I started with the concept album, fell hard, and even planned to go to London to see the Bennett first iteration (a friend's program with color pictures suggested a potent visual conceit) yet never got there. I still believe it works better without a proper book, fully sung. Even with narrative holes. It was always a stylized take on the subject, and the music's power feels vaguely diluted when tethered to traditional storytelling. In truth, even with the romantic triangle-slash-quartet, it doesn't have a strong enough suspense line, post cold war*, to justify all the torturous book scenes. The Nelson iteration, intelligent and earnest, still left us waiting for the songs. Maybe the Danny Strong book offered a fix, but I haven't heard any reports that suggested a revelation.
*I just did a binge of The Americans, all 75 episodes in October - November, and couldn't help but think of Chess. Often. |
