Someone Else’s Story – Chess

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

Act Two   |   Back to Chess Index