Sir Tim Rice sends personal letter to Chess cast in Shrewsbury
Award-winning lyricist and author Sir Tim Rice has written a personal letter to a Shropshire amateur dramatics group who will perform one of his musical masterpieces this week.
The Shrewsbury Amateur Operatic Society has received the 'good luck' message from Sir Tim ahead of their four-day production of Chess which starts at Theatre Severn tomorrow.
Chess was written by Sir Tim and ABBA's Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus wrote the music which has been hailed as one of the greatest musical theatre scores of all time.
In his personal message to cast and crew, he said: "We are extraordinarily grateful that societies such as yours show interest in our piece nearly 30 years after it was written.
"It is a complex piece which has had a chequered career, but for some reason seems to survive despite all the ups and downs."
He added: "I wish Shrewsbury Amateur Operatic Society every success with their production of Chess." The show will feature two children, Drew Taylor, 10, of Shrewsbury, and Libby Ashford, nine, of Telford, who in the story are taken from their home in Russia to Bangkok for the chess championship.
Sir Tim, who was born in Buckinghamshire, is an Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Tony Award and Grammy Award-winning lyricist.
Show director Lynn Hunt-Craib said the letter had provided a welcome boost to her cast and crew ahead of the musical.
She added: "The libretto says 'anyone mounting a production of Chess should not be afraid of making cuts or of changing the order of some of the songs and scenes'.
"This is exactly what I have done along with Alistair, the musical director, to create our own unique version of the musical."
The musical will run at the Frankwell theatre until Saturday with each evening performance beginning at 7.30pm.
There will be a matinee on the final day as well as an evening performance beginning at 2.30pm.
It will be the society's latest show since Titanic the Musical which was staged at the theatre back in March 2012.
The show will feature some memorable songs such as 'I Know Him So Well' and 'One Night in Bankok'.
Set at the height of the Cold War, Chess tells the story of a romantic triangle that engulfs two top players, competing in the World Chess Championship, and the woman who manages one and falls in love with the other.
Ticket prices start from £12.50. To book call the Theatre Severn box office on (01743) 281281.
