I not only love the animals. The musical is fantastic as well!
It was in early spring when I found videos of the Cats DVD on Youtube. I did not really watch them in order. Just the way I liked it. I didn't wanna watch the part with the Pollicles for a long time for the simple reason that Rumpus Cats looks so unbelievably stupid. I think, he hurts the honor of the Jellicles.
If you want to know:
The musical is already 30 years old. Webber was so young, when he wrote this.
The lyrics, by the way, are NOT by Tim Rice! They are from the poet T.S.Eliot. He collected them in "The Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats". I bought the book shortly after I became a Cats-Fan. Webber just added some melody to it and said,
he is very happy that Eliot's poems had such a musical rhythm. This made the job easy for him.
Is it really easy to write the score of songs like "Memory"?! Also amazing sound: "Old Deuteronomy".
My personal favorite song is "Magical Mr.Mistoffelees". You have to frickin watch this! It pays!
Last Sunday, July the 17th, it was THE day:
I was in the musical with my parents!
Never expected that, but Cats is still touring through Germany. They had so much request, they added a full week of shows in Mannheim. That's why I got lucky.
So we were in that tent, and I already knew every song (except "Growltiger's Last Stand", because that's not in the movie), but I was sooooo excited. It was nice in there. We sat in row 4. Very close to the stage. The actors run all over the place anyway.
Cats is just wonderful! The costumes are so confusing, after a while you forget, there are humans in there. The stage is almost round, has a lot of oversized trash and old cars, wheels, even an oven on it. The cats use that stuff to dress up as bugs, mice or dogs. At the very beginning a shoe falls from the ceiling. I guess a person threw it because the cats were meowing too loud at night^^
There is not a big story in cats. It's more about the music, the dances, the characters, the props. Basically the Jellicles meet once a year to select a cat, who gets the honor to earn another life. Of course they all want to have it. Grizabella is a cat who once was beautiful and famous. She sings the heart-breaking "Memory". All the cats hate her at first. But of course, in the end, she gets the new life.
Meanwhile the evil Maccavity kidnapps the leader Old Deuteronomy. It's not for sure, but fans say, Maccavity is Old D's youngest son. The older ones, Munkustrap and Rum Tum Tugger stayed friendly; just the youngest one freaked out. The magical Mr.Mistoffelees uses his powers to rescue the cat-daddy.
In the end, they are all happy.
I got you guys some pictures of my favorite cats. Part of them even is the German cast. But of some I couldn't find good pics. (alphabetical order)
So, here we go......
Bombalurina is a female cat who sings so amazingly in "Maccavity". Her sister or best friend (not sure) is Demeter. Bomba is always flirting with Tugger, Demeter hates him. But Bombalorina is a great singer and dancer and has a pretty red color.
Also many guys like her, for she moves elegantly and acts a little nasty. Some say, she's the kitten of Gus and Jellylorum. Do you think so?
This is Elektra. She is one of the young kittens. She doesn't play a big part, but I just think, she is cute and so normal. She dances, plays, laughs, is excited about the Jellicle ball,....she somehow reminds me of my best friends o.O
I give you: The marvelous Mr....Mistoffelees!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *pang*
Even in the musical there were little light explosions when that kitten jumped around the junkyard. He is such a good dancer and has the most pretty jacket, with sparkling stones all over it. Misto is the hero of the story, because he brings Old Deuteronomy back to the Jellicles.
In the Internet there are rumors, he and Tugger would be gay. Well, maybe they are bi, but Misto likes Victoria and if the Tugger is gay, then I am Santa Claus!
Munkustrap - he is the oldest son of Deuteronomy and has the second highest position on stage. He leads through the story from beginning to end and does all that important stuff, like fighting Maccavity or telling the story of the dogs.
I love Munkustrap's coat. Grey tiger. Sadly there is no song about him.
For some crazy reason, Skimbleshanks was the one who made me think:
I want to perform Cats with my musical group.
The performance to the song with the train and stuff must be soooo fun. We'd even have somebody who could play him. And that's NOT a defamation! I'm serious.
For those of you who don't know: Skimble works at the train. He's a "Railway Cat".
Even if you wouldn't admit it:
Who does not like the Rum Tum Tugger?!
If you hate how he acts like a macho, then see how he plays the bagpipe, cuddles his dad or talks about his friend Misto. Tugger may be nuts, but he brings action on stage.
And I definitely want a mane like this! That must be great for winter. And also: did you know, Tugger is the last cat on stage before the musical ends? It doesn't really make sense. He just stands there and swings his tail in circles. I did that on my last Joseph-Show in the "King's Song" with a part of my skirt (it was made of scarves).
This is Tumblebrutus. I guess, nobody of you ever heard about him. He's never singing a solo and is never sung about. But he's great. From the way he acts, you can tell he is very young. The older toms have to stop him making fun of Bustopher Jones or Jennyanydots. He loves Deuteronomy almost as much as Tugger does and nobody makes such perfect somersaults, backflips and jumps as Tumblebrutus.
You can recognize him on his face, which is half white, half brown.
This is the best pic of Cats that ever existed!
It shows Etcetera, and she is not in the German Version of the musical.
Like Elektra (her best friend) she does not have a big part. She is just very very crazy (for Tugger).
In the original she is the one who screams so hysterically. And most of the time she has a stupid looking smile on her face. She is just funny, has so fuzzy arm warmers and pretty colors.
One word: cute.
