EDINBURGH 2023: Review: HOW TO LIVE A JELLICLE LIFE: LIFE LESSONS FROM THE 2019 HIT MUSICAL 'CATS', Pleasance Dome

When looking through the list of shows available to see at the Fringe, there were some that I immediately booked based on the title alone. how to live a jellicle life: life lessons from the 2019 hit musical 'cats' was one of those shows.

The concept of the show is quite simple. Linus Karp is essentially giving a TED Talk on the 2019 CGI film nightmare known as Cats, looking at each of the characters and showing how you can be jellicle just like them. Using a PowerPoint presentation, the assistance of Joseph Martin in the tech booth, and the power of song and dance, Karp takes us on a truly incredible journey through the world of Cats.

It is rare that a show makes me laugh so hard I struggle to breathe. It is even rarer that a show can bring me to tears with laughter. It is unheard of for these types of laughs to be a constant for a one-hour show. But, somehow, Karp manages to achieve one of the funniest shows at the Fringe with just a PowerPoint presentation and a lovely Cats costume of his own. One of my favourite bits is when Karp takes iconic gay pop songs and uses them to explain what the Heaviside Layer is (trust me, it needs to be seen to be fully understood). 

The use of technology within the show is incredibly effective, setting the stage for not only the presentation slides but for games like “Siblings or Lovers” and a beautiful tribute to Gus the Theatre Cat. Karp was even able to make technical errors amusing, taking them in stride and incorporating them into the show. Martin, working the tech for the show, becomes a character in their own right, supporting Karp in his show but also causing a bit of mischief at times. 

Ultimately, how to live a jellicle life: life lessons from the 2019 hit musical 'cats' is a masterclass in the form of a comedy TED Talk. It is always magical to see someone talk about something they love, and Karp’s performance is no exception. Whether you’ve seen the movie Cats or not, you’re going to leave this show feeling a bit more jellicle about your life, and that is all one can ask for.

how to live a jellicle life: life lessons from the 2019 hit musical 'cats' runs at Pleasance Dome, AceDome at 21:40 on 27 August.

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