Tim Rice introduced this production of the CHESS musical at London's Albert Hall, named after Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert. Rice said he wants this version to be the official one. It seems this show can be put together in an endless number of ways, like the game of chess itself. There is a gap between the plot and the ABBAesque songs of Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus. Adam Pascal plays the American. Josh Groban plays the Russian. Rice spent a good bit of his life wrestling with this show. My own paper brings traffic to my website. CHESS is the most spiteful, cynical, pessimistic piece ever staged. There is not one trace of hope in it. Even so, it is a masterpiece.