Chess The Musical

 

Some shows require more than one viewing. 

I think maybe Chess is one of those shows. 

 

Everyone around me thought it was spectacular. 

At intermission, the woman behind me exclaimed, 

“I LOVE this. I love it so much. I love the stage and the cast and the story. Oh my gosh. I love it.”

 

I didn’t feel the same. 

 

I liked it.  

The show was good with 

Great performances by big named people. 

There were big dance numbers and power ballads. 

There was growth and change in the characters. I think. 

But I didn’t understand a lot of the text because there were so many fast words 

And the whole show was about manipulation and mind games 

And using people as pawns to obtain a larger goal. 

That made me sad. 

The self-proclaimed climax of the show completely lost me because there was so much going on.

Yet it was big. And it was powerful. 

And I can see the show doing well. 

 

So I’d like to see it again and 

Give it another shot. 

Rent. 

Hadestown. 

Hamilton. 

I had similar reactions to all of those. 

There were so many words.

And somewhere I got lost. 

But now I’m a fan. 

 

So maybe I could be a Chess fan, too. 

It hits on love and sacrifice and mental illness and devotion and trying to be  yourself while also being responsible to other people. 

Those themes resonate. 

So there’s a possibility for the liking. 

If I can see it again. 

 

If I give it another chance. 

 

Sometimes. 

We need to give things. 

And people. 

Another chance. 

 

Amen.