... Eliot published a poetry collection entitled 'Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats'; this was set to music, almost word for word, to make the musical Cats. Some of his unpublished works, found many years later, were also used in composing the lyrics and score. Only 8 lines in the whole musical ... Read review
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bums on seats in a dozen theatres worldwide. Uncountable recastings and re-orchestrations later, Lloyd Webber's adaption of T. S. Eliot's Old Possums Book of Cats s...
Cats UK -
Since its debut in 1981, London's and the world's longest-running musical still secures
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bums on seats in a dozen theatres worldwide. Uncountable recastings and re-orchestrations later, Lloyd Webber's adaption of T. S. Eliot'sOld Possums Book of Catsstr...
bums on seats in a dozen theatres worldwide. Uncountable recastings and re-orchestrations later, Lloyd Webber's adaption of T. S. Eliot's Old Possums Book of Cats strives to please the ears of ever new generations. This is the original cast recording, and it retains a freshness from the still recent opening, its novelty untarnished by decades of success. Also the abundance of "names"--both singers and musicians--makes this one of the high class musical recordings of all times. Elaine Paige rose to stardom as Grizabella with the hit "Memories"; at the time, though, bigger names were Wayne Sleep, Paul Nicholas and Brian Blessed. Sarah Brightman and Bonnie Langford are also on the cast list. Lloyd Webber himself plays keyboards and the impressive roster of session musicians includes Barbara Thompson and David Locke. Lloyd Webber, well versed in the practise of "auto-quotation", can always look back to this work for cat-chy material: the "Overture", "Old Gumbie Cat", "Rum Tum Tugger" and "Mr.Mistoffelees", the list of good tunes and themes goes on and on. This remains a fun listening experience, even for those few who still haven't caught the show. --Yngvil V.G.
20th-century musical theatre, despite the fact that arty types condemn the show for its crass populism and deride Andrew Lloyd-Webber for, well, being him. Ignore the statistics and the apparently uncool nature of the whole enterprise, however, and there are heartening--and rock-solid--musical and literary reasons for the show's extraordinary vitality. Lloyd-Webber's talents as a composer lie in his wide-ranging appreciation of the forms and sub-genres of both current and historical popular music. Thus, when the Jellicle Cats are presented as a gospel choir, the Rum Tum Tugger is modelled on a pelvis-thrusting rock & roll reprobate, Mungojerry and Rumpleteazer are a knockabout music-hall duo and Jennyanydots metamorphoses into Ginger Rogers, we know exactly where Lloyd-Webber's coming from even if we don't know we know, almost to the extent that the entire history of popular music could be reconstructed from this single work. T.S. Eliot's verse, quite apart from its inherent musicality, offers a richness of language which is clearly as inspiring to the cast as to the composer. --Roger Thomas
Advantages: Excellent mix of music, very easy listening and full performance. Disadvantages: Repitition
...a catalyst for future musicals. Cats became London's longest-running musical in 1989 when it played its 3358th performance at the New London Theatre. In 1996 it became the longest running musical ever to play in the West End or on Broadway. It is probably Lord Lloyd Webber's best known work.
Thankfully we managed to see the production London Company on it's farewell tour at the Edinburgh Playhouse Theatre about 2 years ago and we will always treasure ... ...when the tribe of Jellicle Cats reunites to celebrate who they are. The cats emerge one by one, singing of their unique abilities and special traits in a fusion of poetry and dance. But the cats are not alone - humans (the audience) are present in the cats' private world. The cats are at first reluctant and suspicious to include others in their domain. They are proud, however, and they explain to their human visitors who they are and reveal that ...
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12.09.2005
Feline Happy? Review ofCats - Original London Castby
KarenUK
Advantages: Some great songs, good cast, a classic musical Disadvantages: Some weaker songs
...by listening to the musical Cats and letting you know what I think of it. I actually own two versions of this on CD – the Highlights From Cats (one CD - 15 tracks) and the two-disc set with 22 tracks on it. I’ll b e reviewing the latter here.
For those that don’t know, Cats is an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical based on T S Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats. Most of the songs are the poems from the book set to music, but some use Eliot’s other ... ...also asking me what Jellicle cats were! I guess I’ll have to buy T S Eliot’s book at some point, so I can show her where the ideas come from. Apparently, Jellicle cats are pretty amazing things as the lyrics tell us how they can do pretty much anything.
Eliot’s poems are very observant of cats and their characteristics. Add the stirring musical score (and the costumes and dance routines from a visual point of view) and each type of cat really shines, ...
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