When Cats first opened on Broadway in 1982, it was the show that everyone wanted to see in its heyday. It lived on for its 18 years until its closing at the Winter Garden. At that time, it was the longest running show in Broadway history (a title that has since been taken over by the still-running Phantom of the Opera since 2006). Now, it makes its return at the Neil Simon Theatre to entertain locals, tourists and children alike. But, having experienced it for the first time, I felt the mood of tedium and blandness seeing this worldwide phenomenon.
There's only one storyline in this musical. Based on the works of T.S. Eliot, It's takes place when the Jellicle Cats come together for the annual Jellicle Ball, in which one of the cats gets selected to be reborn. This piece of business takes about 25 minutes of the show's time. The rest of the minutes include vignettes of different kinds of cats with little or no narrative to the story.
For the record, the first act left me a bit cold and tired, but act two was more energetic. Trevor Nunn, who helmed the original production, is back in the director's seat for this second-go-around, but I wish he could have kick things up more when it drags at times. The scenic, costumes and even makeup design by John Napier looked excellent and the lighting design by Natasha Katz gives a ruthlessly dark touch to the show's surroundings.
The still-legendary score by Andrew Lloyd Webber contains tunes that range from forgettable ("Old Gumble Cat", "Bustopher Jones") to memorable ("Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats" and the classic ballad "Memory). There's also little excitement in Andy Blankenbuehler's choreography.
The cast works well enough with talent and charm to spare. Among those, Quentin Earl Darrington (as Old Deuteronomy), Tyler Hanes (as the rockin' and rollin' Rum Tum Tugger), Ricky Ubeda (as the magical Mr. Mistroffelees), Eloise Kropp (as the tap dancin' Jennyanydots) and Mamie Parris (as the doomed Grizabella) give engaging performances.
I believe these many kids will be falling for this focused yet shallow and uneven revival. But parents and adults should try their best at fighting over boredom in this tacky spectacle.
The Buzz on Cats:
Rating: ** (So-So)
Bottom Line: A promising revival that never takes off at times. But the show gets much better in the second act.
Recommended Best for: Ages 5 and up. Not much offensive stuff here. Still a suitable enough family musical.
Playing at: The Neil Simon Theatre on 250 West 52nd Street (between Broadway and 8th Avenue). Scheduled until December 30th. For tickets, go to ticketmaster.com or call 877-250-2929.
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