Next Production

Act 1

The head of the International Federation explains the history of the game of chess (The Story Of Chess), as we move to the northern Italian town of Merano , where this year's championships are taking place (Merano). As the townsfolk prepare for the occasion, the brash American champion, Frederick Trumper arrives with his second, Hungarian orphan Florence Vassy. In their hotel room, Florence explains to Freddie that the press will portray him badly if he continues with his bad boy attitude (Commie Newspapers), just before he heads off to a press conference where he attacks a journalist who questions his relationship with Miss Vassy (Press Conference). His Russian challenger, Anatoly Sergievsky, and Alexander Molokov, his second (actually a KGB agent), watch with curiosity and disdain on TV, before Anatoly laments as to how he has got to where he has (Anatoly & Molokov / Where I Want To Be).

The opening ceremony features an arbiter insisting on holding the proceedings together, US and Soviet diplomats vowing their side will win, and marketers just looking to make a buck (The Opening Ceremony: Diplomats / Arbiter / Hymn To Chess / Merchandisers). During the chess match (Chess #1 / Arbiter reprise), Freddie believes that the Russians are tampering with the game and storms off, leaving the chessboard on the floor, and Florence to pick up the pieces with Anatoly, Molokov, and the Arbiter (Quartet: A Model of Decorum and Tranquility), whereby she agrees to bring Freddie and Anatoly together to sort out their issues (Florence & Molokov). It turns out that Freddie engineered the stunt to get a higher price from the TV company; when Florence finds out, they argue, leading Florence to lose it with Freddie when he brings her father, believed captured by the Russians during the 1956 uprising, into the argument (1956 - Budapest Is Rising). She reflects that "nobody's on nobody's side," (Nobody's Side) before heading off to the Merano Mountain Inn (Der Kleine Franz) for the meeting between East and West. Freddie doesn't turn up, leaving Anatoly and Florence to eventually embrace (Mountain Duet), before being interrupted by Freddie, who has been engineering new financial terms.

After the next chess game (Chess #2), Florence leaves Freddie ( Florence Quits), whereby he laments on how his unhappy childhood left him the man he is today (Pity The Child). Florence goes with Anatoly to the British Embassy, where he attempts to seek exile in the west (Embassy Lament), and she reflects on whether it is best to love a stranger (Heaven Help My Heart). Walter de Courcey, however, has his own plans, and has tipped off the media, who ambush the pair at Merano station (Anatoly and the Press). Anatoly tells the awaiting audience that his land's only borders lie around his heart (Anthem). >> Act 2