"I had the ultimate pleasure of seeing the original production of 'Chess' on London's West End back in the 80's. It was superb and stayed in my heart all these years later. Freddie Trumper's entrance onto the stage was magical, an arogant man that you love to hate set in motion a wonderful story of obsession, love, and the ultimate quest to win.
Unfortunately, I did not get to see New York's Broadway version.
The songs that stick out for
me are 'Pity the Child' and 'I Know Him So Well.'
The current version is great as well, not without some major differences with a modern twist. I definitely missed the original opening scene, that beautiful number where the dancers were dressed as chess peices).
I could have done without the current day political commentary as it is everywhere and unnecessary in a Broadway setting. We go to see shows to get away from that and the comments really weren't funny to some of us.
All in all it was a fun evening out and I plan on seeing it again. The talent is off the charts!!"
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Broadway.com Customer on Oct 25, 2025
Loved It
"The choreography was amazing. The cast was spectacular. The narrator is hilarious. Really did love every second. "
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Broadway.com Customer on Oct 22, 2025
Loved everything about this show. The talent is off the charts!
"Loves everything about this show from the staging and score to the unbelievably talented cast. A must see!!"
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Donna S from Norwalk on Oct 22, 2025
Chess is a complicated game
"Chess was a spectacular show!!! It was dramatic, funny, and engaging. The musical numbers : vocals, staging and choreography was innovative and engaging. Needless to say, all of the actors were amazing…especially Aaron!!! Must see!!!"
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Carol C from Woburn on Oct 20, 2025
Beautiful moving and brilliant
"The sets, dancing, and vocals were all excellent.
I love the music and the lyrics are brilliant.
The story unfolds with the help of an engaging and humorous narrator.
Very fresh and captivating revival of a truly great musical.
I can’t wait to take the rest of my family.
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Broadway.com Customer on Oct 19, 2025
Chess is Back
"Beautiful voices to go along with the wonderful score! Loved the new updated book! The set and the orchestra on stage was a great idea!"
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Thomas M G from Woodside on Oct 17, 2025
A great revival of a classic "musical lovers" musical
"The relatively simple staging highlighted the talented musicians set up on a ladder-like stage on either side and above the stage. The simple main stage had couches where the cast spent much of their time. Bryce Pinkham, as the arbiter, did a great job in explaining the story. He was also hilarious while placing witty current political sarcasm into the storyline. I can't say enough about the case, which was strong vocally and during the dance numbers. The three stars shone bright with Lea Michelle returning to the Imperial theater years after her first Broadway role as Cosette as a child! Adam Tveit was stellar in his role as Freddie. Nicholas Christopher was very strong vocally in his role as Anatoly. Given that I had wanted to see Chess after years of loving the soundtrack, this production did an excellent job of keeping the spirit of the original but giving modern context for this type of international intrigue. Highly recommended."
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Broadway.com Customer on Mar 15, 2026
Best show in town
"Loved the music and the witty and very capable narrator/ arbiter.
Loved the parts with high intensity music and immersive sound.
Excellent performance by the actors -in perticular the flawless overlapping of voices -chills!
Could have been more emphasis on the game of chess rather than the «spy vs spy». The constant twists and turns in the plot courtesy of active intelligence agencies made things a bit confusing at times, but not enough to disrupt the experience. After all it is a musical and the music and acting part was 10 out of 10!"
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Broadway.com Customer on Mar 5, 2026
Amazing!
"I absolutely loved everything about this show. The music, the orchestra, the dancers. Everything is perfection! I totally recommend!"
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Broadway.com Customer on Mar 3, 2026
Truly a masterpiece
"Amazing leads with amazing vocals with an engaging plot and a quick witted narrator 10/ 10 would recommend "
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Jared C from Old Westbury on Feb 16, 2026
Great show
"Great singers and actors. The ensemble dancing and choreography was amazing. Interesting revision from the 1988 London version we saw."
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Broadway.com Customer on Feb 13, 2026
Wow!
"The show blew me away! It has a little of everything, romance, suspense, intrigue. The music & dancing are so much fun! The opening of Act 2 gave me goosebumps. "
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Broadway.com Customer on Feb 12, 2026
Amazing
"This show is amazing. Every actor puts their heart into every role and it shows.
Please go see and
Enjoy the experience "
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Broadway.com Customer on Feb 7, 2026
Remarkable revival!
"The voices, the acting, the re-worked book and structure all come together for an exceptional experience. "
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Broadway.com Customer on Feb 1, 2026
Good show - see it!
"Dancing and voices great! However the background instruments were often too loud so the lyrics were unintelligible. Disappointing! Parts of the story were lost because of this."
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Broadway.com Customer on Jan 29, 2026
Amazing performances!
"The story translates well from the 80s to present day with some clever remarks from the announcer. I was absolutely blown away by Nicholas Christopher’s performance. The ensemble is fun and the music keeps you engaged throughout. Highly recommend. "
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Melissa A from Gilbert on Jan 24, 2026
Chess
"The stars did not disappoint. Nicholas Christopher was fabulous in the role of Anatoly Sergievsky. He was the only main star to do the stage door trail after the show. He was very kind and took the time to speak with everyone and take pictures. Broadway needs more stars like this. "
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Broadway.com Customer on Jan 22, 2026
Nicholas Christopher is a King - Check Mate!!!
"I was pleasantly surprised about how much I loved this musical. I didn’t know much about it and heard mixed reviews but I was a Glee fan so wanted to see Darren Criss in Maybe Happy Ending (excellent!!) and Lea Michelle in Chess. She was great, the story was engaging, I laughed a lot and Nicholas Christopher won the night! He was fantastic and incredibly gracious after the show at the stage door with EVERY person waiting there. Go see Chess!!!
"
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Broadway.com Customer on Jan 14, 2026
Worth seeing!
"I saw the original NYC show 38 years ago and I thought many of the changes they made were for the better. I couldn’t stop singing the songs in my head for days!"
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Broadway.com Customer on Jan 14, 2026
Amazing! Would see again!
"Loved this production! Aaron Tveitt Lea Michelle and whole cast were incredible! It had a great mix of humor, drama, and singing was impressive. My favorite part was the comedy. Only thing I will change moving forward is not sitting so close (2nd row). You can see them spit as they’re were talking or singing, which was a little funny but kind of distracting too. I’ll know better next time. 10/10 do recommend! "
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Amy B from Tuttle on Jan 10, 2026
Amazing performance
"Amazing performance delivered by talented cast. Dynamic and creative. Definitely recommend to attend "
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Broadway.com Customer on Jan 5, 2026
Amazing show!
"The performers were amazing. Venue was great. Our seats were center front mezzanine and had a fantastic view of the stage. Highly recommend! "
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Broadway.com Customer on Jan 4, 2026
Mind blowing vocals and fascinating story
"The lead performances were fantastic - even better than expected. The story was fascinating and the plot was fully engaging. Voices were out of this world. Show stopping musicality. Full cast was top of their game. I fully enjoyed every minute. This show is an example of why there is nothing else like Broadway. "
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Broadway.com Customer on Jan 4, 2026
Chess was so funny! and Nicholas Christopher is the standout!
"The show was fantastic! Funnier than I expected! Hannah Cruz is excellent as Svetlana. The leads are fabulous, as expected. I came to the show to see Lea (we had previously come to NYC to see her in Funny Girl) but Aaron was great, and the standout was Nicholas Christopher! Not only was he amazing in the show, he came to the stage door after the performance and spent time with each fan there. Such a gentleman and so lovely. Go see this show! You won't be disappointed! Note - it is NOT suitable for children!"
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Christina M from San Diego on Jan 3, 2026
CHESS checks ”all 64”
"From square one, the recently and timely revived CHESS rules the board. The cast’s constellation of stars knocks you out with all the masterful pieces Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson created in the early 80s. (I recommend the superb 1hr documentary on YouTube called ”Chess 1984 Documentary (English subtitles)” where you are up close with them as they put it all together from songs in their head through recording it.
As a Swede who grew up in the 80s and caught all the hype and saw the original production in London, I say: Thank you for bringing this masterpiece back to life and allowing it to become as well-known and appreciated as it deserves to be! This is the enhanced extension of that ABBA treasure trove you either didn’t know or needed to reacquaint yourself with.
When I heard that CHESS what come (back) to Broadway a few years ago, I set my Google News Alert. Thrilled to see it again!!"
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Sven T from Miami on Jan 1, 2026
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About
Chess
Chess is the iconic musical where power and passion collide, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. It’s America versus Russia at the World Chess Championship, where the espionage and romance are as complicated and exhilarating as the game itself. For the two players and the woman torn between them, everything—personal, professional, and political—is at risk… and nobody’s rules are the same.
