Jellicle cats come one, come all... (Cats)

Member Name: Critchyboy

Product:	Cats
Date:	02/10/01 (82 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Costumes and make-up, Experience of live spectacle

Disadvantages: Price

I had never really fancied seeing Cats for a number of reasons. Firstly, the only song I could think of that had anything to do with Cats was 'Memory'. Secondly, I wasn't really into the idea of sitting in a theatre surrounded by lads and lasses in leotards, prancing around around the stage with feline dexterity.

My hard feelings were melted somewhat when I saw the Cats show on the BBC and thought, when I'm next in London I'll give it a go.

The minute you walk into the auditorium at the New London Theatre, you are met with an oversized junkyard - the ideal playground for Cats. After a bit of confusion I managed to locate my seat...it was at the back of the stage, which very convieniently swiveled round to the front of the stage during the Overture. In fact, I felt a little like royalty, slipping in under the cover of darkness and the noses of people who thought they may have been on the front row!

It is during the overture that the Cats make their appearance, racing all over the theatre meeting you face to face and flashing their Cats Eyes at you. That's one thing that is amazing about the experience of Cats. You feel a part of the production by virtue of the fact that it is hapenning all around you. The actors are right next to you singing and being Cat-like (which I suppose in a musical about Cats, is in fact incredibly useful...)

There isn't much of a story to the show. The Jellicle cats meet once a year at the Jellicle Ball, with me so far..? Where Old Deuteronomy - the Jellicle leader - will decide which Cat can ascend to the Heavyside Layer and be 're-born.' The Cats then make their case as to who that lucky one should be. And so we are introduced to Cats such as Skimbleshanks and Bustopher Jones. There is only one bit that makes the second half a little disjointed and that is Growltiger's Last Stand where Gus, the theatre cat, reminices about one of his acting triumphs. It's ente
rtaining, but seem a little out of place.

The make-up is amazing, as are the actors themselves. I don't know how they manage to keep it up! The dancing is fantastic and I have never really been one for that sort of thing, but from the moment you get there you seem to be drawn into the, for want of a better word, magic of it all.

Make sure you sit in the first four rows on the revolving stage - it gets you right in on the action. It is very pricey thought to sit there - £37.50 from the box office, but it is well worth it. And for a one-off treat you can't go wrong. I'd expect that the seats right at the sides of the stage are not as good. If you go and see Cats - you need to experience it too. Old Deuteronomy even sits on stage through the interval so you can go and have a chat!

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