As Cheltenham hosted Oxford United, another game was being played at the Everyman: chess, as depicted in the eponymous musical. It’s no ordinary game of chess either, for Russian Grandmaster Anatoly Sergievsky is facing his American opposite number at the World Chess Championship in 1979. Walk-outs, international relations, sex, and result- rigging are all involved. Chess has lyrics by Tim Rice, and a score by Abba pair Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. This production is directed and choreographed by Craig Revel Horwood, and has musical arrangements by Sarah Travis, the Watermill, Newbury’s thriving partnership: their Watermill Spend Spend Spend! is also on the road (see review). But Chess is a much larger-scale operation, with a 30-strong ensemble cast. So, how to present the small-scale, static game of chess on the stage? Horwood doesn’t really try: the playing sessions take place miles away up-stage, albeit accompanied by one of the show’s most haunting tunes. Meanwhile, your attention is focused on a wackily dressed, all-singing, all-dancing chorus of pawns, knights, and bishops. As at the Watermill, the cast are also the band — here, they perform with terrific élan, even while lying flat on the floor for extended periods. Horwood loves to supply hilarious “wow” moments, and there are several in this show: I shall not spoil the surprise by revealing them. Musically, Travis, Andersson and Ulvaeus prove an inspired mix. But this isn’t only a song and dance show, there’s also a strong storyline. That largely vanished on opening night, owing to an appalling sound balance: Rice’s all-important words were often incdecipherable, hard though the excellent principals James Fox, Shona White (especially good), Daniel Koek, and Poppy Tierney tried to sing their way through the microphonic fog. As Craig Revel Horwood is also a Strictly Come Dancing judge, I shall score accordingly: storytelling 3, musical spectacle 9. Continues until Saturday. Tickets 01242