Non printing sections Theatre Omnibus (Massachusetts, USA) The Chess Player by Richard McElvain, after Stefan Zweig’s author The Royal Game author display

E company website show website

S Stefan Zweig’s gripping novella brought to life by Richard McElvain company name for press release in a captivating one-man-show A In a Nazi prison, a battle to the death inside one man’s mind. The smouldering coals of solitary confinement fighting the blazing fire of his imagination. After E show title for press release stealing a book of chess tournaments he divides his conscious self into two

L feuding chess masters. That’s the wild ride of the first half of Richard McElvain’s reimagining of the classic by Stefan Zweig. After the hero escapes the Nazis, the

E play follows him to a chess master tournament. Testing himself, daring himself to walk the edge of a volcano of madness, he challenges the greatest chess player in the world to a match. Written and performed by award winning actor show author for press release – delete contents if not a real person Richard McElvain, The Chess Player blazes through this blistering saga of survival, finally ruined by hubris. The production is underscored by a rich and

S R complex soundscape created by Larry Buckley. space between company name and show name – default S This world premiere is based on Jewish Austrian Stefan Zweig’s classic short size 4pt - select box and change font size to adjust story, published as The Royal Game in 1941, while Zweig himself was fleeing the

E Nazis, living in Bath and London, before moving to New York, and then Brazil. In space between show name and author – default size 1942, following a major Axis success, Zweig was overcome by despair at the idea 4pt - select box and change font size to adjust R of a Nazi victory, and he and his wife committed suicide.

P body text word count Richard McElvain, winner of both the Elliot Norton Award (Boston’s Tony press Award) and the Independent Reviewers of New England Award for his press release advertised start time advertised start timeRichard performance of another one-man-show, Conor McPherson’s Saint Nicholas, has 12:00 12:00 McElvain created successful stage adaptations of the works of Edgar Allen Poe, press release advertised running time Theatre Omnibus Washington Irving, O Henry and Saki. He has translated and directed four 1h15 +1 978 665 4032 plays of Molière as well as his own adaptation of Sophocles Antigone, in which C venues press release contact details +1 978 468 5639 vibrant vivacious variety he played Creon. He has played Tartuffe in Tartuffe, MacBeth in MacBeth and Richard McElvain at Theatre Omnibus on +1 617 899 1868 / mobile +1 617 899 1868 [email protected] Galileo in Brecht’s Galileo. He has played Harry Cohn in Angels in America, Parts +1 978 468 5535 I and II, George in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and appeared in films with ten word blurb [email protected] Jennifer Lawrence, Cher, Wynona Ryder, and Bob Hoskins. general manager Shannon Steele twenty word blurb artistic director Hartley T A Kemp

year round administration C venues London 5 Alexandra Mansions fringe programme 40-word blurb Chichele Road Imprisoned by Nazis. Solitary confinement. A stolen book of chess games London NW2 3AS becomes a prisoner’s grasp on sanity. Fighting madness by choosing during the Fringe in August schizophrenia, he survives, dividing himself into two feuding chess masters. C venues Edinburgh Richard McElvain reimagines Stefan Zweig’s classic. Press office at C royale fringe web blurb 22 George Street Imprisoned in solitary confinement by the Nazis, a stolen book of chess Ticket collection at any C venue Listings Information games allows The Prisoner to cling to sanity, dividing his mind into two press office tel 0845 260 1060 Venue C primo, Lodge Nº 1, Hill Street, EH2 3JP, venue 41 feuding chess masters. After his escape, the play’s climax follows him to a fax 0845 260 1061 Dates 2-28 Aug Time 12:00 (1h15) chess tournament. Daring himself to walk the edge of a volcano of madness, box office tel 0845 260 1234 Ticket prices £8.50-£10.50 / concessions £6.50-£8.50 he challenges the greatest chess player in the world to a match. Richard C venues box office 0845 260 1234 / www.CtheFestival.com/2017/the-chess-player email [email protected] Fringe box office 0131 226 0000 / www.edfringe.com McElvain returns to the Fringe with a world premiere based on Stefan www.Cvenues.com Zweig’s classic short story, published as The Royal Game.

For further information, images and interview availability please contact Richard McElvain at Theatre Omnibus on +1 617 899 1868 / [email protected] or the C venues press office on 0845 260 1060 / [email protected]