♫ "Wishing that somebody somewhere would break through these wrought iron doors and just ...
♫ "Wishing that somebody somewhere would break through these wrought iron doors and just smile... because I'm blue..." ♫ Not bad going for 5 reviews! MM x
Member since:08.10.2003
Reviews:5
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Background
In 1939, T.S. 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 Some of his unpublished works, found many years later, were also used in composing the lyrics and score.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 were not written by Eliot himself. 'Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats' was written as a series of letters to his godchildren.
'Cats' opened for the first time on Monday 11th May 1981 and closed exactly 21 years, to the day, later. The show took the world by storm and provided Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cameron Mackintosh with 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 the memories of that wonderful night! I had always enjoyed the music from the show but after seeing it, I fell in love with it even more. My lovely husband bought me a copy of the CD for Christmas 2003
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Synopsis
'Cats' is set on a special night, which occurs each year 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 cats have three different names: the one the family uses daily, the more dignified name and a secret name. It is the cat's contemplation of the latter that keeps felines in deep thought.
Munkustrap, a large grey tabby who serves as the show's narrator, explains that the Jellicle Cats meet once a year to rejoice. He explains that they are waiting
for their leader, the wise Old Deuteronomy, who will choose which one of the Jellicle Cats will be reborn to a new life.
From this point onward, each of the cats tells his own story in song and dance, hoping to be chosen as the special cat to come back to a different Jellicle life.
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The CD
This double disk CD soundtrack has pretty much the full performance of 'Cats', there have been some cuts and alterations for recording purposes, mainly longer dance sections and narrative poem 'The Pekes and The Pollicles'. If you listen to it from the beginning to end, you will get swept up in the emotion of cats and almost be able to imaging sitting on a red velvet seat watching the performance.
The CD has the bonus of having such a collection of stars such as Elaine Paige, Sarah Brightman, Brian Blessed, Bonnie Langford and Paul Nicholas. To find these eminent names of stage together is quite a rarity.
There is such a broad selection of music, from the haunting tones of 'Memory' and 'Old Deuteronomy' to the happy rock style of 'The Rum Tum Tugger' and 'Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats'
The songs are bridged by a piece of recurrent music throughout, played on various instruments and different tempos. Much of the sung narrative is set to this music. This serves the CD and show well in linking it together.
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The Tracks
1. Overture and 2. Prologue These combined tracks set the mood for the opening of the show, they are quite harsh and set the scene for the prowling cats to gather together. There are no lyrics and most of the instruments in the orchestra having short solo sections. The same basic melody is repeated throughout.
3. Jellicle Songs For Jellicle Cats This is probably my favourite song from the whole musical - it is funky at bits and slower at others. It involves the whole company and is telling the audience all they need to know about cats, especially Jellicle cats. The recurring chorus makes me tap my feet and I usually start moving to the music.
4. Naming Of Cats This song is much more haunting and changes the tone completely from the last track. It is much more of a whispered poem with evocative muted music than a song. It explains the naming of cats and how it is a very complicated matter
5. Invitation To The Jellicle Ball Again, this is more speaking to music than singing - it is set to the music I mentioned earlier, in which the same melody is used to back the narrative. It is the part of the show where the cats are invited to the annual Jellicle Ball.
6. Old Gumbie Cat This song is proposing a Gumbie cat, Jennyanydots to be the 'special one'. She would not be the usual choice as she is just a tabby cat. This song has a definite jazzy big bang feel chorus and a melody back narrative in between.
7. Rum Tum Tugger This is another of my favourites, it has a beat which feels like a mix of rock and jazz. Rum Tum Tugger is a curious cat who always wants the opposite of what he has.
8. Grizabella The tone completely changes for this song, it's one of the shorter ones one the CD. It is a sad ballad about Grizabella who used to be a glamour cat and now is down and out.
9. Bustopher Jones This track starts of in a very 1930s musical style, singing about Bustopher Jones, a very much liked, fat and aristocrat cat. He then sings himself in an operatic style before it goes back to the starting tone with Bustopher interjecting.
10. Mungojerrie And Rumpleteazer This tracks takes us back to the style of the overture and gives you the feeling of prowling cats. They are an acrobatic duo who love to play tricks on other cats and on humans by sneaking from behind, swapping places and other sly things.
11. Old Deuteronomy A solo flute melody introduces a slow ballad about Old Deuteronomy, the leader of the Jellicle Cats. It is a haunting song which provokes emotion and always makes me sing along.
12. Jellicle Ball The recurring melody prompts the starts the track that us tells us about Jellicle Cats and the ball. It has a staccato rhythm and it makes me tap feet (again!)
13. Grizabella The Glamour Cat This song is very similar to track 8, again telling
Pictures of Cats - Original London Cast
Cats
us of the misfortune of Grizabella and how she is no longer as she used to be.
14. Memory This is probably the best known number for 'Cats' but at this point on the album, it's a shorter version than the associated one, that comes later. It's probably also Elaine Paige's best known number too.
Disk Two 15. The Moments of Happiness This has a string melody introduction which uses the same music and operatic voice of Old Deuteronomy, followed by Jemima singing a short reprise of memory.
16. Gus (The Theatre Cat) Asparagus, or Gus for short, has his moment in this song. He is as thin as a rake and is tabby. He used to be famous as a theatre cat, playing Growltiger, but now can be found at the back door, merely dreaming of being in the role again/ The song reflects the sad mood of Gus and is quite slow and melancholy.
17. Growltiger's Last Stand/The Ballad Of Billy McCaw This song lifts the pace of 'Cats' but is very harsh and sinister. The pace is fast and disjointed; a muted trumpet plays most of the music. Growltiger was known as 'the terror on the Thames' but most knew he had a timid side,
18. Skimbleshanks 'Skimbleshanks' is a much happier song, which takes us back to tapping feet with an upbeat rhythm. This cat is known as the railway cat, who knows the trains very well.
19. Macavity Macavity is a mystery cat, who is also a criminal. This song is fairly big band-ish, I can imagine it being sung by a glamorous girl in 1930s America.
20. Mr Mistoffelees This is another well known 'Cats' songs, infact it is the song I came out of the theatre singing "And you'll say oh! Well I never, was there ever a cat so clever as Mr Mistoffelees." He is a jet black magician cat who likes to conjure. It's a song with a great rhythm and leaves you feeling very happy.
21. Memory This is the full version of Memory, as I stated earlier. It is a ballad singing about the dreams of a life she once had. This track seems to be present on every musicals compilation.
22. Journey To The Heaviside Layer This has to be the shortest lyric from any musical "Up, up, up past the Russell Hotel. Up, up, up to the Heaviside Layer!" This is repeated, in various harmonies, as the cats make their way to meet Old Deuteronomy.
23. Ad-Dressing Of Cats This song, lead by Old Deuteronomy, brings the CD to close. It explains how to ad-dress a cat and announce the 'winner' for the years' journey to a new beginning. It is a fairly typical finale for a musical with a main character leading and the full company joining in towards the end along with powerful percussion, crescendos and long notes.
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CD Information
It can be purchased on Amazon.co.uk and Play.com for £10.99 Total running time (Disk 1 - 48:20 and Disk 2 -
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber Produced by Cameron Mackintosh and the Really Useful Theatre Company Directed by Trevor Nunn Recorded by Polydor
Full Company: (In amphibolical order) Alonzo - Roland Alexander Asparagus - Stephen Tate Bomballurina - Geraldine Gardner Bustopher - Brian Blessed Carbucketty - David Baxter Cassandra -Seeta Indrani Coricopat - Donald Waugh Dementer - Sharon Lee Hill Deuteronomy - Brian Blessed George - John Chester Grizabella - Elaine Paige Jellylorum - Susan Jane Tanner Jennyanydots - Myra Sands Jemina - Sarah Brightman Mungojerrie - John Thornton Munkustrap - Jeff Shankley Quaxo - Wayne Sleep Runpleteazer - Bonnie Langford Rum Tum Tugger - Paul Nicholas Tantomile - Femi Taylor Victoria - Finola Hughes The Kittens - Peter Barry, Julie Edmett, Anita Pashley and Steven Wayne The Cats Chorus - Jeni Evans, Nick Hamilton, Stephen Hill and Nicola Kimber
Musicians Tony Stenson - Keyboards and Deputy Conductor Rod Argent - Keyboards Peter Lemer - Keyboards Andrew Lloyd Webber - Keyboards John Maskell - Electric and Acoustic Guitar John Mole - Bass Guitar and Strings John Franca - Cello David Locke - Percussion Jon Hisman - Drums Barry Graham - Flute and Clarinet Billy Graham - Trombone and Euphonium Barbara Thompson - Flute Ralph Izen - Trumpet Steve Jenner - Trumpet
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And Finally
I would recommend this CD to anyone with even the smallest passion in music; it's thoroughly enjoyable and is a pleasure to listen to. Even if musicals are not your usual forte, you will probably agree that it is a likable mix of literary work, emotion and music.
Thanks for reading and apologies for the length of the review!
MM x
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
I have wanted to see this. This was a great review very well written Sarah x : )
lipsalve 10.10.2005 18:03
You've really captured the essence of the music here. I could see myself and the children dancing round the living room to this! Jo x
n13roy 20.09.2005 10:27
Really well written, informative and detailed review indeed, I remember seeing this Musical in the early 80s, did n't really enjoy it that much, but there were some good songs in there........Roy
Since its debut in 1981, London's and the world's longest-running musical still secures ... more
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...
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Disc 1 Moments Of Happiness Overture Gus (The Theatre Cat) Prologue (Jellicle Songs For ... more
Jellicle Cats) Growltiger's Last Stand/The Ballad Of Billy McCaw Naming Of Cats Skimbleshanks (The Railway Cat) Invitation To The Jellicle Ball Macavity (The Myster...
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Since its debut in 1981, London's and the world's longest-running musical still secures ... more
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...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
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