Loose Cats in the House!
Cats
Music composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber
- based on Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats by T S Eliot
I love the theatre! So when I got tickets to see Cats in Toronto (Canada), I anticipated the evening for weeks. Although I must admit I wondered how this play about cats, could captivate an entire audience for the length of an average play. I soon found out.
I must admit, it was not the story line that stuck in my mind but I feel when watching a musical, the story is not the most important aspect of the venture. It’s the over-all effect that one will walk away with, the music, costumes, set, performance, timing and story line, all enhance your image of the night. Cats did that for me.
The Music
First and foremost, I have to say, there is nothing unappealing about the work of Andrew Lloyd Webber. He is a genius, to say the least. He could make an empty stage light up and come to life. Cats was no exception. The music was moving and memorable. The Cd containing this play’s music is well worth the buy. Such songs as Memory and Mr. Mistofoles are wonderful. Elaine Paige did a wonderful job with the singing of Memory in the original play.
The Costumes
Excellent! The detail put into these costumes and make-up made human’s become life-size felines. The one that impressed me the most was that of the Siamese female cat. I was mesmerized by this particular character and I felt it had to do with the believability of the visual thought of this being a real cat (mind you the acting played an equal part in this character).
The Stage
The stage was comprised of over-sized props, making it a playground for felines. The darkened auditorium had lights throughout the ceiling, creating stars. Simple yet beautiful.
The Acting
This was a musical about nothing more that cats. Cats of all breeds. The acting, dancing and singing in this play was wonderful. These people must have ate and slept like felines in order to bring across the reality of the part. They moved with the caution of a cat, licked, purred and interacted like cats, leaving the audience thinking they truly were backyard, four-legged creates of the night.
Cats was one of the longest running plays of Broadway, opening in 1982. This play has been seen from New York to England, Moscow to Tokyo, basically worldwide.
It won many Tony awards including for Best Musical. A truly wonderful play, indeed. Great for the whole family, seniors and young alike, as well as the dating crowd.