Why do you all hate Cats?- Page 2

[ALWrules]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 12:40am

Excuse me Orangeskittles for asking people difficult questions so that they can defend their position. I want people to justify to me why they have a different view than me. People on this site seem to just give a view without supporting it at all. Excuse me for offending you by trying to spark a helpful debate.

[ALWrules]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 12:43am

And you wanted me to defend my position. I have done so through my questions throughout the forum? heres' a synopsis

1)great music
2) great staging
3) Interesting social examination of the human world
4) The creative process is ingenious in and of itself.

All of these have many subcatagories.

[wickedfreak]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 12:43am

THANK YOU ALWrules!

Finally someone else is annoyed about the posts on this site!

lol

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 12:43am

You didn't offend me. I'm just wondering why we're the ones answering all the questions.

Updated On: 11/22/05 at 12:43 AM

[ALWrules]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 12:44am

You want answers. Than ask questions

[wickedfreak]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 12:45am

You tell 'em ALWrules!

[Pinguin]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 12:46am

For me, it comes down to the fact that something just being "entertaining" or "pretty to look at" is not enough reason to put something on stage.

Theatre is a powerful medium. You may as well utilize it for SOMETHING.

Yes, a bunch of people dressed up as cats may be fun for some people, but not for me. I like theater that changes something in me, or at least tries.


and in response to some other things you're saying, I don't think the music is beautiful, I think it's repetitive and boring, and doesn't have much movement within it.

that's all for now, I'm going to bed.

Updated On: 11/22/05 at 12:46 AM

[wickedfreak]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 12:47am

Like what kind of shows?

[ALWrules]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 12:51am

I see what you mean, and can respect the idea that Cats wasn't a serious enough show for you.

However, so many shows even today aren't utilized to try and change people. Look at "The Producers" or "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" or "Spamalot" for examples of shows today that don't try to change people inside. In my opinion, to limit yourself to shows that try and change people knocks off quite a few shows off your docket.

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 12:52am

<------

These are the only cats I like.

As for the show, I found it to be silly. Yes, I understand the deep metaphors it stands for and the poem it is based upon, I just did not like the show. A show does not have to have deep meaning to be of value, but it needs to connect on some level to me for me to enjoy it. For me, Cats did not connect. For you, it did.

People have different tastes. Some like Cats. Some like cats (as pets). Some are just allergic. Some don't like Cats or cats.




Updated On: 11/22/05 at 12:52 AM

[Pinguin]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 12:52am

GOD, ok, one more.

Shows like Parade, Sunday in the Park with George, Violet, etc. I just appreciate these shows more than Cats. And there's nothing more really to say about it.


Ok, I'm really going to bed this time.

[ALWrules]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 12:54am

lol You want it When????

But exactly WHY didn't you like the show? I'm not trying to be a nag, but just curious

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 12:55am

"4) The creative process is ingenious in and of itself."

Explain this statement. What about the creative process? What aspects of the creative process? And what made it so different than that of others show that opened on Broadway? What are your feelings on Sondheim's creative process?

And wickedfreak, remember the thread you started the other night? This could be why.

[ellenoshalom]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 12:55am

I LOVED CATS. I am not against it.

[Harpo]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 1:12am

I've done a 180 turn on Cats. I saw it in the 80's in SF and didn't like it at all. The person I was with actually fell asleep during the first act. I was so sure I'd love it. I love cats-the-animals, liked TS Eliot and loved theater- I thought a sure fire hit for me. But I was bored, probably because it wasn't plot-heavy.

However, I saw a video of it this past summer and I changed my mind completely. ALWrules mentioned something about the cats representing human traits? That is what struck me...Grizabella and her fading star, Gus the Theater Cat, etc. I was so moved by John Mills portrayal of Gus that I got teary eyed. Reminded me of some old veterans who don't have much longer on earth, and remember when they made a difference. Anyway, I truly appreciate the show now and think I'll buy the DVD. So ALWrules, you are not alone.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 1:16am

Ya know, I loved The Producers (saw it three times with the OBC) and enjoyed The Full Monty, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Hairspray, Spelling Bee, Altar Boyz and many other shows from the past few years that I wouldn't describe as particularly deep or meaningful or substantive. But they were all well put together, featured characters and stories I found interesting, most had a certain amount of wit and cleverness, and they all relied more on good solid writing and well-developed characters to entertain than on lighting and special effects and choreography (which struck me as ploys to disguise the shortcomings in the other aspects of the show, notably the score).

If you love the show, fine. Good for you. But I think I've explained in great detail why I don't. It has nothing to do with not liking non-deep shows -- I just don't care for superficial and inane productions that don't seem to have any reason for existing to begin with other than flash and spectacle and that lack some resonant human quality in its core. Perhaps you see one in this show -- all I saw was a a theme park ride.

Updated On: 11/22/05 at 01:16 AM

[lesmisforever]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 2:10am

I think to understand the randomness you have to be familiar with Elliot's writing style, which can be erratic with no clear point but with deeper meanings. CATS isn't my favorite, but it's light fun. Never saw it live, though- I have the video. Memory is a complicated piece with key changes- hard to sing it well.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 2:21am

Memory is probably one of the most overrated show tunes in my opinion. My major problem with Cats is that it creates an illusion using physical elements of theater such as the great make-up and costumes to hide the fact that it is a show about nothing, it's kind of a revue with a less than stellar score, and with a semi-story that when you look at it, it's kind of absurd. I'm an English major and love T.S. Elliot, but these poems were written for kids, this is not Wasteland. I also resent the fact that ingenious shows such as Passion or Follies could never dream of making it past two or three years on Broadway.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 2:21am

I studied Eliot in college and grad school. I still hated the show. Besides these poems aren't on a par with "The Hollow Men" or "The Wasteland" or "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" which all have tremendous metaphorical depth -- these were a series of whimsical children's ditties he wrote for the pleasure of his very young grandchildren. There's no depth to them, nor did he intend for there to be any. They were intended merely as a diversion for 5 year olds. Perhaps THAT is the ideal audience for the musical.

[Conor]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 2:22am

Cats traumatized me lol. I wasn't clapping when I saw it and a Cat came over and grabbed my hands and made me start clapping (I was about 6) The set and costumes are definitly impressive I remember walking into te theatre and being amazned, but it was one of the most boring experiences of my life. I that was just because I was 6, i saw it 3 more times after that, all the foreign relatives had to see Cats. I'm an ALW fan and I do think Cats has some catchy tunes but I don't get the hype. To be honest I feel that way about a lot of shows: Rent, The Producers, Avenue Q, Spamalot were all over hyped for me and I'm sick of hearing about them, same with Wicked which I originally loved but am now bored to death with, and I think this feeling may attribute to some negative feelings from people who may not have seen it. but having seen it i can say i didn't like it.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 8:26am

Wow, Margo. I really admire the time and effort you put into addressing this question.

I still refer everyone to Mario Cantone's "review." It's not as cerebral as Margo's (which I mean as a compliment, Margo...no sarcasm here), but it has its charm.

Mario certainly summed up how I feel about it.

[colleen_lee]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 8:31am

I am just going to throw a big ditto back to Margo since everything has already been covered.

But, let me just add, Cats was the only Broadway show that has ever put me to sleep.


Edit: Haaaa...put me to sleep. Unintentional pun.

Updated On: 11/22/05 at 08:31 AM

[best12bars]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 9:24am

colleen_lee ---

1) We don't "all hate CATS." Some of us, including me, have been very vocal about what an extraordinary experience the show was for us.

2) Your little "joke" about putting cats to sleep may have hit upon something. Perhaps many of you don't really like cats to begin with. Then why would you go see a show written entirely about them? Sounds like you hated it before the lights even dimmed in the theatre.

EDIT: I don't mean to single you out personally, I just think your comment hit upon something.

Updated On: 11/22/05 at 09:24 AM

[exedore]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 9:33am

Out of curiosity, Margo, did you like Starlight Express? I personally hated CATS (admittedly only saw it on TV, but still found it thoroughly boring) but love StEx.

[Jon]

Posted: 11/22/05 at 9:55am

I have a basic problem with Starlight Express - it's entire premise is illogical.

I will accept the premise that trains talk and have personalities and fall in love.

I will accept actors on roller skates playing said trains.

But TRAINS DO NOT RACE EACH OTHER!!!

If it were a musical about cars, that would be fine. Motorcycles, fine. Horses, fine. Greyhound dogs, fine.

I know what you're going to say: "They are toy trains and it's all in the mind of a little boy". But I have NEVER heard of any little boy setting up his model trains with two tracks side-by-side and having the "steam" train race against the "deisel" train.

TRAINS DO NOT RACE EACH OTHER!!!

Also, it's sexist. The men are locomotives, who have all the power. The women are the cars who can't go anywhere by themselves. They have to hang on to the men.
Updated On: 11/22/05 at 09:55 AM