Cats Previews- Page 6

[blaxx]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 7:32pm

On the other hand, when ALW approached Prince to direct it, Prince asked if it was a metaphor for for post Victorian England and its society. ALW replied "Hal, it's about •cats•".  

But of course I agree with Blaxx point. 

And yet, we know T.S. Eliot lived among these people and humanized the animal in order to include the social criticism behind his affection for felines. Some of my favorite parts of the poems are those that include specific locations (Tottenham Court, The Russell Hotel, The Night Mail Train, Victoria Grove, etc.) which serve as a reference to understand where these people, uh cats, come from and where they stand within their tribe.

It is a piece with a lot of layers. 

Of course those who again, take it at face value, won't find much humor in the missing Woolworth pearls, the servant/ nanny taming the group of cockroaches, or how The Flying Squad can't handle a cat's criminal actions.

It's good to know a bit of what you're going to see in order to fully appreciate it. 

Updated On: 7/15/16 at 07:32 PM

[indytallguy]

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

Man. I found that number boring. And I kinda liked CATS the first time around.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 7:51pm

Smaxie said: "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?

 

"

I have seen that debated many times, and I have never been satisfied with the answer.  The one that makes the most sense to me is it is a heartfelt salute to Tumblebrutus, the kindly cat-orderly who helped with his escape and died at the hands of Macavity during the attempt.  I have heard that there is further backstory that while Mistoffelees was in the ward, Tumblebrutus was his lover, and offered him kindness, and while he was tortured, told him to "be strong like a soldier and remember me by saluting"--so, while the dance routine is devastating due to his delusion, we know that he is doing it for the cat he loved.  It's a very touching way to show the audience that at least a part of him has survived and is happy.  (Please don't get me started about the symbolism of his just only barely being able to make it under the ribon the other cats hold for him to run under...)
 

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 7:55pm

blaxx said:

And yet, we know T.S. Eliot lived among these people and humanized the animal in order to include the social criticism behind his affection for felines. Some of my favorite parts of the poems are those that include specific locations (Tottenham Court, The Russell Hotel, The Night Mail Train, Victoria Grove, etc.) which serve as a reference to understand where these people, uh cats, come from and where they stand within their tribe.

"

I completely agree.  Just to be clear, when I said that I do agree with your point, I *do* agree with your point--completely.  I just thought it was worth throwing in that infamous ALW/Prince exchange (I can see now, reading back on what I wrote, that maybe it sounded like I was mocking your point.  That wasn't my intention). 

And my mocking of the hugely convulated backstory of all of the cats in the musical that have been made (many by the cast and production team) has zilch to do with that, obviously.

[After Eight]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 8:03pm

"How is it big praise, considering his taste?"

You're the last person to be disparaging anyone else's taste.

You see, I don't read comic books; nor do I put The Wild Party on the same level as Porgy and Bess.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 8:04pm

indytallguy said: "Man. I found that number boring. And I kinda liked CATS the first time around."

 

Which number?  No number from the revival has been posted.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 8:51pm

>Please don't get me started about the symbolism of his just only barely being able to make it under the ribon the other cats hold for him to run under...<

That is truly the most heartbreaking moment of the entire performance. Misftoffelees being unable to cross under the rainbow-colored ribbon is reminder of the time he spent as a kitten, trapped in the closet and denying his true proclivities.  Some take it as he is being smacked in the face by the homosexual agenda, but I think the creative team would never stoop to such blatant symbolism.  

[indytallguy]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 9:39pm

EricMontreal22 said: "indytallguy said: "Man. I found that number boring. And I kinda liked CATS the first time around."

 

Which number?  No number from the revival has been posted."

 

I was joking about  the video in #117.

 

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 11:56pm

trpguyy said: "Oh come on man, no Spoiler Alert?!?!?

 

Sorry, trpguyy. I guess it's a great thing that the show has no plot, so therefor that couldn't have been a spoiler, right? :)

 

[Sally Durant Plummer]

Posted: 7/16/16 at 12:12am

My dear After Eight, Eric likened Marie Christine to Porgy and Bess. If you're going to be snarky, at least be correct, Darling.

Eric and Blaxx - love both of your posts. I remember what Sondheim infamously said when he saw it: "Why didn't they just stack 5 million dollars on the stage?"

Updated On: 7/16/16 at 12:12 AM

[jo]

Posted: 7/16/16 at 12:21am

Here's MR. MISTOFELEES from the filmed version --

 

 

[jo]

Posted: 7/16/16 at 12:34am

Part 2 of Mr. Mistofelees from the filmed version --

 

 

 

 

Updated On: 7/16/16 at 12:34 AM

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 7/16/16 at 12:51am

After Eight said: ""

You see, I don't read comic books

 

"

You know somebody has good taste when they outright dismiss an entire art form!

[Born in a Ditch]

Posted: 7/16/16 at 3:11am

Was at the show tonight. It's good fun overall but it gets a bit boring here and there.

I know it was only the second preview so I'm sure this will go away, but when the show started the ensemble was just radiating "Look! I'm doing CATS on Broadway!" and it took a bit to penetrate through that feeling to get to the actual characters they were playing.

The dancing is the real star here. Andy Blankenbuehler has done a great job at marrying the old with the new. "Jellice Ball" was the absolute pinnacle of excitement for the night with "Mr. Mistoffelees" following close behind. 

Leona Lewis is very amateurish in her portrayal of Grizabella, which at first was a bit endearing, but after a serviceable (at best) rendition of "Memory", with overwhelmingly repetitive hand gestures, I was checked out. There are so many brilliant performers who could've made it something exciting but instead we get poor stunt casting with little payoff. Shame. 

[After Eight]

Posted: 7/16/16 at 6:22am

"You know somebody has good taste when they outright dismiss an entire art form!"

"Art form?"

Now that occasioned a good giggle this morning.

I'll stick to literature, thank you.

 

And to get back on topic, Born in a Ditch said, "The dancing is the real star here." 

I would agree with that.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 7/16/16 at 9:36am

Honestly I can't stand this show, it's like Panto with a bigger budget. I know people find all these dark meanings, messages and characters back stories in this show but I'm pretty sure that all involved the first time round including Webber weren't really thinking about any of this stuff. They saw a cute idea to get families and kids through the door to see the cats dance (very very well).

 

it always amazes me when I see things like this

'
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?'

I mean the amount of musicals that are ripped apart on this board because of a weak plot/bad book etc yet this gets a pass because it's Cats and fans make up their own back stories etc? 

This along with Starlight Express is one of the worst shows I've sat through, though as a former West End dancer I did love the choreography when I watched it in London. It feels like it's aiming at people who don't normally go to the theatre but can tell their friends they went to see Cats.

Dont get me wrong, I'm thrilled people like it because any fans of anything theatrical is a good thing, and the show has introduced a lot of people to theatre, but I for one can't think of anything worse to sit through. 

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 7/16/16 at 9:58am

I am going on Wednesday night! I am very excited!

[SmokeyLady]

Posted: 7/16/16 at 1:04pm

The worst is when someone who has never been to the theater and then has to sit through this crap.  They will never be back again.

[rangersrule132]

Posted: 7/16/16 at 1:36pm

We get it... you don't like the show. 

[SmokeyLady]

Posted: 7/16/16 at 1:42pm

rangersrule132 said: "We get it... you don't like the show. "

That is very cool!

Updated On: 7/16/16 at 01:42 PM

[hork]

Posted: 7/16/16 at 1:46pm

After Eight said: ""You know somebody has good taste when they outright dismiss an entire art form!"

"Art form?"

Now that occasioned a good giggle this morning.

I'll stick to literature, thank you.

Clearly, you know nothing about comic books, but why should that stop you from passing a blanket judgment on them?

[adam.peterson44]

Posted: 7/16/16 at 2:11pm

Replace "heaviside layer" with "Broadway show" and "cats" with "auditioning hopefuls" and the plot sounds exactly like the plot of A Chorus Line. Yet i have never heard people criticize that show for having no plot or a thin plot.  It seems to me that if people enjoy the music and dancing enough, or are moved enough by the individual stories in the songs, they will not really care that much about the overall plot, but if they don't enjoy the music and dancing, then they will be bored and more annoyed that there is no plot to hold their interest instead.

[caringtype1]

Posted: 7/16/16 at 2:52pm

People seem to have a hard time with the "no plot" thing, but musicals ( or plays, movies, etc.) don't need to have a plot. Plot is only one tool available to writers to convey whatever it is they are trying to convey. For Cats, dance and the design elements are used to a create a tone, which when coupled with Eliot's poems create something different and meaningful (Yes, if you read the poems there is some commentary on communities and one's place within a community). If it doesn't work for you, fine, it doesn't work for you. But to fault a show for not having a plot when it was never interested in having a plot in the first place seems silly. 

[adamgreer]

Posted: 7/16/16 at 3:31pm

adam.peterson44 said: "Replace "heaviside layer" with "Broadway show" and "cats" with "auditioning hopefuls" and the plot sounds exactly like the plot of A Chorus Line. Yet i have never heard people criticize that show for having no plot or a thin plot.  It seems to me that if people enjoy the music and dancing enough, or are moved enough by the individual stories in the songs, they will not really care that much about the overall plot, but if they don't enjoy the music and dancing, then they will be bored and more annoyed that there is no plot to hold their interest instead.

 

I enjoy Cats well enough, but please, tell me you didn't just try and compare Cats to A Chorus Line. Just...no. 

 

[Wishing Only Wounds]

Posted: 7/16/16 at 3:42pm

I was at the second preview last night. I was skeptical about going, especially so early on, as I'm not the biggest CATS fan, but I loved it and was pleasantly surprised. The production is fantastic... very modernized. They've taken the 80s out of Cats, while keeping the signature moments. They've really developed the characters and got as close as you can to adding a plot to Cats. It made sense. It ran two hours and fifteen minutes, including a twenty minute intermission. There was quite a bit of mic trouble and some lighting cues called too early, but I'm sure that'll work itself out. 

I agree with the people who found the absence of performers during the overture odd. It seemed, with the lighting, that there should have been things happening on stage.

Leona Lewis sounded fantastic. She seemed a bit uncomfortable and you can tell she hasn't performed much in the theatre, but all the groundwork is there for her to be giving a breakout performance. Jess LeProto was fantastic as Mungojerrie, I expect him to be remembered come TONYS time. The whole cast was in great shape for a second preview. 

I overheard some purists that were not pleased with the production at all. 

 

*potential spoilers*

- I loved the song changes, and giving Tugger more to do, I felt it helped the Munkestrap/Tugger/Old Deuteronomy dynamic.

-I thought it was interesting how young Jennyanydots came off...nothing about her (production wise) came off as being an older cat.

-I don't know how I feel about Mr. Mistoffelees singing - I'm curious to hear other opinions on that.

-I loved replacing Growltiger with Pekes and Pollicles, it was the first time I didn't cringe during the song. 

 

 

 

I'd recommend this production. I went in as someone familiar with the show, but not really a fan, and had a fantastic time.  I think this production is going to surprise many. 

 

 

 

Updated On: 7/16/16 at 03:42 PM