We can’t get enough of cats in Singapore. Never mind that they make up a good portion of our Facebook feeds – we have cat cafés, a new cat museum and an unhealthy, undying obsession with Hello Kitty. It was only a matter of time then before Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Cats returned to our shores.
If you haven’t already seen it, you probably still know it as that thing your excessively classy aunty and uncle kept talking about in the nineties, or that musical with that song. Cats is such a pop culture phenomenon that it has had an impact far beyond the usual boundaries of stage — a by-product of its 21 years in the West End and 18 years on Broadway.
Read Also: #TrendSing: A cat's tale in the Lion City
Based on Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot, Cats tells of the night that the tribe of Jellicle Cats reunites for the Jellicle Ball — the night when one among them will be chosen to ascend to the Heaviside Layer and be reborn into a new life. Through song and dance you’ll be introduced to the Jellicle tribe – Jennyanydots the Old Gumbie Cat, the flamboyant Rum Tum Tugger, the aristocratically overweight Bustopher Jones, the once great actor Gus, Grizabella the faded Glamour Cat and Old Deuteronomy the beloved leader. And beneath all this wild and wonderful imagery, Cats is ultimately a story about acceptance and redemption.
This latest run of Cats, produced by Lunchbox Theatrical Productions and BASE Entertainment Asia, scores points for the talent of its cast alone — the choreography is flawless, the songs are delightful and everyone from the leads to the bit part members really gets in touch with their feline side. But even in a production with more than 20 distinct characters on stage at most times, there are scene stealers.
Erin Cornell’s rendition of “Memory” in the role of Grizabella is hair-raisingly brilliant and Earl Gregory is electrifying as Rum Tum Tugger. Christopher Favaloro’s mostly-solo routine as the magical Mr Mistoffelees is a highlight and Richard Woodford’s shuffle between the roles of Bustopher Jones, Gus and Growltiger is particularly endearing. Cats has an unconventional structure and it is best enjoyed as it unfolds without worrying too much about identifying a narrative arc.
A word of advice though: if you’re sitting near the stage, be prepared for audience interaction, even during the intermission (especially during the intermission). It could be in the form of a spooky cat with glowing green eyes suddenly appearing beside you, a sneaky cat peering at your phone as you type away during the break or a curious cat turning your well-styled hairdo into a ruffled mess right in the middle of a number.
And if you find yourself bewildered and befuddled by it all, or you’re just bad with names, this is definitely a show where the programme pays for itself.
Cats is on now until Feb. 1 at the MasterCard Theatres, Marina Bay Sands. Shows are at 8pm from Tuesdays to Fridays, 2pm and 8pm on Saturdays, and 1pm and 6pm on Sundays. Tickets are available from $65 through Sistic.
We can’t get enough of cats in Singapore. Never mind that they make up a good portion of our Facebook feeds – we have cat cafés, a new cat museum and an unhealthy, undying obsession with Hello Kitty. It was only a matter of time then before Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Cats returned to our shores.
If you haven’t already seen it, you probably still know it as that thing your excessively classy aunty and uncle kept talking about in the nineties, or that musical with that song. Cats is such a pop culture phenomenon that it has had an impact far beyond the usual boundaries of stage — a by-product of its 21 years in the West End and 18 years on Broadway.
Read Also: #TrendSing: A cat's tale in the Lion City
Based on Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot, Cats tells of the night that the tribe of Jellicle Cats reunites for the Jellicle Ball — the night when one among them will be chosen to ascend to the Heaviside Layer and be reborn into a new life. Through song and dance you’ll be introduced to the Jellicle tribe – Jennyanydots the Old Gumbie Cat, the flamboyant Rum Tum Tugger, the aristocratically overweight Bustopher Jones, the once great actor Gus, Grizabella the faded Glamour Cat and Old Deuteronomy the beloved leader. And beneath all this wild and wonderful imagery, Cats is ultimately a story about acceptance and redemption.
This latest run of Cats, produced by Lunchbox Theatrical Productions and BASE Entertainment Asia, scores points for the talent of its cast alone — the choreography is flawless, the songs are delightful and everyone from the leads to the bit part members really gets in touch with their feline side. But even in a production with more than 20 distinct characters on stage at most times, there are scene stealers.
Erin Cornell’s rendition of “Memory” in the role of Grizabella is hair-raisingly brilliant and Earl Gregory is electrifying as Rum Tum Tugger. Christopher Favaloro’s mostly-solo routine as the magical Mr Mistoffelees is a highlight and Richard Woodford’s shuffle between the roles of Bustopher Jones, Gus and Growltiger is particularly endearing. Cats has an unconventional structure and it is best enjoyed as it unfolds without worrying too much about identifying a narrative arc.
A word of advice though: if you’re sitting near the stage, be prepared for audience interaction, even during the intermission (especially during the intermission). It could be in the form of a spooky cat with glowing green eyes suddenly appearing beside you, a sneaky cat peering at your phone as you type away during the break or a curious cat turning your well-styled hairdo into a ruffled mess right in the middle of a number.
And if you find yourself bewildered and befuddled by it all, or you’re just bad with names, this is definitely a show where the programme pays for itself.
Cats is on now until Feb. 1 at the MasterCard Theatres, Marina Bay Sands. Shows are at 8pm from Tuesdays to Fridays, 2pm and 8pm on Saturdays, and 1pm and 6pm on Sundays. Tickets are available from $65 through Sistic.