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My Experience 1
I saw Cats in New London Theatre on 23rd December 1999. Originally I intended to see "Lion King", but the tickets for it were all booked until May. As a result, I and my mother went to see Cats. My mother had seen Cats in 1998 and she didn't like it, well, we are Taiwanese, we can't understand the lyrics very well, that made us feel bored relatively ( But now, I know the meanings, that's why I love Cats). I didn't know the plot of Cats until I saw the booklet after the show, I only heard of 2 songs of Cats before going, the two songs were: "Macavity" and "Memory". I like "Memory" since I was young because I had a music box which could sent out the tune of "Memory", but it is out of order now. I didn't like the song of "Macavity" since I felt it was a strange song, but now, I love it ! !
The New London Theatre
Ok! come back to the main topic. When I entered the theatre and settled down, I surveyed the stage, it's just like a magnified dump ( well! it's the junkyard I should say ) and the stage was not high, that's why these "cats" could jump up and down the stage. My mother told me that the cats would come beside the audience, so I was excited. The orchestra couldn't be seen, my mother guessed maybe it's in the upstair.
The show started, there were some rows of seats closest to the round stage starting moving around along with the stage, how fabulous! I was not seated in that kind of seats, but my seat was in front of a path which the performers would come around frequently. During the overture, many cats emerged, they were running around the path before me and staring at people, haha~~
Well, I bought the video after the show, so I can't remember all of the show since my little brain is engaged with the versions in video. See all performers in the New London Theatre.
Munkustrap (David Ashley) is very tall as Michael Gruber, and he had a wonderful voice. When I first saw Cassandra, I felt the costume was too exposed, well, it's like she didn't wear anything, the Cassandra in video gave me the same feeling too, I think the one who plays Cassandra must have a beautiful figure.
During the "Naming of Cats", some of the cats would come to the path I mentioned above, fortunately, since the row I sat just had 2 people: me and my mother, so the cat who was likely Rumpleteazer (Sascha Kane) came before ME and started the description of "Naming of Cats". Well, she stared at me all along, at last I didn't dare to watch her, her face was so "enthusiastic", just like the faces the performers made in video.
Rum Tum Tugger came out in the middle of the stage ( unlike the video which Tugger came out from the left side of the stage ). The funniest thing is that Tugger ( David Shannon) came down the stage to the audience showing how attractive he was, then, he climbed slightly over an old woman and made a "sex hint" movement to her, well, the old woman was really scared I thought. I am sorry but I really feel David Shannon is a better Tugger than John Partridge, he is a very cool Rum Tum Tugger.
Rumpelteazer and Mungojerrie were brilliant. Rum Tum Tugger seemed to be good friends with Rumpleteazer and Mungojerrie because after the song "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer", when the two burglars were rest at the piles (you can see this part in video too), Rum Tum Tugger walked to them and talked to them before he sang for Old Deuteronomy, it seemd he said: "well, did you two stole some precious things again? Don't stay here, Munkustrap won't be angry with you.", then he gesture them to leave. That was really interesting.
In the song of "The awful battle of the pekes and the pollicles", some cats carried their shoes boxes walking down the stairs beside me to decorate the boxes on, one cat dropped the box down and made a funny face, seeming to say " well! sorry about that", it's good to see them walking around me!
During the intermediate rest time, Old Deuteronomy (Nicholas Pound) didn't leave the stage, he just sat upon the big tire which Old Deuteronomy sat in the video, and some children came up to him for signature. So he didn't take any rest, that must be difficult to him.
The song "Growltiger's last stand" was not recorded in video, it's a pity. I remember the scene for Growltiger and Griddlebone was a beautiful Bed, at first Growltiger was cold toward Griddlebone who was very interested in his mane, but later they became familiar. Well, when I was watching them playing, I had no ideas what they were doing (my poor English) since the theatre cat Gus became Growltiger abruptly, but I know what's going on now.
Demeter who was Aeva May, I am glad to know she is the same Demeter in video afterwards. She was very good, I think maybe she is the only one who is still performing Cats nowaday.
Mr.Mistoffelees (Campbell Mckenzie) was good, he was as adorable as Jacob Brent.
When the show was over, the performers came out, they mostly somersaulted onto the stage, it was very cute. Well, something made me feel there was no orchestra since none of the performers gestured audience to clap for orchestra. According to my experience, at the end of the performance, one actor, usually the leading role would gesture us to clap and the conductor of orchestra would come up to say "thank you". I don't know why no one expressed gratitude toward orchestra, well, maybe because they were "cats", so they couldn't talk to human, haha~~ Oh! yes! another thing is that the cats would come to you and shook hands with you, Victoria (Emma Harris) came to my mother, but I didn't get the chance to shake hands with them.
Until now, I have watched Cats video for about 100 times, Cats is really a joy to my life and I will never ever forget it.
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