PROLOGUE – THE STORY OF CHESS
Budapest, Hungary, 1956. A small crowded room; people huddle under blankets while, in one corner, a father teaches his daughter an ancient game.
GREGOR
Florence, please concentrate.
Each game of chess means there’s one less
Variation left to be played
Each day got through means one or two
Less mistakes remain to be made
Not much is known
Of early days of chess beyond a fairly vague report
That fifteen hundred years ago two princes fought
Though brothers, for a Hindu throne
Their mother cried
For no-one really likes their offspring fighting to the death
She begged them stop the slaughter with her every breath
But sure enough one brother died
Sad beyond belief
She told her winning son
You have caused such grief
I can’t forgive this evil thing you’ve done
He tried to explain
How things had really been
But he tried in vain
No words of his could mollify the queen
And so he asked the wisest men he knew
The way to lessen her distress
They told him he’d be pretty certain to impress
By using model soldiers on
A chequered board to show it was his brother’s fault
They thus invented chess
Each game of chess means there’s one less
Variation left to be played
Each day got through means one or two
Less mistakes….
(He is interrupted by gunfire, then evacuation. Gregor hands Florence to the first group to leave.)
PRESS CONFERENCE
FREDDIE
What a scene! What a joy!
What a lovely sight
When my game is the big sensation
Has the mob’s sporting taste
Altered overnight?
Have they found new sophistication?
Not yet! They just want to see
If the nice guy beats the bum
If it’s East-West
And the money’s sky-high
You all come
You all come
You can raise all you want
If you raise the roof
Scream and shout and the gate increases
Break the rules — break the bank
I’m the living proof
They don’t care how I move my pieces
I know I’m the best there is
But all they want is a show
Well that’s all right I’ll be glad to oblige
S.R.O. S.R.O.
FIRST REPORTER
Well, what did I say?
He’s out of his tree
SECOND REPORTER
He’s finally flipped
And between you and me
Though he swears the American dream
Is clearly the best
He’s no advertisement for
Life and time in the West
FLORENCE
Smile, you got your first exclusive story
Now you can bask in his reflected glory
‘Naked, unprovoked, Yankee aggression’
Oh what a credit to your great profession!
REPORTERS
How sad that the best his country’s produced
Is crumbling in front of our eyes and reduced
To a mindless abuse
When he should be grateful instead
Remember we made him famous
Without us he’s dead
Tell all this to the United Nations
Is he an asset to East-West relations?
WHERE I WANT TO BE
ANATOLY
Who needs a dream?
Who needs ambition?
Who’d be the fool
In my position?
Once I had dreams
Now they’re obsessions
Hopes become needs
Lovers possessions
Then they move in
Oh so discreetly
Slowly at first
Smiling too sweetly
I opened doors
They walked right through them
Called me their friend
I hardly knew them
Now I’m where I want to be and who I want to be and doing what I always said I would and yet I feel I haven’t won at all
Running for my life and never looking back in case there’s someone right behind to shoot me down and say he always knew I’d fall
When the crazy wheel slows down
Where will I be? Back where I started
Don’t get me wrong
I’m not complaining
Times have been good
Fast, entertaining
But what’s the point?
If I’m concealing
Not only love
All common feeling
Now I’m where I want to be and who I want to be and doing what I always said I would and yet I feel I haven’t won at all
Running for my life and never looking back in case there’s someone right behind to shoot me down and say he always knew I’d fall
When the crazy wheel slows down
Where will I be? Back where I started.
HOW MANY WOMEN
FLORENCE
How many women would drive themselves crazy
By arguing over a game of chess?
Not very many–the way things are going
There’ll soon be one less!
FREDDIE
Don’t believe you, sweetie pie–
FLORENCE
Listen–I had ambitions
How did I get waylaid?
How can such a flower,
A sensitive soul, a delicate child
Wind up as a nursemaid
Respectably set for the glittering prizes
Instead of which I landed you–
FREDDIE
You’ll get your prizes!
I’m ninety percent of the way to the top of the heap.
FLORENCE
Thanks–ten percent–you got me cheap
FREDDIE
No, no Florence–I meant we are ninety percent of the way–
FLORENCE
How many women–articulate women, with
Something to shout about–spend their time
Playing a game in which silence is golden
And speaking a crime?
FREDDIE
Maybe if he moved his king….
FLORENCE
All of my struggles for qualification–my
Nights with Goethe and Proust
Recklessly abandoned
For you who thinks Checkov is king to G3
And Joyce my college roommate?
But then when I show you a move you can’t fathom
I have to admit it feels great–
FREDDIE
Great news for chess fans!
Yeah–that’s how he did it–yes, that’s how the communist plays!
FLORENCE
Maybe I deserve a raise.
MERCHANDISERS SONG
WALTER
Whether you are pro or anti
Or could not care less
We are here to tell you
We are here to sell you chess
Not a chance of you escaping from our wiles
We’ve locked the doors, we’ve blocked the aisles
We’ve a franchise worth exploiting
And I will –
MERCHANDISERS
Yes we will!
WALTER
When it comes to merchandising
I could kill!
FIRST MERCHANDISER
We’ve done all our market research
And our findings show
That this game of chess could be around
A month or so
SECOND MERCHANDISER
Maybe it’s a bit confusing
For a game
But Rubik’s Cubes were much the same
THIRD MERCHANDISER
In the end the whole world bought one–we were right!
We can do the same with Bishop, Rook and Knight
WALTER & MERCHANDISERS
Don’t you find it rather touching to behold
The game that came in from the cold
Seen for what it is–religion, plus finesse
Countries, classes, creeds as one in love of chess
MERCHANDISERS
When you get up in the morning
Till you crash at night
You will find yourself surrounded
By our copyright
MERCHANDISERS & CHORUS
Brush your teeth with checkered toothpaste
Wear our vests
Our kings and queens on bouncing breasts
WALTER
You could even buy a set and learn to play
MERCHANDISER & CHORUS
We don’t mind–we’ll sell you something anyway
U.S. VS. U.S.S.R.
MOLOKOV
No one can deny these are encouraging times
ALL
No one can deny these are encouraging times
MOLOKOV
It’s the US vs. USSR
Yet we more or less are–
ALL
No one can deny these are encouraging times
MOLOKOV
–To our credit putting all that aside
We have swallowed our pride
ALL
These are optimistic and encouraging times
2ND AMERICAN
It really doesn’t matter
Who comes out on top
Who gets the chop
MOLOKOV
No-one’s way of life is threatened by flop
AMERICANS
What a load of whining peasants!
Thinking they can win–they can’t
What an exhibition of self-delusion
This one’s a foregone conclusion
MOLOKOV/RUSSIANS
We don’t want the whole world saying
They can’t even win a game
We have never reckoned
On coming second
There’s no use in losing
MOLOKOV
How good to feel that as this great event begins
It underpins
Our quest for peace, the bonds of common interest
Of East and West
AMERICANS
As long as our man wins
RUSSIANS
As long as our man
ALL
–Wins!
CHESS HYMN
ARBITER + ALL
Don’t you find it rather touching to behold
The game that came in from the cold
Seen for what it is – religion plus finesse
Countries, classes, creeds as one, in
Love of chess
QUARTET
MOLOKOV
We wish, no must, make our disgust
For this abuse perfectly clear
We’re here for chess –
Are the US?
If so why foul the atmosphere!
FLORENCE
I must protest – our delegation
Has a host of valid points to raise
ARBITER
It’s not just black and white
If I may coin a phrase
As any neutral would attest.
FLORENCE
Though we concede
The fact his masters bend the rules is maybe not your fault
If they withdraw their psychological assault
Then under protest will proceed
MOLOKOV
If your man’s so sweet
Then why his fighting talk?
If he says we cheat
Then why on earth did he go take a walk?
FLORENCE
I am not surprised
He wanted fresher air
Once he realized
There was no hope
Of your guys playing fair
| FLORENCE & ANATOLY | MOLOKOV & ARBITER |
| How sad | It’s very sad to see |
| to see | The ancient and distinguished game that used to be |
ALL
A model of decorum and tranquility
Become like any other sport
A battleground for rival ideologies
To slug it out with glee
ANATOLY
I would say with regard to
Him it is hard to
Rebut
Ever-growing suspicions
My oposition’s
A nut
FLORENCE
I would have said
You’d understand the strain and pressure getting where he’s got
Or that you’d simply call him highly-strung and not
Imply that he was off his head
ANATOLY
But how on earth can someone even
Half as civilized as nice as you
Be part of such a self destructive
Point of view?
I hope he pays you
What you’re worth
ARBITER
I call this tune
No one’s immune to my power
Once in this hall
MOLOKOV
In that case
I must ask you
Why you now
Preside over a brawl
FLORENCE
I’m not getting rich
My only interest
Is in something which
Gives me the chance
Of working with the best
ANATOLY
I can only say
I hope your dream comes true
Till that far-off day
I hope you cope
With helping number two
| FLORENCE & ANATOLY | MOLOKOV & ARBITER |
| How sad | It’s very sad to see |
| to see | The ancient and distinguished game that used to be |
ALL
A model of decorum and tranquility
Become like any other sport
A battleground for rival ideologies
To slug it out with glee
YOU WANNA LOSE YOUR ONLY FRIEND?
FLORENCE
You wanna lose your only friend?
Well, keep it up you’re doing fine
Why this humiliation?
Why treat me like a fool?
I’ve taken shit for seven years
And I won’t take it any more
FREDDIE
I’m only teasing Soviets
With gentle bonhomie
And you’ve a better reason to be anti-them
Than me
FLORENCE
There’s a time and there’s a place
FREDDIE
Well how about here and now? Are you for me or for them?
FLORENCE
There’s a time and there’s a place
FREDDIE
1956–Budapest is rising
1956–Budapest is fighting
1956–Budapest is falling
I’d have thought you’d support
Any attack on these people
On the people who ran
Mindlessly over your childhood
Don’t let them fool you for
Thirty years on they’re the same
FLORENCE
1956–Budapest is fighting
1956–Budapest is dying
FREDDIE
They see chess as a war
Playing with pawns just like Poland
If you walk out on me
You’re really betraying your father
Were he alive now
He’d surely be dying of shame
FLORENCE
You know that there’s nothing I’ve done
That he’d be ashamed of in my whole life!
Why’d you have to do this to me?
SOMEONE ELSE’S STORY
FLORENCE
Long ago
In someone else’s lifetime
Someone with my name
Who looked a lot like me
Came to know
A man and made a promise
He only had to say
And that’s where she would be
Lately
Although her feelings run just as deep
The promise she made has grown impossible to keep
And yet I wish it wasn’t so
Will he miss me if I go?
In a way
It’s someone else’s story
I don’t see myself
As taking part at all
Yesterday
A girl that I was fond of
Finally could see
The writing on the wall
Sadly
She realized she’d left him behind
And sadder than that she knew he wouldn’t even mind
And though there’s nothing left to day
Would he listen if I stay?
It’s all very well to say you fool it’s now or never
I could be choosing
No choices whatsoever
I could be
In someone else’s story
In someone else’s life
And he could be in mine
I don’t see
A reason to be lonely
I should take my chances
Further down the line
And if
That girl I knew should ask my advice
Oh I wouldn’t hesitate she needn’t ask me twice
Go now!
I’d tell her that for free
Trouble is, the girl is me
The story is, the girl is me
ONE NIGHT IN BANGKOK
CHORUS
One night in Bangkok and the world’s your oyster
The bars are temples but the pearls ain’t free
You’ll find a god in every golden cloister
And if you’re lucky then the god’s a she
I can feel an angel sliding up to me
FREDDIE
Bangkok, Oriental setting
And the city don’t know what the city is getting
The creme de la creme of chess world in a
Show with everything but Yul Brynner
Bangkok, just another stop
On the chess world circus – Masters drop in,
Play, checkmate, check out and then you
Move on to another venue
Like Iceland – or the Philippines – or Hastings – or – or this place!
CHORUS
One night in Bangkok and the world’s your oyster
The bars are temples but the pearls ain’t free
You’ll find a god in every golden cloister
And if you’re lucky then the god’s a she
I can feel an angel sliding up to me
FREDDIE
One town’s very like another
When your head’s down over your pieces, brother
CHORUS
It’s a drag, it’s a bore, it’s really such a pity
To be looking at the board, not looking at the city
FREDDIE
Whaddya mean? You’ve seen one crowded, polluted, stinking town, you’ve seen –
CHORUS
Tea, girls, warm, sweet
Some are set up in the Somerset Maugham Suite
FREDDIE
Get Thai’d! You’re taking to a tourist
Whose every move’s among the purest
I get my kicks above the waistline, sunshine
CHORUS
One night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble
Not much between despair and ecstasy
One night in Bangkok and the tough guys tumble
Can’t be too careful with your company
I can feel the devil walking next to me
FREDDIE
Siam’s gonna be the witness
To the ultimate test in cerebral fitness
This grips me more than would a
Muddy old river or reclining Buddha
I don’t see you guys rating
The kind of mate I’m contemplating
I’d let you watch, I would invite you
But the queens we use would not excite you
So you’d better go back to your bars, your temples, your massage parlors
CHORUS
One night in Bangkok and the world’s your oyster
The bars are temples but the pearls ain’t free
You’ll find a god in every golden cloister
A little flesh, a little history
I can feel an angel sliding up to me
One night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble
Not much between despair and ecstasy
One night in Bangkok and the tough guys tumble
Can’t be too careful with your company
I can feel the devil walking next to me
TERRACE DUET
FLORENCE
This is the one situation
I wanted most to avoid
Nothing I say will convince him this isn’t a trick
ANATOLY
A drink on a clear moonlit night –
I relax, she smiles
There’s something peculiar going on
FLORENCE
So, through no fault of my own, I’m in it way over my head
Embarrassed, outnumbered, marooned
ANATOLY
Now she can’t be working for them –
I mean us –
She seems so very straightforward –
But where is he?
FLORENCE
He has to turn up – it can’t come to nothing
Perhaps it can!
ANATOLY
Maybe he’s scared –
But he didn’t seem scared in the game
FLORENCE
Oh I just couldn’t care less
He can go right ahead
Go and wreck his career,
I know I’ve done my best
ANATOLY
Well at least she’s a good-looking spy
FLORENCE
What if my Russian friend thinks that my plans
Have nothing to do with the chess?
If I don’t say something and soon
He’ll go – Maybe I’m on nobody’s side!
ANATOLY
Listen, I hate to break up the mood
Get to the point, begin the beguine
Haven’t you noticed we’re still one character short
In this idyllic, well-produced scene?
FLORENCE
How could I not, Miss Vassy regrets
Anything goes, with your opponent
ANATOLY
Never mind him –
I haven’t missed him so far
Maybe it won’t do any harm
To struggle on without his charm
Funny how all at once I feel
Nothing about this meeting matters anymore
FLORENCE
This is the one situation
I wanted most to avoid
ANATOLY
My dear opponent –
I really can’t imagine why
FLORENCE
You’ll think I’m the dangerous kind –
Well I am!
ANATOLY
You, you’re not dangerous –
Who could think that of you?
FLORENCE
You – you are so strange –
Why can’t you be what you ought to be?
BOTH
You should be scheming, intriguing, too clever by half –
ANATOLY
I have to hand it to you
For you’ve managed to make me
Forget why I ever agreed to this farce
BOTH
I don’t know why I can’t think of anything
I would rather do
Than be wasting my time with someone like you
FREDDIE
Who’d ever think it?
Such a very pretty setting!
Tell me what’s the betting
Very pretty plotting too?
No matter – I’ve done all your work for you.
Who’d ever guess it?
Daughter in collaboration
With the very nation
Gave her father third degree!
Where’s Daddy? Dead or in the KGB?
SO YOU GOT WHAT YOU WANT
FREDDIE
So you got what you want
What a nasty ambition!
Set me up, pull me down
Then exploit my condition
I should have guessed, woman
That if pressed, woman
You’re on nobody’s side but your own
And you’re behaving
Like a mere woman
It’s so clear, woman–
It’s your sex!
Once they start getting old and getting worried
They let fly, take it out
On the one that supports them
That’s you that I’m talking about
FLORENCE
Who’d ever guess it?
Such a squalid little ending
Watching you descending
Just as far as you can go
I’m learning things I didn’t want to know
FREDDIE
Who’d ever think it?
This would be the situation–
One more observation–
How’d we ever get this far
Before you showed me what you really are?
FLORENCE
You’ll be lost without me
To abuse like you’re used to
FREDDIE
Go away! Just get out!
Be someone else’s parasite!
NOBODY’S SIDE
FLORENCE
What’s going on around me
Is barely making sense
I need some explanations fast
I see my present partner
In the imperfect tense
And I don’t see how we can last
I feel I need a change of cast
Maybe I’m on nobody’s side
And when he gives me reasons
To justify each move
They’re getting harder to believe
I know this can’t continue
I’ve still a lot to prove
There must be more I could achieve
But I don’t have the nerve to leave
Everybody’s playing the game
But nobody’s rules are the same
Nobody’s on nobody’s side
Better learn to go it alone
Recognize you’re out on your own
Nobody’s on nobody’s side
The one I should not think of
Keeps rolling through my mind
And I don’t want to let that go
No lover’s ever faithful
No contract truly signed
There’s nothing certain left to know
And how the cracks begin to show!
Never make a promise or plan
Take a little love where you can
Nobody’s on nobody’s side
Never stay too long in your bed
Never lose your heart, use your head
Nobody’s on nobody’s side
Never take a stranger’s advice
Never let a friend fool you twice
Nobody’s on nobody’s side
Never be the first to believe
Never be the last to deceive
Nobody’s on nobody’s side
And–
Never leave a moment too soon
Never waste a hot afternoon
Nobody’s on nobody’s side
Never stay a minute too long
Don’t forget the best will go wrong
Nobody’s on nobody’s side
Better learn to go it alone
Recognize you’re out on your own
Nobody’s on nobody’s side
ANTHEM
ANATOLY
No man, no madness
Though their sad power may prevail
Can possess, conquer, my country’s heart
They rise to fail
She is eternal
Long before nations lines were drawn
When no flags flew, when no armies stood
My land was born
And you ask me why I love her
Through wars, death and despair
She is the constant, we who don’t care
And you wonder will I leave her – but how?
I cross over borders but I’m still there now
How can I leave her?
Where would I start?
Let man’s petty nations tear themselves apart
My land’s only borders lie around my heart