"Chess In Concert" by BJW Productions.

The Grand Pavilion Matlock Bath.

What a beautiful venue this is going to be when it's all been done up. Don't get me wrong, it's very atmospheric as it is, but when everything has been completed, Wow! what a venue for bands and theatre shows like this it's going to be.

"Chess" is not the easiest of musicals to perform, with the chord changes of Benny Anderson and Bjorn Ulvaeus from Abba and the expertise of Tim Rice, together it sounds exquisite, but I can only imagine a nightmare for anyone having to perfect these songs, that are more operatic than rock opera. BJW Productions perfected everything about this production.

To roughly let you know what the musical is about, in case you didn't know, it is based around a chess game which is politically motivated, but also about falling in love, as I’m sure you’ll find out by coming to check it out, mate. The story involves a politically driven, Cold War–era chess tournament between two men—an American grand-master (Freddie Trumper) and a Soviet grand-master (Anatoly Sergievsky)—and their battle over a woman (Florence Vassy) who manages Freddie and falls in love with Anatoly.

Performed without sets, which is why it is billed as "In Concert", it really highlights the wonderful music, and the vocal abilities of the cast, all equally as talented as each other, so there is no need for me to specifically highlight anyone, but I probably will anyway.

Sara Evans-Bolger (Florence Vassy) really brought out her inner Elaine Paige for this performance. "Nobody's Side" has always been a favourite of mine from "Chess", and nobody can do the song justice like Elaine, well until Friday night that was. Sara's duet of "I Know Him So Well" with Emily Knight (Svetlana Sergievsky - Anatoly's wife) was an absolute dream to experience, their voices blended so beautifully. And Emily's blood red outfit was spectacular.

Harmony, in however many parts you wanted, was boundless in this musical, it's like I had discovered surround sound for the first time. Musical Director Ben Ward waved his magic baton over the wonderful 14-piece orchestra and vocalists and created musical magic.

The two chess players in this show, Max Hoffman (Anatoly) and JoJo Meredith (Freddie) certainly matched each other with vocal ability, with JoJo exhibiting a massive range so suited for rock opera, while Max brought a lovely softer edge to the songs.

Eoin Callaghan (The Arbiter) is another whose vocals were so well suited to this kind of musical, his enunciation of every word hammered home his power and intent over the game and made sure we heard every single word that he sang.

Joe Woffinden (Alexander Molokov - Anatoly's second, as well as a secret KGB agent) has a very convincing Russian accent, even when singing; and when he does sing, what a voice this man has. The tone and richness of that timbre is wonderful.

Phil Simcox (Walter De Courcey - Trumper's equivalent to Molokov) also has one heck of a voice, again blending well with Joe's.

There's also an ensemble to flesh out that choiristic sound to the production, making the rafters of the Grand Pavilion tremble. Beth Bennett, Niamh Canning, Georgia Davis, Katie Hathaway, Samantha Hedley, Morgan Hemstock, Emily Hunter-Welling, Stacey Hyndman (who was also the Production manager), Sarah J. Kolb, Chrissie Smyth and Lauren Stocker. One male and ten females, and if truth be told, I'd have loved to have had that male vocal elevated by a mic to match the force of that wonderful female collection of voices.

The staging of the production, as well as the choreography was by Cat Howourth, who was also the Deputy Stage Manager, with the Company Stage Manager being Heath Parkin.

While not in need of a full lighting design, the lighting for this show, which was as good as any music stage show that I have ever seen, was designed by Jamie Vella.

The Sound Design, allowing us complete crystal clarity in a wonderful acoustic space, was by Harry Greatorex, with Martin Curtis billed as Sound 1.

I touched on the soundtrack a little earlier, but when it contains such hits as "I Know Him So Well", "One Night In Bangkok" - lyrically such a brilliantly clever song, "Nobody's Side" - all chart hits - as well such beautiful musical theatre songs as "Anthem" and "Heaven Help My Heart", this really is an evening full of joy, as well as political intrigue.

"Chess In Concert" is at the Grand Pavilion, Matlock Bath for two more performances, Saturday matinee and Saturday evening, so make sure you get there early enough to get a parking space - they are limited, but after 6pm it's only £1 until 8am in the morning. Tickets are going fast, especially after word gets around from Friday's performance, so I'd check, mate just to see if they have any left!