Hot on the heels of their award-winning, sell-out production of 'Sweeney Todd', Festival Players present 'Chess' as their 2010 June production. With lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson of ABBA fame, the story hinges on the love triangle between two players in the world chess championship and the woman who manages one but falls in love with the other, all in the context of a Cold War struggle between the United States and the Soviet Union, during which both countries wanted to win international chess tournaments for propaganda purposes. Although the protagonists were not intended to represent any specific individuals, the character of the American was loosely based on chess grandmaster Bobby Fischer, while elements of the story may have been inspired by the chess careers of Russian grandmasters Viktor Korchnoi and Anatoly Karpov.

'Chess' is a very exciting show musically, with the ABBA duo giving many of the songs a rock edge feel to them. The duet 'I know him so well' by Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson won the Ivor Novello Award as the Best Selling ‘A’ Side Single.

'Chess' is playing at the ADC Theatre, Park Street, Cambridge, June 1-5 (7.45pm; 2.30pm Saturday matinee).

Book tickets online at www.adctheatre.com or call 01223 300085.