When the Cat's away... in China
The Really Useful Group's CATS began its run at the Beijing Exhibition Theater last Friday and fans of Andrew Lloyd Webber have until the 27th of this month to catch the show. Chinese audiences seemed to have enjoyed the musical, transfixed from the moment the meowing-singing actors crawled onto the Beijing stage. They tapped their feet to the melodies and enthusiastically applauded after the musical numbers. On the premier night of the second Beijing Cats tour (the first tour was in 2004), there was a distinct feeling of uncertainty before it begun, as if the Chinese viewers didn't quite know what to expect. It was a good show though, especially if you are a musicals or Cats fan. Even if you aren't, which I didn't think I was, the show still impressed.
The reasons are varied but simple. First of all, there was a clear engagement with the audience by the Australian cast. The cats purred their way off stage into the rows of spectators, with a different cat in each section of the floor. As an audience member you'd either be able to see or hear a cat sing right into your ear. The lady sitting besides me had the misfortune (or fortune) of having a cat lean his hands (paws?) on her head as he sang along to Jellicle Cats.
As the cats rushed back onto stage after this song, the show progressed through all the favorites, amongst them Memory and Mr Mistoffelees. One part of Memory, sang during the second half of the performance, featured a verse … in Mandarin – albeit with a subtle Australian twang. Although there was nothing exceptional or notable about the singing (by a cat named Grizabella), the audience reacted with an astonished intake of breath, and some got over-excited: cheering and shouting a little.
However, in general the quality of singing was high and, most importantly, delivered with concentration and passion. Passion resonated throughout the performance. The price, RMB 480 to 1,680, guaranteed that enough effort was put into set design (sparkly lights, a sea of garbage dumped in front of the stage, and various other effects such as lifts sending the cat Grizabella into the heavens at the end).
Despite having somewhat stupid names, such as Mungojerrie, Rumpleteazer, and Jennyanydots, and a story that culminates in some kind of weird party called the Jellicle Ball, where one cat is chosen to be sent to the Heaviside Layer and be reborn (I mean, what?), Cats, for me at least, was still an agreeable affair. But this cannot be promised for every spectator (although very few left during the show). The enjoyment was pure escapism: sitting back and taking in the camp (cattish) costumes and exaggerated personalities. The musical numbers were memorable, the dancing and singing was decent, in time, and, most importantly, catalicious.
