CATS-why? (tour)

Well, the first problem is that you saw a third, fourth, fifth, of sixth rate tour.

I saw a few touring productions back when CATS was still running on Broadway - and even then they were tired and leagues worse than what ever appeared on Broadway.

All of the choreography, costumes, sets, lighting, etc. is just an adaptation of the original. If you check your program, I bet you'll see that the choreography is not by Gillian Lynne, but based off of Lynne's original choreography and adapted by someone else.

CATS doesn't work in a giant barn or a giant auditorium. What made CATS so absolutely spectacular on Broadway was the fact that the audience was in the same environment with these creatures. The entire Winter Garden Theatre was ripped apart and redesigned. The stage didn't have a proscenium as it does now, but it was more of an environmental space. It was the perfect combination of choreography, costume, lighting, sets, music, direction, and performance. No, it's not Shakespeare and it's not a traditional linear story - but it's a piece that had the unique capability of transforming the audience's surroundings.

You, no doubt, also heard a very watered down orchestration of the show. As originally done on Broadway, CATS (while it always beared a certain synthesized sound) was full, righ, and fulfilling. The score, if you ask me, is among Lloyd Webber's best. CATS is taken for granted now, but if you look at what was done - adapting a book of children's poems with no through story for the Broadway stage. It's a huge achievement.

I think it's one of those things, unfortunately - "you had to be there." What happened on that stage every night was magic. It wasn't about just the story, or just the dancing, or just the music. It's a glorious combination of every single possible element to create an unforgettable night of theatre.

Go back and read some of the original reviews. None of them say "It's brilliant!," they all basically say what I just did.

Also, it's a lot easier to look back now and judge something.


But it's horrible to see and hear (and I've seen it with my own eyes) trite, watered down touring productions that don't accurately represent a show. I'm all for touring companies spreading theatre across the world, but there need to be more standards. If CATS was in bad shape when I saw it 7+ years ago, I can't imagine how poor it looks now.

Just keep that in mind. It's not an accurate representation.

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Updated On: 2/11/07 at 02:17 PM

I have always felt a strong connection to Cats. I saw Cats on Broadway when I was 13 the summer before they closed (they closed the day after my Bar Mitzvah!) and then saw the touring production one year to date of closing later. Not as thrilled as I was on Broadway, but 2 days later was September 11, 2001 and everything changed. I saw the touring production once more in May 2004 and will be hopefully seeing it again in Boston later this month. I never was fully impressed with the touring production for the reasons others (mainly munkustrap) have enumerated above but I still kept going nonetheless because Cats live on stage is still better than Cats on video, and checking in with it every three years seems to do me good. Here's hoping for a revival on Broadway. If Les Miz can come back, how about Cats too.

P.S. I agree with showbiz about the Beauty tour as well, which is a show I love as much as Cats if not more.

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And just the character of Cassandra, I hated her poses, don't know why it drove me insane!

That made me laugh out loud.

I hate it when people see the show and then have the nerve to accuse it of not having a plot. It has an extremely detailed through line narrative if you choose to look closely enough. Sure it's not conventional, but it's clear to me that a great deal of thought went into the devising of the show and the order in which things needed to occur in order to tell that story better.

It starts off during "The Invitation to the Jellicle Ball" letting you know exactly what the story is, introduces you to all the cats "auditioning" for a coveted spot (a al A Chorus Line) includes a great deal of side plot including Macavity, Old Deuteronomy’s kidnapping, the battle and his return, and then by the end of the night raps things up with the prostitute Grizabella's being chosen to start life anew.

It is very much a concept show due to the fact that T.S. Eliot had drawn up "sketches" for the purpose of using and incorporating the poems into an "evening", and I've always been rather impressed as opposed to finding it ludicrous that Webber, Nunn and Lynn were able to construct an evening of musical theatre, after Eliot's death, with the ban that the Eliot estate put on the inclusion of original material. They were therefore forced to create a "plot" using the unpublished poems of Grizabella, Eliot's "Rhapsody on a Windy Night" and fragments based on two phrases:

"Jellicle cats come out tonight, Jellicle cats come one come all. The Jellicle moon is shining bright, Jellicles come to the Jellicle Ball".

and the unpublished idea of Eliot's that a cat would eventually travel "Up, Up, Up past the Russell Hotel. and "Up, Up, Up to the Heaviside Layer".

It is very much a story of redemption and acceptance that ends up being a heavy subject matter for a show that is often considered to be a children's musical.

Updated On: 2/11/07 at 04:10 PM

Now that both of the "definitive" productions of CATS (London's original and Broadway) have closed the production company has 'released the production requirements'. Earlier the productions had to be pretty much carbon copies of the London production. But not anymore. Production teams are now allowed to create their own sets, costumes and make-up - and choreography! I know this because one of these productions will open near my home town later this year and some publicity shots have been released already.

But as for "why"... one word: bucks. The title "CATS" combined with "Andrew Lloyd Webber" sells. Just like "Cameron Macintosh" and "LES MISERABLES".

The is one of the great mysteries of life. Why was Cats such a monumental hit?. Only God knows

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In reality, the Winter Garden is not that big

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IMO, Cats is one of those show that you really have to understand to enjoy. At first it seemed like their is absolutely no plot. But now, after seeing it at the winter garden (in the on-stage seats!!) and watching the movie dozens of times, I understand the plot and the characters so much more, making the show SO much more enjoyable than the first time I saw it.

The Winter Garden isn't a barn at all, especially when CATS was there. What are you talking about?

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If you want big broadway theaters,try the following on for size:

The Gershwin
The Broadway
The Majestic

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On the subject of CATS..

Whilst searching for maybe a video of Angie Smith who's voice gave me millions of chills I found one fans obsessed with CATS video. I think the first sign of obsession is when referring to a giant CATS poster comments "poster on the wall...where they great me, everytime I come in the room"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sp9Q1XfIbZY

love it
seriously, think of the cash this woman must've had to buy all these original costumes!!!

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Updated On: 2/12/07 at 12:23 AM

CATS was my first Broadway show, and I've got to jump on the, "You had to be there," bandwagon. I saw official touring companies, but though the actors were talented, it just didn't pack the wallop that it did in the WinterGarden's environmental setting. I also saw it in London, and though it was much better there than in the US touring companies, it still didn't hold a candle to the Broadway production.

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