With a dip and a fan clack, ‘Cats: The Jellicle Ball’ pounces back to Broadway
8 / 10
Does this Cats make more sense than the original? Mostly. Cat burglars Mungojerrie (Jonathan Burke) and Rumpleteazer (Dava Huesca) are now from Victoria Grove, New Jersey, and Skimbleshanks (a scene-stealing Emma Sofia) is now your bilingual MTA operator. But we can’t fully escape Eliot’s original London locale. Similarly, Moore’s Grizabella may resonate more with those who know the Ballroom hall of famer’s real-life story, despite scenic designer Rachel Hauck’s smartly conceived ascent to the Heaviside Layer. Still, this is a Cats worth clawing for tickets over, and proof positive that Broadway can still turn a lewk.
