’Chess’ by Benny Anderson, Tim Rice and Bjorn Ulvaeus, with a new book by Danny Strong. Imperial Theatre, 249 W. 45th St., New York. chessbroadway.com 

I first saw the musical “Chess” not long after it opened in London in 1986 under the direction of Broadway groundbreaker Michael Bennett, The story of a battle between American and Soviet chess masters during the heart of the Cold War ran for three years, mostly on the strength of a catchy and compelling score by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, the male half of the Swedish pop group ABBA, who collaborated with lyricist and book writer Tim Rice.

The show was revised before it opened two years later on Broadway where it didn’t last long. But the musical built a strong following among music lovers, which is why it is still performed frequently in various incarnations at theaters around the country and in star-studded concert versions. It’s a great vehicle for vocally-gifted actors, as you can hear in the new Broadway revival.

The production has become a big hit thanks to its stars Lea Michelle, Aaron Tveit and Nicholas Christopher, who are winning cheers. But the show also has generated a lot of divided opinions on various theater websites and among critics.

I, too, love the music, but the new book by Danny Strong makes something of a mockery of the dynamic between American Freddie Trumper (Tveit) and the Soviet champ Anatoly Sergievsky (Christopher), with Michelle caught in the middle. She plays Florence Vassey, Freddie’s assistant and lover, but she quickly falls for Anatoly, while rival governments plot ways to exploit chess matches for their own military objectives.

The humorous overtones provided by The Arbitor played by Bryce Pinkham make the story seem more of a joke than the kind of serious romantic battle it has been.

Michael Mayer has staged what looks like an elaborate concert version, with the orchestra on a winding platform surrounding the stage, which makes it extremely presentational. It lacks a sense of connection or warmth. All three have powerful voices that can be thrilling to listen to, but I didn’t feel much from them. I could listen to Christopher’s velvety voice all day, but even the poignant “Anthem” sounded cold. Too many of the songs, which can tear at your heart, sound like they’re being sung for pure bombast as if on a talent show like “American Idol.” 

I want to connect to the characters in a musical through the lyrics and melodies.

Hannah Cruz brings a bit of heat as Svetlana, Anatoly’s estranged wife, who becomes a pawn in the story. She gets a new song, “He is a Man, He is a Child” explaining her husband’s focus on the game rather than family, and she duets nicely with Michelle in one of the show’s most famous numbers “I Know Him So Well.” The other big hit, “One Night in Bangkok,” is the show’s most lavish number, with lots of neon signs to represent the lively options for visitors to the Thai city, but it doesn’t seem to serve a real purpose.