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Woo... it's that time again! Time for another of my crazy CATS trip reports!!! And be prepared.... Like last time, this just a random account of all the best bits I remember. I probably won't be commenting on how good many performers in particular were, basically they were all fantastic!
Right... on with the report! EEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!! OK, I was getting worried earlier today that I was actually getting way down from hyper into depressed, but no fear of that right now... Yet again, please imagine EEEE and I LOVE CATS and I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S CLOSED and EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE interspersed among this text and DON'T expect it to be at all mature, good writing or ... anything...
NOW on with the report.
Firstly, I went to the kiosk and bought myself some merchandise at surprisingly not rip offy prices! I now am the proud owner of a CATS logo in stars T-shirt, a new souvenir brochure, a face painting kit (which is actually really good - I've tried it! Oh, they're snazaroo paints for anyone who's interested, which means they're water based - that could be good or bad depending on what you want to do with them. ANYWAY...), and I bought postcards and pens as presents. Also, I looked around the theatre and there was quite a bit of CATS "stuff" on display, including a lot of print outs of pics of Michaela Olofson's and a couple of Anna Karin Larsson, which gave me the opportunity to say: "Look at those pics! They're really cool! I've seen them on the internet!" and other such silly comments.
Now, the theatre. I know for some people this is just taken as granted but I'm still just in complete awe just by the look of the place. Larger than life "junk" everywhere, circular, ROTATING stage, lights strung up everywhere, tyres, pipes, and the Jellicle moon above it all... WOW. I planned to take a picture, but the ushers had started shouting "NO PHOTOS!!" by the time I was going to get my camera.
Once again, I was going crazy in my seat, just bouncing up down. Oh yeah: seating arrangements: Not as good as last time, but then we were very lucky to get tickets at all! I WAS on the aisle but at the back. This meant I didn't get any particular cat contact :(, but did have a couple cats run down the aisle; Jemima, Victoria, Skimbleshanks, Bombablurina and Etcetera I think.
The overture started!!! You won't get how incredible this is if you haven't seen it live... The stage starts to rotate, all the eyes come flicking on - and this time, which I'm sure didn't happen last time, all the cats came out with light up yellow "eyes"!!! (Think Rumpus Cat, but yellow and higher than eyes really are!)
One perhaps strange thing I found myself noticing more was the reaction of the audience to a lot of the show... I mean, yes obviously I was in the audience too, but other people. Incredible though it may seem, I'm pretty sure most of the audience hadn't seen the video, or live anywhere else, and so everything was a big surprise. E.g. When the first cats came out, there was this explosion of screams/squeals/eventually giggles and hyperventilation that took a while to die down from somewhere near the front at the other side of the theatre.
Anyway: Jellicle Songs. WOWOWOWOW!!!!!!! I love it I love it... Gah, I did warn to expect very little coherent rambling, didn't I?
In the Naming, Bomba and Etc came up our aisle. One thing that's very different from the vid, and that I noticed last time live is that they don't speak particularly in strict time- on purpose - because each cat is talking very particularly to a couple people in the audience. Bomba said "of names of this kind I can give you a quorum, such as Munkustrap, Quaxo, or Coricopat" to me, then moved on and said the rest of the poem to a man with a toddler behind me. Oh well...
Jennyanydots! I really loved this interpretation of Jenny... (Sorry, don't have a cast list with me right now... if anyone wants to know who it is, e- me...) She was really bouncy and enthusiastic - nice piercing voice! There was a longer and different dance sequence too, starting with Jenny "teaching" the cockroaches one move at a time, all the time with this huge big grin on her face.
Now... the moment you've been waiting for (well, maybe) No show report would be complete without Tugger!!! Especially if he was played by John Partridge. Which he was. I know I wasn't planning to go on about anyone in particular, but this guy is unbelievable (nearly!) The fantastic thing was that he did so many DIFFERENT things than he did last time! I don't know if he changes them every month, or every performance or what, but it came across as complete spontaneity each time. And he looks like he is having the time of his life... night after night. Either that or he's one fantastic actor (but we knew that anyway)
Eh^^ *stares up at paragraph*
erm... I don't think I'm obsessed with Tugger, my brother does
though, but he's crazy. Tugger is very cool though.
Anyway, his song: Well... what did you expect? Like the video
only about a hundred time crazier and funnier and just *more*
Tugger-ish. The audience was going crazy too... Especially when
he went out into the audience (I was leaning out of my seat,
but he only went to the front row of the dress circle...)...where
he selected a completely unsuspecting youngish women and gave
her on huge dramatic kiss, then pulled her out of her seat and
danced in the aisle!! She was screaming... and laughing... Everyone
clapped their heads (er, hands) off for her when she sat back
down.
Tugger didn't look too pleased at Misto's "Terrible bore" comment - judging by the way he tried to knock the poor guy on the head! And at the end... the whole "Abooouuuu...." deal! Well, firstly, he strung out that one word for about 3 minutes, and the kittens and the audience (most definitely including me!) were going crazy, laughing and squealing. LOL... he in fact ended up saying "Oh yeah." and just nodding and posing right in the middle of the "abooouu", so much so that people started to clap right then!!! Didn't phase him though- he just posed some more and let the cheering die down a bit before finishing "babout it!" (No, not a typo, that's what he SAID!) (Oh yeah... he put his tail very neatly into Etc's mouth to shut her up this time!)
And then- bam. Grizabella. Spoiling his spotlight, in Tugger's opinion I'm sure. Chrissie Hammond... Her voice is very different from Elaine Paige's, she sounded a lot older and immediately despairing. Very very nice (if "nice" is quite the word...)
Then Jenny broke the mood completely with "Don't listen to her! Bustopher Jones.... etc" And into Busto's song... Apparently he was an understudy, (BJ and Gus are played by the same person so we saw some more of him later.... and I'm not sure of his name, but I think I could work it out if anyone wanted to know...) Anyway, I wouldn't have noticed, it was still rather jolly (?) It's always so much more dramatic and *there* live, especially things like him falling backwards off his seat and handing the rose to Jenny... And a great "Toodle Pip!!!" at the end! (random point... On the Original Cast CD, he doesn't say Toodle Pip... I think quite possibly some guy just said it at the end of some rehearsal just for fun, and it sort of stuck!? My opinion!)
CRASH!!!! Seriously, even I jumped just about every time, and I knew what was coming!! Everyone ran off stage apart from Munkustrap who called after Alonzo "Stop!! Wait!! Maybe it's not Macavity!!" ^^ Then he gave up and ran off too...
Too right, Munk... Lindsey Britton (Teazer. SEE? I remembered her name!) did a fantastic little giggle! And consequently that sparked off my hyperness some more, and my brother and I ended up recreating the giggle-shh!!! bit ourselves... Not TOO loud...
Oooh, I love Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer!! And the song is ALL here!! YEY!! As in, they actually mention those famous Woolworth Pearls! There was a slightly extended dance bit too, I think (How do they sing while they do that??) And WOW, those double cartwheels!! One great bit I remember was after "A vase which was commonly said to be ...Ming..." they exchanged glances and the exploded into giggles and ran! So cute!
Oh, and can I here take another opportunity to re inforce my Mungo/Teazer mates theory?! During Old Deuteronomy they were displaying some rather... open affection!! (Actually throughout, they'd just jump on each other and roll around the floor happily - SO CUTE!)
Tugger sang his bit from his lofty perch on the pipe, and Munk took a few very irritated and confused seconds to try to find where he was!
THE PEKES AND THE POLLICLES!!!!!
AAAAAEEEEE!!! (OK, CALM DOWN!) (NO!) Munkustrap came across as
very control freaky, and very funny, grabbing passing Jellicles
and shouting in their faces "Hurry!!" "Make ready!"
"Remember what I told you to do!!!!"
And as he started prowling around the stage narrating, just guess
who was prancing around making faces behind him?? I did warn
you that Tugger stole the show, didn't I? LOL!!
Again, it was great watching Munk desperately trying to control the slightly hopeless 1st Peke and Pollicle (credited for some strange reason as *Jenny* and Carbucketty, though I'm SURE it was Teazer... maybe I read the programme wrong?)... "They did NOT advance" (Teazer stops advancing and scowls, Carby looks very confused. Both start retreating.) "OR exactly retreat!" (Munkustrap looks more and more exasperated, Teazer grins a little.) "But GLARED at each other" (Munkustrap glares quite a bit himself and grabs their shoulders to pull them togeether) "And scraped their hind feet!" (After a moment of "what?" Carby gets the idea and starts scraping enthusiastically... Did I mention how cute Carbucketty was???)
Well, Rumpus Cat came out and I got to see how this time- catupulted straight up through a trap door in the stage - Wow!! *hugs Rumpus Cat* (Well, don't you just think he rules!!??) Ahem. Anyway, great Rumpus Cat. It was very funny, just as Munkustrap was saying "...You never saw anything..." Rumpus Cat started preening, trying to straighten up his hair, which then was flicked forward... Munkustrap sighed.... "Or hairier." (Rumpus Cat not looking TOO offended...)
Then....well, the Jelicle Ball... What is there to say but WOW!!!!!!!!? It's just so incredibly exciting seeing them all dancing, amazing energy. And the lights all around really added something too- flicking round faster and faster at the dundundundundundundundundun dun dun dun bit!!!! (ooo-k... just supposing you understood that...) Victoria danced with Alonzo again, I guess this is a usual London thing? (Little video-bound me doesn't know these things you see.) Oh yeah, and Tugger spent half the time posing on the tyre and playing air guitar with his tail :D
Grizabella came back... everyone pushing her away, and this time I noticed poor Old Deut stare around and shake his head before turning away sadly, not wanting to watch anymore.
Grizabella... well, great basically. The moments were she tries to recreate all those old dances were particularly heart-breaking this time. And Memory... (Random note: the words sung were "Silence, not a sound from the pavement..." which I suppose makes sense...) I can't exactly explain it, it was just really shiver-making magical. Old Deuteronomy too, turning slowly back to watch her once everyone else had left was so simply powerful.
-----INTERVAL-----
During the interval- I was one of the first people on stage for an autograph- whoo! I didn't know what to say at all to Old Deut sitting on the stage. He was just taking people's books, signing them, passing them back; very automatic and I'd've kinda liked to do or say to show just how obsessed I am :) But in the end, I just said "hi" and "thanks!" and walked off... There must have been other obsessive people in the theatre, but they weren't very obvious about it!! I don't know how obvious I seemed... I was vaguely considering wearing full costume, but for a start I didn't have one, and no one seems to do that here. Still, I wore black fingerless gloves and a "collar" and tried to talk loudly about cats...
-----INTERVAL-----
Hey, I wasn't late for the 2nd half this time!!! A couple cats; Cori, Tant, and then Tugger came on stage first just to sort of get everyone's attention... Tugger did particularly well with that, I might say... During "Moments of Happiness", he lay back in his pipe thing or whatever it is, looking bored. Aside from that, the atmosphere during the song was completely magical, like everyone in the room was holding their breath and staring at the stage. *eeee* As before, Jemima (Caroline Bagnall) was very sweet, but I don't know how happy she was at that pitch...
Gus... Jellylorum had a very different voice that the video, a lot younger sounding, very engaging. And Gus himself LOL! When he sang "The fiend of the Fell" he held (attempted to at any rate) the note on Fell for aaaages, but unfortunately kept stopping and starting in the middle of it! like this: "Feeeeeeellll. ....Ellll. ..Ellll.....el." And his "blood curdling noises" again were wonderfully... non-blood-curdling.
GROWLTIGER'S LAST STAND!!!!!!! I loved this so much!! A *complete* character change as Gus threw off his blanket... He did a nice rough "pirate voice" and at the end of each line added "AAAR!!", brandishing his sword about crazily... his crew were very lucky not to get decapitated! They all looked fairly scared of him, or at least of getting within arms reach; whenever anyone did he would start variously hitting, kicking, slashing at the lucky guy. Tugger was looking quite pleased/relieved that this hadn't happened to him... That was the moment of course that Growl chose to give him a nice kick!
"On a peaceful summer's eve..." etc, then Growl started *sniffing* very vigorously around for Griddlebone. When she arrived, she seemed nearly as interested in the crew as they were in her. She was kinda...tipsy looking... and they sort of helped her step forward. Growl then said "The were SLEEPING" AHEM and glared at all of them so they ran off....
Their duet was every bit as melodious... no... melodramatic... as I hoped! At the start, Growl was patting the bed rather impatiently, but when Griddle finally seated herself upon it, he seemed far more interested in the audience than in her! Throughout, they were always trying to show each other up and be better... so funny! One bit I particularly remember is Growl hugged Griddle, but then decided to stand up and sing more dramatically- Grid being let go of quite suddenly, fell off the bed! She was NOT happy after that, and sat on the bed, fuming, and whipping her tail around in front of her faster and faster (little bits of fluff flying everywhere again...)
When "Ghengis gave the signal", there was a very interesting little stage fight. The crew have been dismissed quickly (and I loved Griddlebone's VERY piercing scream...) Ghengis and Growl fenced. It actually looked like Growl was going to win - he placed his sword firmly on Ghengis' chest, however he then (idiot!) went "AAR!!" and cheered for himself with both hands up in the air! At which, Ghengis was able to punt him soundly backwards and make him walk the plank...
Gus at the end of his number was so sweeet! And the sort of ghost of Ghengis came and bowed to him, and he reached out for it... awww....
Skimbleshanks! OK, I don't seem to have very many notes on this... I remember everyone was just very happy - and I think Electra was messing about and got Skimbleshanks' full glare power... There was a sort of encore of the second bit where all the cats were singing along and then....
MACAVITY!!!!!!!! He "appeared" in quick succession in multiple places around the theatre, I think there were at least three Macs there... His "I'll be back for you!" was most definitely aimed at Demeter this time.
The song itself: Well.... I remember thinking while I was watching it "This could be the best bit so far!" It was amazing! Barbara King (though I've only seen her twice...) was as fantastic as everyone says, movements very defined - she looked really tense and everything. Her "Macavity's not there" had the emphasis on "not" which was different, but it worked. By the end of the song, it was practically deafening, and the whole atmosphere was charged - WOW.
The Macavity fight wasn't as energetic somehow, but I think Alonzo got some more swipes in :)
Mr Mistoffelees!!! Oh, forgot to mention. I think Ben Tyrell (Misto/Quaxo) really convinced me he's wonderful with his "Old Deuteronomy?" right at the start. He sounded so - little? or something and very cute! (Actually, for some really random reason that I don't know why I'm even putting this here, he reminded of me of how I think Frodo sounds!) But anyway. His song. Was wonderful. Was totally fantastically brilliant.
But hey, what would Mistoffelees' song be without Rum Tum Tugger?? He seemed very annoyed that his little friend was getting so much attention - when he thought he'd had quite enough of his dances, he just jumped centre stage himself and tried to imitate! (couldn't quite cut it though, sorry Tug!) And I tried to count spins this time - somewhere between 27 and 30??!! Tugger was rather more annoyed when Misto decided to pay him back for that bash on the head - and erm... set fire to his tail!!!!! It sort of took him half a second to realise, and then he went leaping around the stage trying to put it out!!
Bombalurina didn't exacty "volunteer", I noticed... Still, when she saw she had no alternative, she rolled her eyes and stuck her arms in the air in a very bored fashion! The transformation from her to Old Deut was very good, completely smooth. As Misto was walking around the blanket and blowing magic off his paws, Tugger was right behind him, pretending he was doing all the "magic" which caused him an absolutely killer *glare* from Misto! When Old Deut actually re appeared, Tug actually looked completely astonished!! And - I think my personal favourite funniest moment in the whole thing, which I probably can't describe properly, was Tug and his face and his rather sarcastic voice on "Oh well, I never, was there ever a cat so - clever -"!!! I WAS SO HAPPY!!
Memory... Grizabella... Don't really know what to say, except that she was fantastic, full of despair and loud. The "magic tyre" or whatever it was was magic, I swear! It was so cool! And during the Journey to the Heaviside Layer- Mungo and Teazer were being very cute again making faces at each other and trying push the smoke out of the way!
In the Addressing, Old Deut was very cute, licking his lips with a blissful expression on his face at "Salmon paste" - know what to get him then! And he did a rather elaborate bow at the end!
At the end I was standing cheering and clapping so hard my whole arms hurt and wouldn't move any faster... Tugger, of course, elicited the loudest cheers out of ANYONE - including Grizabella! I made sure to clap for everyone - can't let my dear Carbucketty be forgotten!! There was a sung encore of Mr Mistoffelees, and what looked like little selections from the Jellicle Ball - LOL: it was very ...interesting... to see Old Deut and Grizabella dancing in full costume and running down the aisles!!
Whooo... that's it then. Finished my trip report. I WANNA SEE CATS AGAIN!!!!
Hey, I will! Cool! Be happy, everyone. CATS - NOW AND FOREVER!!!!!!!!