it's hardly news that ENO charge high prices is it? Their prices have always been (for the top ones, they've also always had a few bargains) at the top end of the scale. Running that building and the losses they make on a lot of the productions keeps them 'up there' I'd imagine.

My current dilemma is that I can't afford a trip to London. And yet I am a sucker for both Chess and the Balls.