"Cats" Still Purrs in DC

            It is hard to believe that over 25 years has passed since Cats made its debut in London.  It is made all the more unbelievable when one considers that the majority, if not all, of the cast of the 25^th Anniversary Tour, which opened this week at the Warner Theatre, wasn't even alive when it premiered.  Were they alive, they might recall when Cats was all the rage, spawning a decade of spectacle-driven, loud and highly successful "megamusicals".  It was all over the news, on the covers of magazines, and its eerie cats' eyes logo became iconic.  And, boy, was it huge!  Entire theatres were gutted to accommodate the famous flying tire, sending one lucky cat off to heaven (aka The Heavyside Layer) after an A Chorus Line- like "audition" by several felines.  And theatres from coast to coast were littered, literally, with human-scale trash, which extended far beyond the proscenium arch.  It was a tough ticket then.  Now, not so much. 

             But in this age of scaled-down shows – think the revivals of Chicago, Sweeney Todd and Company – this much scaled down touring version of Cats holds up surprisingly well.  Like those other revivals, this "kitten" version actually points out the piece's strengths, some previously obscured by the hugeness of the environmental set, which in hind sight, we all must admit was the real star of the show (call it "theatre magic" if you like).  No, the considerable lack of scenery actually brings the singing felines more to the fore.  Instead of wondering how a giant paint can will figure into the show or noticing a cat food box hot glued to the box seats, now you might finding yourself actually paying attention to how these kitties move, and listening to what they have to say.  That's not to say the set isn't still cool – it is.  There is still the huge tire floating upward, for example, and the set is still a big junkyard.  What makes it interesting is how it is made.  Part of it appears to be molded plastic junk – teapots, bed frames, a giant stove and other assorted trash.  The rest appears to be a sculpted balloon!  I'm not kidding – picture a VERY detailed Macy's Parade balloon grounded against the rest of the set.  I imagine it is quite easy to transport and gets the same job done that a more costly junkyard might.

            Also scaled back is the show itself.  Gone is the story of the Great Rumpus Cat and the dog fight sequence (I really liked that part – especially the cats dressed as dogs using giant slippers and high-tops).  But it is for the better, ultimately; one less cat story and about 10 minutes shaved off the running time, which is now a more family-friendly 2 hours 25 minutes, including intermission.  And the score is now played by considerably fewer musicians.  Here is the downside to down-sizing, though: you can really tell the sections that are synthesized, and the arrangement for the synthesizer is, well, cheesy.  (Lighten up on the wah-wah petal, already!)  Still, the important parts, namely "The Jellicle Ball" and the song everyone around me was singing (no joke), "Memory," still sound great.

            Directed and choreographed by Richard Stafford, with lighting adapted by Rick Belzer and scenic design reproduced by Raymond Huessy, this Cats is a very close replica of the original done by Trevor Nunn, Gillian Lynne, David Hersey and John Napier, respectively.  The cast, by and large, is quite a talented group of singers and dancers, and they are very earnest in their "cat moves".  They seem to be having a wonderful time.  Only two of the cast disappoint – Sara M. Reardon as Victoria, the white cat and Ryan Patrick Farrell as Mr. Mistoffelees.  Both roles, historically, have gone to not just accomplished dancers, but true virtuosos in the field.  Both seem to struggle just to approximate the intricate moves and showy spins their roles require.  In fact, Miss Reardon appeared to be in pain; maybe she was.  And I have seen Cats dozens of times and this was the first time I ever saw it where Mistoffelees didn't get applause as he spins.  But Mr. Farrell loses points for not being able to resist what the rest of the cast does (thankfully) – he is a hopeless mugger.  Not content to have the nicest costume and one of the most crowd-pleasing numbers, he preens and prances and makes faces.  Perhaps his time might be better spent perfecting his lackluster spinning.  The cat makeup and cat moves should, and do, convey the character of this ensemble piece, not grandstanding.

            The rest of the company is quite talented and highly energized.  The Rum Tum Tugger, always a favorite, is played with sexy charisma and little restraint by Dave Schoonover.  And the addition of a curtain call bit between the Tugger and a female cat that he spurns earlier is a delight, generating the biggest laugh of the evening.  The other featured cats, Bustopher Jones, Growltiger (both played to the delightful max by Christopher E. Sidoli), Griddlebone (played by the vocally stunning Anissa Hartline) and Jennyanydots (played with an infectious glee by Cara Michelle Fish) do their jobs very well.  One of my personal favorites, "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer" was no let-down either.  Mark Donaldson and Joanna Silvers were remarkable athletic in the roles, and show amazing breath control given the strenuousness of the number.

            Arguably, the three leads of the show are Old Deuteronomy, the head of the tribe, Grizabella, the glamour cat and singer of "Memory", and the often under appreciated Munkustrap, narrator and guard cat.  And all three actors in these roles are standouts.  I look forward to seeing them all in other "human" projects.  Ian Laskowski, as Munkustrap, has a very commanding presence and a rich full voice.  I found myself watching him just to see what he would do next.  It would have been nice to see him do the dog fight number. 

            Angie Smith, as Grizabella, offers an interesting take on the character.  Even with makeup, it is pretty apparent the Miss Smith is on the younger end of the scale of actresses cast in this role.  But her sleek black wig and a staggering slow step, coupled with the youth of her face suggests less an old cat, but one that has lived life hard, burning her candle at both ends.  For me, her performance conjured up images of Liza, and a warning to Paris and Britney.  At least Smith's Grizabella gets a new life after she burns out this one.  And Miss Smith is more than up to the task and expectation of singing one of the world's most famous songs.  Crumpled and exhausted, her Grizabella conjures up one last burst of youthful energy to scramble to her feet just in time to belt out "Touch me!"  It gave me chills.

            Finally, Philip Peterson, as Old Deuteronomy, also has a youthful face, but it is also a wise, hardened face.  You can see why this cat is both loved and respected by his tribe.  He also has a commanding presence, amped up about 20 times every time he sings.  His mellow take on "The Moments of Happiness" offers a stunning counterpoint to his anthem-like rendition of "The Ad-dressing of Cats."  What a glorious voice! 

             The looks of joy on the faces of the kids in the audience ("Mom!  That was cool!") and the looks of  surprised pleasure on first-timers faces ("I can't believe I waited 25 years to see that!") just goes to show that large or small, Cats is still an entertainment phenomenon.  And not a few of us tried and true Cats fans ("Well, it isn't as fancy as it used to be, but I'm glad I saw it again.")  left smiling at the show we saw and the show of the past, memories swirling together.  They used to say Cats was "now and forever."  Just maybe it is.

Don't forget!  Enter the BWW contest to win a pair of tickets to the Tuesday, March 13^th performance of Cats at the Warner Theatre in Washington, DC.  See the article posted 03/07/2007!

PHOTOS of The 25^th Anniversary Tour of Cats by Joan Marcus.

To post a comment, you must register and login.