Abba’s Andersson reveals plans for Chess revival

Published Thursday 3 September 2009 at 15:32 by Matthew Hemley

Former Abba member Benny Andersson has revealed plans to revive his musical Chess on Broadway.

The composer, who penned the show with ex-ABBA band member Bjorn Ulvaeus and lyricist Tim Rice, said discussions were underway to bring back the musical to the US.

He told The Stage: “Someone wants to have another go on Broadway, I am not sure which theatre yet, but I think it will happen.”

Chess, which premiered in the UK in 1986 and ran for three years, opened on Broadway in 1988, but closed after just two months.

Andersson said he blamed a “murdering review” in the New York Times, and added that the show was “not that bad”.

The musical was recently performed in London at the Royal Albert Hall, starring Josh Groban and Idina Menzel. The concert production was filmed and will be shown in cinemas around the UK from this weekend.

Cinemas taking part around the UK include the Odeon in Covent Garden.

Meanwhile, Andersson also said that Kristina, a show which he wrote with Ulvaeus and which premiered in Sweden in 1995, will have a concert performance in New York’s Carnegie Hall next month.

He added he would like to bring the show to London, but said its success would depend on audience reaction.

“We can bring it to the West End and it will be a good performance, but the question is will people like it, will it connect with them? That is the trick,” he said.

A full interview with Andersson can be read in next week’s print edition of The Stage.