Cats is a famous musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, about a tribe of cats called the Jellicles who gather for their annual ball to decide which one will ascend to the “Heaviside Layer” (Heaviside, is a cat’s heaven) for a new life, with the show featuring iconic songs like “Memory.”
It’s known for its elaborate costumes, dance, and a loose plot where each cat introduces themselves, culminating in the acceptance of the outcast Grizabella. The show has had long runs on Broadway and the West End and won numerous awards.
A standing ovation at the beginning of the play after the opening song? Well, you better believe it. My wife Joann and I knew this was a winner directly after that first song.
The excitement, the thrust of dance power movements, and the overall color of the stage were enough to send chills through your body and widen your eyes.
Though this play has been around, winning award after award, the unique way Old Possum’s Book of Practical Catsdirected it, along with the thunderous music conducted by Matthew W. Surico, took everyone by surprise, scene after scene.
Set on stage in what appears to be a vivid circus setting, Munkustrap introduces the corrival Jennyanydots (“The Old Gumbie Cat”), who is a large tabby cat that lounges around all day, but at the hint of nighttime, she becomes active, mentoring mice and cockroaches in various ways to curb their destructive habits.
Now I was particularly curious about Jennyanydots’s role because I know and have worked with actress Emily Jeanne Phillips (in the film Ebenezer the Traveler). She played this part during the first national tour of the revival of Cats, so I had both insight and excitement about this specific role and watching how all these cats danced, interacted with not only Jennyanydots but each other. This truly added to the audience’s happy energy.
Just as Jennyanydots finishes her song, the music abruptly shifts, and Rum Tum Tugger makes his lively entrance before the cat nation. Rum Tum Tugger is a very whimsical and unyielding kind of feline, “for he will do as he do do, and there’s no doing anything about it.”
Ah, the memories this play was beginning to evoke in the now-mesmerized audience. As Rum Tum Tugger’s song fades, a shabby old gray cat stumbles out, wanting to be reconciled, introducing Grizabella.
All the cats back away from her in fear and disgust and explain her unfortunate state (“Grizabella: The Glamour Cat”). Grizabella leaves, and the music shifts to a cheerful, upbeat number as Bustopher Jones, a fat cat dressed in “a coat of the color of lamp black,” is introduced on stage (“Bustopher Jones: The Cat About Town”). It’s clear that he has a stigma and interest in visiting prestigious private men’s clubs.
I counted 26 cats, which is a sizeable number of parts that sing, dance, jump through, and play with a hoop at the Jellicle Ball. The Jellicle Ball is the main celebration where the cats sing and display their dancing skills.
Musically, in Act One, “When Cats are maddened by the midnight dance,” I counted 12 songs that ignite this play. “Memory,” sung by the cat Grizabella, delivered another spine-tingling performance of this song.
In Act Two, I counted eight songs in all, including a reprise of the song “Memory” sung this time by Jemima, Munkustrap and Grizabella. This song is a personal favorite, composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Trevor Nunn, based on TS Eliot’s poems.
The play will run at CM Performing Arts Center in Oakdale until March 29. If I may suggest a night of celebration, see the play.
