Review: CATS Invites Its Audience to the Jellicle Ball

What is a Jellicle Cat? I had no idea prior to Tuesday, November 16, 2021. You might be thinking, but Emily, I'm not a cat person. Well, truthfully, I have always been a cat person, and after seeing Cats at Bass Performance Hall, that hasn't changed a bit.

Now that in-person performances have been back for a short while, theaters have clearly become more intentional and efficient with their protocols. There was a short, fast-paced line to approach the doors of Bass Performance Hall. Theater staff thoroughly yet quickly checked proof of vaccination or negative Covid-19 test results. After being cleared and securing our masks, we were able to enter the building. Concession and merchandise stands were open for business. The environment felt safe and welcoming to everyone who has been itching for an in-theater experience.

As the last few theater-goers found their seats, the lights began to dim. The crowd's excitement was evident. I was excited, too. Of course I had heard of Cats, but I had never actually seen it. I was prepared to witness this celebrated spectacle and form my own opinion. The lights reached their lowest point and glowing eyes appeared on the stage, showing us that we were not alone. The Jellicle Cats had arrived!

The opening scene set the tone for the performance; there would be singing, dancing, and impressive implementation of visual elements. In the midst of the first big musical number, a massive shoe dropped on stage. The cats stopped, stared at the shoe, and hilariously went right back to singing and dancing. If you have ever had a cat as a pet, you would recognize this behavior-doing something, getting disturbed by their human or another pet, and then going right back to what they were originally doing.

I'm sure we have all mimicked a pet at some point in our lives, but this was the real deal. The actors must have spent hours studying their own cats because their physical movements were shockingly accurate. They were crawling and slinking around the stage, sharply and quickly moving their heads to gaze in different directions, and occasionally twitching their legs as all cats do when they scratch the right spot. These impressive depictions remained evident in every song and dance number. It must be difficult enough to master the distinctive mannerisms of a cat, so to watch the actors remain in cat character while singing and dancing was spectacular.

Watching the Jellicle Cats interact as a society was beautiful, yet there were still individual personalities that stood out to me. It felt as though the show truly began when Rum Tum Tugger, played by the energetic Zach Bravo, shimmied his way on stage. This character invited the audience to laugh, sing, and dance as we continued our journey to learn about the too often forgotten Jellicle Cats. A bit later we were introduced to a deceptive duo, Mungojerrie, played by Max Craven, and Rumpleteazer, played by Kelly Donah. They danced around and reminded us of the mischievous side of cats. Yes, they can be sweet, but they will still cause trouble when you least expect it. Bringing some groovy sounds and dance moves to the stage were Lauren Louis, portraying Demeter, and Chelsea Nicole Mitchell, portraying Bombalurina. Their soothing voices and smooth dancing distracted me from the fact that they were singing about the villain, Macavity, played by Aiden Pressel.

Two personalities clawed their way to the top-Mistoffelees and Grizabella. (I'm sorry. I had to make at least one cat pun.) Of course Mistoffelees captured my attention with his illuminated jacket, but his dancing was the noteworthy part of his performance. Paul Giarratano, acting as Mistoffelees, moved across the stage with so much grace and energy that it looked like magic. As impactful as Giarratano's dancing was Tayler Harris's singing in her role as Grizabella. At the end of Act I, Grizabella gave us a splendid performance of one of theater's most momentous songs, "Memory," that was written by Trevor Nunn. As Grizabella sang beautifully but struggled to dance like she once could, we were naive to the theater-shaking performance of "Memory" that was to come in Act II. Harris's voice filled the room with gorgeous, heartbreaking notes that I am still thinking about days later.

None of the cats' personalities would have been impactful without the workings of the stage crew. The set itself remained constant, but the lights and moving stage elements emphasized the cats' experiences. Periodically throughout the show, moving props were carried on stage to create a new atmosphere. One of the most unique examples of this was when Skimbleshanks, played by Christopher Salvaggio, was singing about being the Railway Cat. The other cats used temporary props to portray a large moving train on the stage. This was one of the only moments of the performance when I audibly said "wow." John Napier, responsible for scenic and costume design, deserves recognition for this incredible scene. Another deserved celebration goes to Natasha Katz who handled light design. I can't say I have ever focused on the use of a spotlight, but in this production, I couldn't stop noticing it! Some may even say the spotlight was spot on.

Overall, I recommend this show to others who enjoy musicals. I didn't leave the theater feeling overwhelmed by a life-altering lesson I learned from the performance, but the acting was impressive, the dancing was graceful, and the singing was spectacular. It was entertaining. If you talk to your friends about Cats and hear them say, "it was interesting," they are correct, but don't let that keep you from going to see it for yourself.

If you are looking for a fun, safe way to have a night out, go see Cats at Bass Performance Hall. My only word of caution is that the building is quite chilly. Dress accordingly. There is free parking after 6:00pm in the garage next door and lots of restaurants for dinner before the show. Take advantage of beautiful downtown Fort Worth and go see Cats, even if you claim you're not a cat person. It's worth it.

Details:

Bass Performance Hall November 17-November 21. Purchase tickets through the Bass Performance Hall website.

Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy/Murphymade

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