Florence Vassy

Well, I've been listning to Chess again lately. Some day, as my ultimate tribute to Nicole, I shall obtain the rights to that script and help Tim Rice create a definitive version, both on stage and on screen. I already have a great deal of the film in my head, like all the shots and everything, to the music.

Everyone stages musicals so poorly. There's so much dynamic in the music of Chess, and to have it wasted on cheesy dance numbers that have nothing to do with anything...I really don't see it as a dance musical - there's too much plot and subtext going on, and it's more of an operetta. There are plenty of opportunities for choreography, yes, but...for instance, people fill stuff like Florence's grand solo, "Nobody's Side" with lots of nothing.

The song occurs just after someone close to her has exploited her feelings by recalling the painful secrets of her past - Doesn't anyone think it would be appropriate to show some memories bleeding into reality during that, rather than just having the chorus sit there and sing with her, looking pretty?

And seriously - fuck the Broadway version of Chess. I want to personally slap every advocator of the Broadway script who criticizes the original concept album upside the face with a splinter-filled block of wood. I have never seen such a bastardization before in my life, and it's HORRIBLE! It's the cheesiest fucking shit ever. There are moments...MOMENTS, mind you, that work...but overall, it's a horrible mutation of what could have been a great story.

No, fuckheads, the second act should NOT take place in Florence's home country.

No, Frederick should NOT win the game in the end - he should not even be playing in the second act!

And no, Florence should NOT reprise "Anthem" at the end of the show - the last song should be the final verse of "You and I" sung by Florence and Anatoly in separate places - you can do all the dialogue-y stuff between the second and final verse - of course, "The Story of Chess" will be moved to the prologue, as always, that's simply common sense.

And no, Florence should NOT have a lullaby-singing scene with an old man in a wheelchair the KGB tells her is her long-lost father. We're getting slapped in the face, here. The original idea was far subtler and much better.

And no....just NO. Shut up.

Anyway, I feel like quoting the lyrics of the finale, which is the best lost-love duet ever, and it is, so you better think so...Because my opinions are God. Not me, just my opinions.

"You and I"

ANATOLY
Knowing I want you...
Knowing I love you,
I can't explain
Why I remain
Careless about you.

FLORENCE
I've been a fool to allow
Dreams to become
Great expectations.

ANATOLY
How can I love you so much,
Yet make no move?

BOTH
I pray the days and nights,
In their endless, weary procession,
Soon overwhelm
My sad obsession...

You and I,
We've seen it all,
Chasing our heart's desire,
But we go on pretending
Stories like ours
Have happy endings.

ANATOLY
You could not give
More than you gave me.
Why should there be
Something in me
Still discontented?

FLORENCE
I won't look back anymore--
And if I do,
Just for a moment.

ANATOLY
I'll soon be happy to say,
"I knew her when..."

BOTH
But if you hear today
I'm no longer quite so devoted
To this affair,
I've been misquoted.

You and I,
We've seen it all,
Chasing our heart's desire,
But we go on pretending
Stories like ours
Have happy endings.

FLORENCE
This is an all-too-familiar scene...

ANATOLY
Hopeless reflections on what might have been!

BOTH
From all sides,
The incessant and burning question:

FLORENCE
"Bearing in mind your predicament now..."

ANATOLY
"What you did then..."

BOTH
"We're just dying to know,
Would you do it all again?"
Each day we get through
Means one less mistake
There for the making.

But they know, full well...
It's not hard to tell...
Though my heart is breaking...

I'd give the world
For that moment with you
When we thought we knew
That our love would last,
But the moment passed
With no warning, far too fast.

You and I,
We've seen it all,
Chasing our heart's desire,
But we go on pretending...

Stories like ours
Have happy endings...