The first Swedish language stage version of Chess, starring Helen Sjöholm as Florence Vaszi, Josefin Nilsson as Svetlana Sergievskaja, Tommy Körberg as Anatolij Sergievskij, Anders Ekborg as Freddie Trumper and Per Myrberg as Alexander Molokov. The cast sing new lyrics in Swedish (written by Rudolfson, Jan Marks and Björn Ulvaeus) to tell a new version of the everchanging Chess story. A few new songs have been included (Chess continues to be a work in progress.) This version premiered in February 2002 at the Cirkus Theatre in Stockholm.
Acting
Sjöholm and Nilsson's vocal face-off is devastating.
Direction
Rudolfsson's staging makes chess matches feel like boxing.
Score
Ulvaeus reworking his own masterpiece in Swedish? Icon behavior.
Director
Lars Rudolfsson
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Tommy Körberg originated Anatoly in the 1984 West End premiere — he's been playing this man for nearly 20 years in this recording.
This Swedish rewrite strips away the American triumphalism of earlier versions; Molokov becomes almost sympathetically pragmatic rather than cartoonishly evil.
SE
