I admit, I have never seen CATS, so with this being my first time, I had very high expectations. Considering it has been performed for 27 years over five continents and 26 countries, and it won seven Tony Awards in 1983 including Best Musical, I expected to be dazzled by a theater experience of a lifetime. While the musical performances from the Broadway Across America traveling cast are impressive, I did not love the show. I’m hard-pressed to say I even liked the show. I went as far as to ask friends and family afterward if I am crazy and everyone else actually loves CATS, but every single person I asked felt the same way – silly premise, lacking in substance, an 80s over-the-top production.
To say there is a story is bordering on ridiculous, and the lyrics to many of the songs are just as ludicrous. I found myself saying, both at intermission and after the show, that I just don’t get it. What is the appeal? Nothing really happens, and there is no character development so we have no one to really care about. The only thing I liked was the first performance of the well-known song “Memory”, mainly because it was the first scene to actually have any substance, and the actress singing has a beautiful voice. After about 30 minutes I tried to just focus on the music. The traveling company slightly redeems itself with outstanding vocals from every member of the cast.
If you happen to be a fan of CATS, this Broadway Across America Portland show closes Sunday, March 28, and tickets start at $23.50. I sat in the orchestra ($63.25) and the view was excellent, even if the show wasn’t.
One reply on “Broadway Across America Portland presents CATS”
This was also my first time seeing CATS. I was amazed by the actors beautiful voices, their accomplished dance training, their athleticism, and their ability to keep up with the constant choreography. However, I couldn’t agree more with the reviewer. There was no story line, no character development, lots of repetition, and a lot of gimmicks to keep the audience engaged. I felt like I was a voyeur to a drama class on steroids. This production just wasn’t my cup of tea, and I am hard pressed to understand what keeps crowds coming back. It was a terrible show, put on by some magnificently talented people.