I knew very little about Cats before walking in to the First Preview, so for those who aren't going to be comparing every last detail to this or that performance, here's my fresh take.
Like others have said, I wasn't sure what to expect. This may be really weird, I remember thinking, but I have a feeling it'll be fun.
The lights came down and the music started. Glowing cat eyes began appearing here and there all around the large set, and I felt like I was on some kind of really cool ride at a theme park. It was Broadway meets Halloween, and with the huge buildup, it really got the whole place excited.
Once the performers began appearing on stage, I was already hooked. These are professional dancers, for the most part, and their movements were just so unlike anything I'd ever seen before. You're watching human beings move around the stage, but honestly, you really do get so sucked in--mesmerized--by the music and the visuals that you start to see these beautiful performers as some sort of crossbred species!
I completely understand what people mean by the no-plot complaint, but I think you're not seeing the bigger picture. These characters are based on poetry. And like most poetry you'll read, they appear in verses, small stories within a larger world. I didn't need one plot, because I actually had 20 or so separate plots that were all related, with just enough yarn to tease me along and keep me interested.
I can't speak to how many instrumentalists were hidden away below the stage, but at no point did they sound anything less than what I expect from a Broadway show. In fact, some of the solos were incredibly perfect, and proof that the pit is made up of some genius musicians!
You've all seen the pictures of the stage by now, but I have to say, it blew me away. I paid a lot of money for what ended up being a front-row seat on the left side (B5), and it was so much fun watching the cats crawl in and out of tubes from under the stage. They walked in front of me, between me and the stage, and my friends in the mezzanine said they came right up to them, too! They even leaned forward on the stage, looking right at me at times, making me giggle with a mix of nervous excitement and awe. None of them broke character, though, so just seeing them act like cats the WHOLE time was amazing!
I know so many of these elements have been done before in previous stagings of the show, but for this first-timer, and all the MANY people who will be seeing this for the first time too, it was just mind-blowing. The show just feels huge and other-worldly, and honestly I think the music alone transports you and your suspension of disbelief.
Since others have asked, I'll also add that when I tried to get Leona Lewis to sign my Playbill, she just clutched her bouquet of flowers and smiled politely as she skipped most people, pausing only for selfies and the odd signature. I was disappointed, and I hope she learns to be more generous with her time, but even saying that, I recognize she'd just performed her first preview of a Broadway show, and God knows if she was feeling ill or what. Time will tell.
I was able to do a backstage tour after the show too, and as I stood on the stage, it was so much smaller than it looked from the audience! I don't know how they don't crash into each other more, especially with those tails!
Anyway, I really loved this show! A+ all the way, and I will definitely be seeing it multiple times, though probably from a less expensive seat next time. :)
-Sean
Updated On: 7/22/16 at 02:08 PM
which is sung over and over, a clear lack of talent and imagination. ALW has all the money in the world, but I guess it's time to make his pockets bulge even more.
