I decided to watch Cats as part of Andrew Lloyd Weber’s ‘The Shows Must Go On.’ I had seen this production before and loved it, so was definitely not disappointed this time around. The costumes for the production are overall fairly simple, consisting of a base stretchy jumpsuit and soft jazz shoes for most of the characters to allow them full range of movement, with added details to show their personality. This also blends well with the intricate set, which is cleverly designed to make the cats look more lifelike.
The first character we are formally introduced to is Victoria. She is one of the youngest kittens in the tribe, as seen through the white colour, which conveys her innocence and shyness. She is also described as an ‘angelic’ and ‘soft’ cat, which is again shown through the colour and her lack of angular markings like many of the other cats. Her pink collar also helps to show her delicateness and beauty, as well as her more youthful nature.
Next, we are introduced to Munkustrap, the narrator of the production. He is striking onstage in a black and white wig, which shows his commanding nature. The grey colour of his costume also shows his level-headedness, and his height shows his strong and brave nature.
Jennyanydots is the next cat to be introduced. She is a motherly character, which is seen through her warm and inviting fluffy costume. Her hat also helps to show her age, and makes her seem even more grandma-like. Furthermore, the fatsuit that she wears helps to show the lazy appearance she puts off to her family during the day, which is then removed in a lively tap sequence to show her busy nights teaching the pests of the house skills. The all gold-fringe appearance of this outfit really makes Jenny stand out onstage, and reminds the audience of traditional Broadway, which is the main style of this number. The ‘rats and cockroaches’ played by the other cats that form the chorus have outfits that look like they are made from the rubbish dumped at the scrapheap, which shows that they are playing a character, and really sets the scene. Also, their primarily black costumes really make the audience focus on Jenny as the star.
Next, the Rum Tum Tugger is introduced. His large wig and collar puts all the attention on him, and shows how much he likes to be the centre of attention. The black colour of his costume, studded belt, leopard print and spiked collar also show his rebellious nature, and also gives him a typical ‘bad boy’ appearance, suggesting why so many of the cats fall for him. His two toned, striped wig also links him in a small way to Munkustrap, as the two are supposed to be brothers.
Grizabella then enters, who looks vastly different to all the other cats. Her long tattered coat and heeled shoes make her stand out as an outsider, as well as her long bedraggled wig in comparison to the shorter, fluffier wigs worn by the other cats. Her general ragged appearance also helps to show her vulnerability, age and weakness, however, the black sequin dress underneath is an ode to her glamorous lifestyle, that has now been shrouded by poverty.
Grizabella leaves, and we are introduced to Bustopher Jones. He is a comical character, which is conveyed through his moustache, pink cheeks and roundness. He is also described as an ‘upper class cat’, which is seen through his black suit and spats primarily, and also through his monocle. The red flower in his jacket also adds to his fine nature, and his shirt which is patterned with fish bones, is an ode to his frequent visits to the gentleman’s club to feast on their fine dining.
As the other cats scatter with fear that Macavity has returned, Mungojerrie and Rumpleteaser are introduced as the source of the scare. Their mischievous and cheeky nature is shown through the orange, black and white colours of their costumes, and their petty theft trait is shown through their studded and pearl collars respectively, as they do not really match their appearance. This could also show their family’s expectations of them, which is a stark difference to how they actually are. The two are also twins, causing havoc together, which is further seen is their almost entirely matching costumes and markings.
The other cats return, and welcome their leader, Old Deuteronomy. His large shaggy coat stands out and shows his importance as the tribe’s head, and his age and wisdom is shown through his greying hair and beard. The pattern of colour on his coat also commands attention from the audience, further showing his importance.
Act 1 ends with a reenactment of the ‘The Awefull Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles’, before the cats dance and celebrate the Jellicle Ball. Similar to the rats and cockroaches seen with Jennyanydots, the peke and pollicle masks look as though they have been made on the scrapyard, furthermore adding to the ‘homemade’ appearance. The Great Rumpus Cat, who ends the battle, also stands out as a superhero in his goggles which have glowing red eyes, and his hair is also spiky to further enhance his hero-like character.
Act 2 begins after the end of the Jellicle Ball, and we are introduced to Jemima, the youngest kitten of the tribe. Her youth is shown through her makeup which highlights her large eyes, and her short wigs also shows her youth. The hints of red in her costume also show her playful and jovial nature. The white details in her costume also show her innocence and openness to accept Grizabella into the tribe.
Next we are introduced to Gus, the theatre cat, and his carer, Jellylorum. Gus’ shaggy garments help to show his age, and also help to exemplify the shaking effects of his palsy. His greying hair also shows his age and frail nature. Jellylorum is portrayed as a slightly older, more motherly cat, which is seen through her softer colours and markings, which also show her calm nature. Her relationship to Gus is also seen through the shaggy details around the shoulders of the costumes and the similar facial markings on the two of them.
Skimbleshanks, ‘the cat of the railway train’, then awakes to perform. The orange colour of his coat shows his bright, active and enthusiastic nature, and his woollen, striped waistcoat shows his age and also his professionality for his role. The chain on his waistcoat is another tiny detail which helps to show his maturity. His very sharp, pressed collar also shows he is a bit of a control freak, and likes things to be done correctly.
The celebrations of the cats are interrupted suddenly by Macavity, the mystery cat. His lion-like mane and red and black colours show his evil nature, and his angular makeup as well as his spikes and claws make him seem dangerous and terrifying. He is also very tall to make him seem even more intimidating to the other cats, and is accompanied by his minions, which mimic the spiked details on his costume, to show they are under his control, and are in all black, which also make them seem intimidating and dangerous as they vanish, taking Old Deuteronomy with them.
Next we are introduced to Bombalarina and Demeter. Bombalarina is primarily red, which shows her confident, flirty and mischievous personality, and also her slight mean streak. She also wears mismatched gloves, which show the two contrasting sides of her personality- the more elegant vs the more fiery side. Demeter is also an elegant cat, which is also seen through her gloves, however, she is described as more ‘troubled and skittish’, which is seen through her less confident appearance in comparison to Bombalarina. She has a more neutral black and gold costume, with a more neutral makeup look, and is also smaller in stature, to show her fear and paranoia. The two are also clearly friends, as seen through their matching collars, and other similar features including their gloves, wigs, shoulder details and white chests.
As Macavity returns, he is disguised as Old Deuteronomy inside his large coat, which hides his appearance. However, he is soon unmasked by Demeter, who suspects him, and fights the other cats. His difference to them is clear through the colours in his costume, which are completely different to theirs. Eventually, he is fought off by the cats and disappears.
The final cat we are introduced to is Mr Mistoffoles, the magical cat.He is wearing a sparkly outfit, which gives him a magician-like appearance, which is further enhanced by his small bowtie and white frilled shirt, which also helps to convey his showmanship. Furthermore, his primarily black appearance adds to his mysterious, magical nature, and his jacket lights up, which make him seem even more magical, as he brings back the real Old Deuteronomy for the final Jellicle Choice.
As the ceremony is about to begin, Grizabella appears, and after telling her story, is accepted back into the tribe by Victoria, whose white costume shows her accepting nature similar to Jemima. Old Deuteronomy’s sympathy for Grizabella is also seen through their similar shaggy coats, suggesting he understands what she has been through and the hardship she has faced, and he eventually chooses her to travel to the Heaviside Layer and be reborn.
Overall, I really enjoyed this production, and think the costumes were done really well to convey the different characters personalities, as well as going all together well as a group, to show they are all of the same species. I especially loved how the use of the shaggy textures was used to show the more elderly characters, as opposed to the large amount of white in the young kittens, which was a clever way to show the different age groups among the cats.
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