CHESS is recognised as a "difficult" show, an Abba musical that never reached the success of Mamma Mia!

With music by Abba's Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, and lyrics from Tim Rice, it was first a successful album before becoming a musical that has since been several times rewritten and Šrestaged with variable results.

ŠHappily, this new production from the West Kirby Light Opera is generally a successful one. Indeed, it is their second stab at the show, their last version in 2000 being an award-winning one.

ŠBack in the new-look Floral Pavilion, the society has made the most of the technical improvements there and this is a glossy production.

ŠThe show revolves around an internationalŠ chess match between an American, Frederick Trumper, and Russian Anatoly Sergievsky and the woman, Florence, who is first Trumper's lover and then Sergievsky's. Complications, both political and romantic arise.

ŠAbba fans won't recognise much pop music in the show, which is played out on an operatic scale with music to match. It is a difficult score which tested some of the cast to the limit.

ŠVisually, it is a knock-out, with a huge cast including dancers from the Wallasey School of Ballet providing much of the glitter.

ŠOne of the musical's big hits, One Night in Bangkok, gets the epic treatment with practically everyone on stage, far too many to count. But in the mix are pole dancers, ladyboys, street walkers, tourists and almost anyone you would meet on a Bangkok street.

ŠDirector Karen Edge and choreographer Deborah Clarke do amazing work in this number along with many others.