IT'S time to get on board as Lochgelly and District Amateur Musical Association prepare to play Chess on stage tonight (Wednesday).

The curtain is ready to go up for a four-night run of the hit musical, which was written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus of Abba with lyrics by Sir Tim Rice.

It will also be the final show for Bill Paul who is retiring after 23 years as president of LADAMA – he's been a member for an astonishing 65 years.

Due to the pandemic it's three years since they last trod the boards – performances of Evita were sold out in 2019 – but they're back with a bang and ready to wow audiences again.

It’s a story of love and defection set at the World Chess Championships in Merano, Italy and Bangkok, Thailand.

The story involves a politically driven, Cold War-era chess tournament between two grandmasters, one American and the other Soviet, and their fight over a woman who manages one and falls in love with the other.

The show features some standout musical numbers such as 'Nobody’s Side', 'Heaven Help My Heart', 'Anthem', 'One Night in Bangkok' and 'I Know Him So Well'.

The association decided last year that they wanted to perform Chess, long before Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

President Ross Hadden told the Times earlier this month: "Like all of you, everyone at LADAMA is shocked and saddened by the devastating war in Ukraine.

"We could never have envisioned when we chose this show that we would be witnessing the harrowing scenes we are seeing daily on our television screens.

"We are incredibly aware that in light of this, staging Chess (a musical that is a metaphor for the Cold War between Russia and America) there are key themes that will make this a difficult story to tell for our company.

"To pledge our support to the courageous people of Ukraine, our cast have chosen to support the British Red Cross with our end of show collections each night and our own back stage collection.

"We hope this very small gesture helps in some way and that regardless of the story being portrayed onstage, we stand defiantly with Ukraine."

Chess runs from tonight (Wednesday) to Saturday.

The show starts at 7.30pm, there is also a Saturday matinee at 2.30pm.

Tickets cost £15 (£13 concessions) and are available from cast members, Lochgelly Centre and online from the box office (01592 583303).