Cats

By way of background, Cats is a sung-through musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. It is based on the 1939 poetry collection Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot. The musical tells the story of a tribe of cats called the Jellicles and the night they make the "Jellicle choice" by deciding which cat will ascend to the Heaviside Layer (their version of heaven) and come back to a new life. The bulk of the musical consists of the different contenders being introduced, either by themselves or by other cats As of 2024, Cats remains the fifth-longest-running Broadway show and the eighth-longest-running West End show. It was the first of the ‘mega-musicals’. The musical is unusual in its construction; along with Eliot's poems, music and dance are the main focus of the show at the expense of a traditional narrative structure. It also adds the element of rebirth as a play on the idea that cats have nine lives.

The fixed-set constructed and used by the company themselves was quite incredible and really striking on entry to the theatre, spreading completely across the stage and up a little either side. I was in my seat for quite a while before the start and so was able to spend considerable time taking it all in. Inspired by the original production’s ‘London dump’, this was a complex multi-level, multi-entry point set, decorated and painted to an impressive level of detail. The train carriage and the lit tunnel at the rear were real highlights to me. The higher-level staging, positioned towards the back of the stage area worked really well too to give some height and depth to the performing area, with a nice London skyline effect too. This detail extended to the covering of the floor – the painted flagstones were excellent. The special lifting effects too were very impressive (and I know how difficult this is to do, from bitter experience). The Trapeze swing was well-constructed and well-used impressively. Mistoffelees’s decent on the crescent moon and his work on it was incredible too. Old Deuteronomy’s moving platform and Grizabella’s ascension were all technical triumphs. I really could go with praise on the staging of this show for most of this review, but it is probably time to move on! Scene changes and transitions were excellent and manged very well on-stage by the cast, Entry and exit points were varied and interesting. Properties where applied were all of a good standard and appropriate for their application.

The lighting and visual effects were no less impressive. It was an incredible lighting rig, with some excellent effects created through a great use of general haze. You also created some lower level more dense smoke effects too – creating a very effective ‘dry-ice’ type effect for some scenes. The blue and white LED co-ordination for example in opening number with the music was incredible – in-fact the lighting cueing was pretty overall - I’ve never seen a show with so many lighting cues. Very occasionally it felt a little too much and sometimes it was quite literally ‘in your face’ from  where I was sitting quite close to the front, but I’d much rather you went for it than not. You did get the mood of the scenes – the red, then purple for Macavity as almost a signature worked really well and there was some beautiful backlight for ‘The Ad-Dressing of Cats’ at the end. The floor-level moving heads were well-used to create some great atmosphere, the lighting in the rear tunnel was lovely detail and the mirror-ball used for Memory a nice touch too, The moonlight effect used worked really well and with the projection of the moon. The follow-spots were necessary and though there were a few first-night blips here you worked really hard to recover and manage this (as a follow-spot operator myself sometimes I know how hard this is). The portable floor-mounted light worked well. We probably needed a little more light on Grizabella at the very top of her ascent but these are very minor points in some quite incredible lighting. Very, very well done – it was stunning. The indoor firework and flash pots used as part of Macavity’s escape worked really well too.

Sound. With the whole cast miked this was a mammoth undertaking, but you really pulled this off. Cueing was excellent. As this was the first night I’m sure the sound was different to rehearsed without a full auditorium, so whatever slight balance issues there were in the opening were immediately addressed and the mixing between principal and ensemble and then between all of the ensemble voices was most impressive. The background sound effect of the London traffic created the right atmosphere at the start of the production too.  Overall, some quite excellent work here.

The costumes were amazing too and all your own work. For a show famous for its costume creativity, you really did not disappoint with an incredible set of your own creative and high-quality cat costumes. The programme detailed this as ‘Costume Artistry’, and artistic pieces of work they were too. These suited and fitted those wearing them really well, allowing flexibility for movement as required too, with some incredible colourings and levels of detail. The larger costumes for the older cats – Old Deuteronomy and Grizabella for example worked really well too. The costume additions –the waistcoats and canes for tap routine and the dog masks added to the spectacle. Make-up was extensive and closely integrated with the costumes and was a real feature of the production too, matching the costumes but also providing characters and personalities to the roles. Wigs where used were also integrated really well. In summary, the look created on stage for the cat characters was a real triumph overall.

Even though this is a dance-based show, the standard of stage-direction was very high. The characterisations from the cast as cats was extraordinary – all of the cast had built their own characters, including cat movements and mannerisms.  In addition, they all managed to maintain these characters throughout the whole production (and I was watching you all!). This was no easy task and should be recognised and celebrated. The transitions between songs and scenes were excellent – well-thought out and executed and provided a lovely flow to the production. There was also some lovely scene framing using the ensemble on either side of the central performance area.

In terms of the principal performances:

Munkustrap. As one of the show's main Narrators, your stage presence was excellent and a real draw to the audience.  You sang and performed really well, with your performances in The Old Gumbie Cat and Old Deuteronomy particularly memorable.

Rum Tum Tugger. I loved your swagger, right from your extravagant entrance in front of the tribe for The Rum Tum Tugger.  You had his coolness, as well as his fickle and unappeasable nature. Well done.

Jennyanydots. Though you were missed out of the programme for this song (which confused me a little), your performance in The Old Gumbie Cat, as the tabby cat who lazes around all day, but becomes active at night-time was excellent and most enjoyable.

Bustopher Jones / Gus. Really well performed in both of these roles - The Cat About Town and the Theatrical Cat – you built convincing characters and performed both numbers to a high standard.

Grizabella.This is such a well-known and iconic part and comes I’m sure with a lot of pressure, but this was a well-acted and well-sung performance with a lovely rendition of Memory.

Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer.. As the mischievous ‘cat’ burglars who enjoy causing trouble around their human neighbourhood, Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer were a great fun double act. You performed together with high-energy and a cheekiness that really sold your number, Your huge audience reaction was no fluke.

Bombalurina and Demeter. Lovely harmonies from you both in The Old Gumbie Cat, at the entry of Grizabella. and in Macavity, but in addition you both built some convincing cat characters that drew our attention to you and danced really well. Very well done

Jellylorium.. More great harmonies in The Old Gumbie Cat and lovely singing and support in Gus: The Theatre Cat. Well moved and danced too.

Jemima and Victoria. Lovely singing and movement from both of you.

Old Deuteronomy. This was well-performed as the Jellicle patriarch, making an appearance to choose one of the cats to be reborn into a new life on the Heaviside Layer. The part was very well sung, with a strong stage presence and the level of gravitas needed with all the youthful energy around. Well-done.

Skimbleshanks. What energy and performance you brought to the cat who is unofficially in charge of the nightly train from London to Gallowgate, which will not depart unless he is aboard. Very well-sung and danced, which made this a very memorable and high-quality number. Great work.

Mistoffelees. Known as the "original conjuring cat", ‘Magical’ Mr. Mistoffelees needs to be able to perform feats of magic that no other cat can do in a dance solo to restore the lights and bring back Old Deuteronomy. You did this in many ways throughout, culminating in your dance performance from the suspended crescent moon. Very well done.

Macavity. As the "most wanted" cat Macavity appears as the so-called "Napoleon of Crime" who always manages to evade the authorities. You moved and danced very well to support this and the stage light outage integrated well with the performance.

I feel quite bad for stopping here with so many named parts, as all of the cast performed so well. Everyone in the Ensemble created great personalities for their cat characters and delivered them to the audience with unwavering conviction. Everyone had a chance to shine in this production and everyone took their opportunity. There was a relentlessness to everyone’s performance - with the whole cast’s gradual entry as cats just before the start of Act 2 as a great example of this. Very well done all.

The band performed the music for the show really well, moving seamlessly between the musical styles of this production. The musical direction was strong and kept the music and the singing aligned and well-controlled. The chorus singing vocals were a delight, with particular areas of note in Bustopher Jones, The Song of the Jellicles and The Naming of Cats. The Off-Stage group contributed to this and the sound blending of all of the choral voices was exceptional. There was occasionally some loss of diction here - The Aweful Battle of the Perkes and the Pollicles is the main example of this, but these were quite isolated incidents and overall the music and choral support were quite excellent.

Finally, but by no means last - the choreography. This was which was amazing – so much was achieved in so little floor space. There was a incredible level of detail put into the movement – right from the opening, when all of the cast came on as cats, each with their own take on the feline mannerisms required, which they then kept going all the way through. There is a style of dance that we come to associate with Cats (which Cats itself created it to some extent) and this was expertly delivered, both with principals and in ensemble. The Jellicle Ball for example was a real dance highlight. The use of the higher staging for dance too worked really well in creating interesting levels, allowing the dance to be seen much wider. Choreography was varied too, to stretch the abilities of the more capable dancers, but providing simpler but very effective moves for everyone to complete, which worked to great effect. On review, there is much more dance variation in this show than you may immediately realise, which was all executed with real skill. There was a lovely ‘song and dance’ type tap routine in The Old Gumbie Cat, which worked really well. The use of the trapeze, particularly at the end if Act 2 was excellent and I loved the co-ordination, culminating in building and running the train in Act 2. There was a lovely use of dance build-up within several songs, with routines that characters started and then were joined by others, which all worked brilliantly. Overall the choreography in both its design and its execution was excellent – very well done.

In summary, this was an incredible production of Cats – I loved it. At times you quite forgot this was an Amateur production, such was the standard of set, lighting, sound, costume, make-up, music, singing choreography, principals and chorus work and how they all combined together so well. Well done to all involved on such a significant achievement. Thank you for the invitation and I wish you every success with your future productions

PLEASE NOTE:

Any observation made by the reviewer can only be based on what he sees at the performance in question.  The reviewer may have received information in advance of the performance and it is inevitable that his assessment will be effected by that knowledge.

The N.O.D.A. Representative’s intention is to give an objective critique of the overall production and in particular the performance viewed.  It should be remembered that any review of this nature can only be objective as far as the techniques used during the performance observed.  Any criticisms expressed may not have been valid at other performances, and are only made to encourage higher standards in Amateur Theatre.

It is hoped that the audience’s appreciation of your efforts will have given everyone a lift and encouraged you to greater achievements in the future and that the observations made by the reviewer will prove helpful in improving future productions.

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