I adore Cats but that's only because when I was around 5 I used to watch the VHS of it once a week at y grandparents when they looked after it, so even though it is the most confusing and drags along for what seems like forever it is still one of my favourite musicals and I cannot wait for the tour/westend revival rumoured for next year.
I'm afraid the show and the score bore me witless. Managed to sit through it way back in the 80s - could never sit through it again lol. I realise I am in a minority as the show had lengthy runs in NYC and London - but just not what I want from a piece of musical theatre.
The upbeat stuff is fun - the slow stuff is dreary beyond belief (as is the case with most ALW shows). The "homage" to Ravel's Bolero makes no sense and is also pretty dull.
Great and ground breaking staging and concept, though! Would love to have seen a new fresh version at the park.
I love cats, my only regret is not seeing the Broadway production before it closed.
but for me it was a sentimental love and a design love more than anything else.
I loved seeing the variations of character makeup from production to production. The differences in how the set was adapted from in the round to a proscenium stage. How all the everyday objects in the junkyard were enlarged x3 of their usual size.
Musically too I loved the odd parts of it, like the whole Growltiger opera that most people loathe. And ofcourse the Grizabella parts including Memory, when sung by just the right voice, gave me goosebumps. Can't stand the Macavity or Mungojerrie songs.
I was in London for the closing and watched its broadcast in Convent Garden square, i even shed a tear when it was over. But like i said, i get sentimentally attached to the shows I like.
joined:10/7/11
Posted: 7/14/12 at 08:11am