A group of misfits find a home together in a shelter, every year their oldest and wisest picks one of them to get a chance at a new life. One of these misfits is an outcast, shunned and punished for who she was. One misfit is malevolent, scheming in the shadows waiting to strike. Misfits of great ability perform to impress the oldest, but when the oldest sees the beauty in the outcast, they choose her for a new life, angering the malevolent one.The misfits celebrate the outcast as she goes on to live again while fighting against continued attempted sabotage. Did you know that’s the basic plot of Cats The Musical? Probably not. Many see the grown adults crawling on all fours while repeating “Jellicle cats” and quickly choose to watch something else. But if only they watched more.
Cats The Musical was written and partially composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber and first performed on the West End in 1981. The show is based on a series of poems called “Old Possums Book of Practical Cats” written by T.S. Eliot in 1939. It’s been said that the poems were read to Webber as a child; he then got in touch with T.S. Eliot’s wife, who showed him the unpublished poem “Grizabella The glamour cat,” which T.S. Eliot thought was “too sad to publish in a children’s book.” However this poem would provide a heartfelt meaning to these poems Webber loved so much as a child and this insightful moment would stick with Webber and be the reason he later wrote Cats. The show would go on to be performed for 21 years with over nine thousand performances worldwide.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been watching Cats with my parents. I would climb into their bed, right between them, and watch in awe as the actors would perform. I remember being scared of Macavity (that malevolent “person” I talked about earlier). His makeup and overall appearance made me hide under the covers until his scenes ended. But I also remember that heart-wrenching moment when Grizabella (the outcast) would sing her world-renowned song “Memory.” The camera would focus on her as she sang, her glassy eyes shining, “I remember the time I knew what happiness was. Let the memory live again.”
The enduring legacy of Cats led to a 2019 film adaptation by Tom Hooper, which introduced audiences to Victoria’s journey at her first Jellicle ball. Much like the original stage production, we as the audience still get introduced to the different cats, and most of the story is the same. However, this half remake, half revisited version of Cats faced heavy criticism; the use of CGI and visual effects aimed at making the cats appear more ‘realistic’ ultimately detracted from the film. This attempt at a more realistic appearance took away from the whimsical fun of the costuming that the stage version so profoundly portrayed. One of my personal issues with the movie is that many of the songs, especially my two all-time favorite songs, “Memory” and Rum Tum Tugger’s song, failed to match the quality of the live recordings. A part of that issue with the music can be attributed to the fact that a lot of well-known actors were cast in this show in various roles, even though they weren’t always the best pick for what the role entailed. The show should have just stayed on the stage, in my opinion, as the poetic lines and songs throughout the entire show made moments of the movie very awkward.
Every time I talk about Cats I get one of three reactions. The first is a face of disgust, accompanied by a response similar to, “Oh, you actually like that?”
The second is a silent disdain. As if my opinion, my appreciation, is preposterous. The third and final is a question: “What is that show even about?”
Followed by a face of disapproval. I only ever have one response: “Have you ever seen it?” The answer I mostly get in response is, “No.”
How could someone not like something they know nothing about? (A question I frequently find myself asking) How could someone not like something that they know nothing about? (An issue I frequently find myself facing due to my “eccentric” taste) People are looking at the face value of the show. This is an, unfortunately, common human practice, for one to form an opinion based on a first glance or first impression. This judgement is frequently passed on things that are thought provoking, making the watcher or reader think more about themselves and their actions. Eva le Gallienne, an early famous actress and director, once said, “People hate what they don’t understand and try to destroy it. Only try to keep yourself clear and don’t allow that destructive force to spoil something that to you is simple, natural, and beautiful.” I find this quote telling of the way humans think when faced with the strange and unusual. Of course, I understand and acknowledge that this show is definitely strange and unusual, but most theater shows are (particularly the good ones).
Every day of my high school life, I talk to people from all kinds of backgrounds. I talk to theater kids, choir kids, band kids, basketball players, volleyball, softball, football, tennis, wrestling, art, dancers, cheerleaders, and student council members. I could go on and on, but I don’t look at those people for their face value. I look at someone for who they could be – nurses, costologists, actors. I think that’s the whole point of Cats. Looking past what you visually see, to the deeper part of a person. This is reflected when Old Deuteronomy (the oldest and the wisest) picks Grizabella. It’s a heartfelt moment where someone shows her love, for what is said to be the first time in years, and we see past her damaged exterior.
All things considered, I believe Cats has received an undeservedly negative reputation for being a little strange. However, closing yourself off from things or ideas that are not the “norm” closes oneself off to the new. When we dismiss something simple because it is different, we risk missing out on new opportunities of love. Cats is unique and admittedly not for everyone . I’m not saying that everyone needs to love it and cherish the show like I do. I’m saying appreciate it, appreciate what the show means and that another person enjoys it and if you don’t know what the show means you should look into it before passing your judgement.
I give Cats the Musical 5 stars.