Stunning On the Outside - Cats - Lennox Tan

 Lennox Tan

Cats

Stunning On The Outside

Have you ever had a ridiculously catchy song stuck in your head? As a visually appealing masterpiece, Cats, directed by Trevor Nunn, opened on Broadway on October 7, 1982 as a majorly successful musical. With another look, the musical may have been too much of a musical. The seemingly simple plot of cats proving themselves in wishing to be reborn is met with minimum dialogue and more song, which resulted in a slightly confusing plotline.

Nonetheless, I cannot ignore the absolutely stunning performances, and the wonderful choreography and lighting completely engulfs the stage with impressive execution. Most notably, Tayler Harris, who plays Grizabella, a character that lived in worsened conditions when related to the other cats, stands out in showing the mix of emotions in her vocals. Bits and pieces of the song, “Memory”, is sprawn out across the musical, and while some high notes were difficult to capture, the song is finally brought together in one stunning performance.

I would go on about each character and how well they performed, but overall most of the performances seemed like a group effort. With instrumental, backing vocals, changing leads, and even the incredible talent shown in the dances, the actors on stage fill the theater with catchy, upbeat tunes. 

The lights, sets, and costumes were also all quite vibrant. Although there were some areas in which the lights didn’t accurately follow some of the characters, added emotion and mood was emphasized throughout the play. I especially enjoyed scenes that included less lighting because of the excessive brightness and color that was given to the rest of the show. 

It is also worth mentioning how well the show depicts the contrast between different scenes. Cats is able to easily introduce and show personality traits within a variety of different characters by only using songs. However the little to no dialogue is quite detrimental to the plot, and I would’ve enjoyed the storyline to be clearer when during the beginning of the show rather than the end (the show revealed why things were happening near the end). As a result, the show doesn’t go into any deeper meaning or drama, and quite feels as if we’re viewing a lengthy talent show. 

 

Overall, with being a visually stunning masterpiece, Cats was able to showcase much talent and initially capture my attention with catchy songs and impressive choreography. However, for an over two hour musical, the lack of plot and dialogue made it difficult to stay interested in the show. Most of the lyrics in songs were quite repetitive, and the meaning could be summed up in a couple sentences. Considering the elements, I wouldn’t reckon that this show is worth the long time slot.