Cats Previews- Page 5

[Brian07663NJ]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 2:58pm

"None of the songs actually advance the thin plot, so their placement in the show is mostly irrelevant."

 

Why does the show have to have a plot? Can't it just be enjoyable as a revue of various song/dance numbers? A common complaint about CATS is always "it has no plot" or "the plot is so thin". So what - just enjoy it as if it were a revue?

 

Updated On: 7/15/16 at 02:58 PM

[SmokeyLady]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 3:05pm

Brian07663NJ said: ""None of the songs actually advance the thin plot, so their placement in the show is mostly irrelevant."

 

Why does the show have to have a plot? Can't it just be enjoyable as a review of various song/dance numbers? A common complaint about CATS is always "it has no plot" or "the plot is so thin". So what - just enjoy it as if it were a review?

 

 

"

Or don't.  I have always thought it is  a horrible piece of crap.  So I won't be going.  But obviously others have liked it.   

[rangersrule132]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 3:12pm

Brian07663NJ said: ""None of the songs actually advance the thin plot, so their placement in the show is mostly irrelevant."

 

Why does the show have to have a plot? Can't it just be enjoyable as a review of various song/dance numbers? A common complaint about CATS is always "it has no plot" or "the plot is so thin". So what - just enjoy it as if it were a review?

 

 

"

For some people that's a hard concept to grasp. I mean Elliot never wrote these poems with the intention for someone else to make a musical about them. So for people to shame a show that is based on numerous poems that Elliot sent his grandchildren and that ended up getting published for not having a plot is is ridiculous. Like screw the amazing choreography and score and just focus on the one aspect of the show that everyone understands the show lacks. Because like no one cares about amazing dancers who can sing beautifully at the same time. What we really need is a character driven storyline about cats.

 

Updated On: 7/15/16 at 03:12 PM

[CindersGolightly]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 3:14pm

It's revue, not review.

[SmokeyLady]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 3:14pm

rangersrule132 said: "Brian07663NJ said: ""None of the songs actually advance the thin plot, so their placement in the show is mostly irrelevant."

 

Why does the show have to have a plot? Can't it just be enjoyable as a review of various song/dance numbers? A common complaint about CATS is always "it has no plot" or "the plot is so thin". So what - just enjoy it as if it were a review?

 

 

"

For some people that's a hard concept to grasp. I mean Elliot never wrote these poems with the intention for someone else to make a musical about them. So for people to shame a show that is based on numerous poems that Elliot sent his grandchildren and that ended up getting published for not having a plot is is ridiculous. Like screw the amazing choreography and score and just focus on the one aspect of the show that everyone understands the show lacks. Because like no one cares about amazing dancers who can sing beautifully at the same time. What we really need is a character driven storyline about cats.

 

 

"

What if at the time it came out I shamed it because it was boring and the music was absolutely dreadful?  

[rangersrule132]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 3:16pm

SmokeyLady said: "rangersrule132 said: "Brian07663NJ said: ""None of the songs actually advance the thin plot, so their placement in the show is mostly irrelevant."

 

Why does the show have to have a plot? Can't it just be enjoyable as a review of various song/dance numbers? A common complaint about CATS is always "it has no plot" or "the plot is so thin". So what - just enjoy it as if it were a review?

 

 

"

For some people that's a hard concept to grasp. I mean Elliot never wrote these poems with the intention for someone else to make a musical about them. So for people to shame a show that is based on numerous poems that Elliot sent his grandchildren and that ended up getting published for not having a plot is is ridiculous. Like screw the amazing choreography and score and just focus on the one aspect of the show that everyone understands the show lacks. Because like no one cares about amazing dancers who can sing beautifully at the same time. What we really need is a character driven storyline about cats.

 

 

"

What if at the time it came out I shamed it because it was boring and the music was absolutely dreadful?  

 

"

Then that is an opinion that you hold.

[SmokeyLady]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 3:17pm

A opinion that many hold.  

[rangersrule132]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 3:18pm

That's pretty cool

[Buffalo Bill]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 3:35pm

Last night was fun. Thrilling to be in a theatre with so many people who have a great opinion about this show that they share wholeheartedly.

Front mezz is really great for this show, btw. 

I was genuinely surprised that so many folks stayed by the stage door and waited as long as they did. 

We had a lovely little champagne toast after the show and as I exited the theatre the throngs of lovely CATS fans were still there! 

How fun! 

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 3:49pm

"Overall, if you hate CATS, this certainly won't change your mind!"

Well that settles that. Do you think Leona might grow into the role or is there not enough there to justify waiting to see the show? I haven't completely ruled out suffering through it just to see her performance.

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 3:52pm

Okay. 

[Justin D]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 4:04pm

regarding Mungojerrie & Rumpleteaser, going by the backstage videos, its the standard version used everywhere now, with the broadway cast tune but sung by them, not by Quaxo,. (Is he still being called Quaxo when he is not playing Mistopholes? (I see in the playbill online list, Rum Tum Tugger is now being called Bill Bailey when he is not on as Tugger, back in London, Bill Bailey was a stand alone character who had a name change in the US to Carbuckety)

[BroadwayNYC25]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 4:15pm

It's sad to see how many people hate this show. For those of you who don't know the cat, Demeter, was raped by Macavity. I am also a rape victim and I connected with the turn around that Demeter makes and found it very uplifting. 

[evic]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 4:21pm

Like any of these subtext stories make one hell of a difference as to how stupid this show is?  Smoke and mirrors......there is nothing underneath.

[rangersrule132]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 4:56pm

evic said: "Like any of these subtext stories make one hell of a difference as to how stupid this show is?  Smoke and mirrors......there is nothing underneath.

 

"

Cool

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 5:42pm

Oh, good grief.

This post is not to debate the merits of CATS as a show, or the merits of the original production or this revival, but I have to chime in with a FACT.

CATS has a plot. It has a very specific plot. It is, sorry to say for some of you, not a continually forward moving plot. 

The plot of CATS is very simple, morbidly dark, and very straight forward. The Jellicles arrive for the beginning of the Jellicle Ball. The explain what a Jellicle cat IS, and that they will choose one cat to send to the Heaviside Layer. Every cat who wishes to be considered is allowed to step forward and explain who they are, occasionally disrupted by the shenanigans of Macavity. The cats choose Grizabella. 

THIS IS A PLOT.

[trpguyy]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 6:03pm

Oh come on man, no Spoiler Alert?!?!?

[Smaxie]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 6:07pm

I love the new Mr. Mistoffelees choreography.

 

[rangersrule132]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 6:19pm

LMFAO I COULD NOT STOP CRYING THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE VIDEO 

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 6:49pm

Justin D said: "regarding Mungojerrie & Rumpleteaser, going by the backstage videos, its the standard version used everywhere now, with the broadway cast tune but sung by them, not by Quaxo,. (Is he still being called Quaxo when he is not playing Mistopholes? (I see in the playbill online list, Rum Tum Tugger is now being called Bill Bailey when he is not on as Tugger, back in London, Bill Bailey was a stand alone character who had a name change in the US to Carbuckety)

 

"

Thanks!  I admit, even as a kid when I was Cats obsessed I never learned all of the character names...

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 7:01pm

Smaxie said: "I love the new Mr. Mistoffelees choreography.

 

 

 

 

"

It really speaks to the subtext that Mr Mistopheles is an escapee of Macavity's mental hospital where Coricopat used to feed him LSD while Sillabub would convince him he used to be Donna McCatnie in a Chorus Line.  Also a clever, tearjerking touch is the ghostly applause when he does the turns, recalling the applause ballet audiences bring to the 32-fouettes in Swan Lake, which bring the audience to recall that Mistopheles' ex was Tantomile the former ballet dancer that Macavity raped and killed.  I am just glad Macavity didn't puncture Grizabella's tire while she was going to the Heavyside lair.

(Seriously, I love Cats, and I get why the writers and actors have come up with all these connections and backstories but the way some fans obsess over them...  And yes, this performance is gold.)

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 7:04pm

D91 said: "Sat is the first row of the Mezz last night. I have seen the show more times than I can count from the time I was 9 years old. I am 25 now!  I was extremely excited to see it again, but was ready to be disappointed. I WAS NOT!!! and trust me I find something wrong every time I go to see it because I always felt there was nothing that could live up to the times I saw it on Broadway!

The band was great it was rocking all night! Rum Tum Tugger was rockin.. Reminded me of a rock/country band maybe Luke Bryan or Florida Georgia Line but definitely felt like the Tugger that I always loved!

The Ball was great!

I loved how they moved the Pekes and Pollicles to the second act. I always felt like it had no place in the show, but trust me it works perfectly, and if you loved Growltiger you can here some on the melody's in the Pekes and Pollicles.  

Mister Mistoffelees was great! It is reworked but I thought it was great! The movement of Mistoffelees was amazing!

I was little underwhelmed with Grizz going to into the Heavyside Layer, and during the Overture there were no cats with flashing eyes through the audience. This could be due to the fact the there were still many coming into the theatre and it was already past 8.

I think some need to understand that CATS will NEVER be the same as it was. People and things change and you have to be open to those changes. It was still great! I am going back next week!

 When I saw this in London, one thing that made the production thrilling was the deft and sparsely use of projections, one of these was for the heaven side layer where you have a massive pair of Cats Eyes projected on the back of the stage, they also projected Tower Bridge, where you could see the River Thames flowing. This for me is where projections come great, where they compliment the physical set, but doesn't dominate. I don't know if they did this in New York last night?

I feel if they tried to use Cat Eye glasses it would of looked naff, dated and cliched and something that looked great in the 80's wouldn't have the same effect today. Theatre has to evolve, you cannot regurgitate what you did before, this is what makes it so thrilling.

Bloody Hell After Eight enjoyed this, this is big praise.

 

 

"

 

[SmokeyLady]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 7:22pm

 

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 7:31pm

Phantom of London, I was kinda with you until this comment:

" Bloody Hell After Eight enjoyed this, this is big praise. "

How is it big praise, considering his taste?

[Smaxie]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 7:31pm

EricMontreal, I am sure you are right in your analysis of the Mistoffelees backstory.  It brings a wonderfully dark pathos previously missing from the number. I must admit one thing does puzzle me, and I wonder if you can lend your critical eye: who is Mistoffelees repeatedly saluting?