Photo credit: Brett Beiner Photography
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats, the 1982 megamusical based on T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, is undeniably polarizing. On opening night at the Paramount Theatre, I saw fans decked out in cat ears and cat clothing—clear devotees of the show—and also heard from plenty of people who recoiled when I mentioned I’d be reviewing it. Still, for all the mockery and confusion it inspires, Cats once held the title of longest-running Broadway musical, ushered in the era of the blockbuster “megamusical,” and carved out a permanent place in musical theater history. Love it or hate it, Cats has earned its legacy.
My own preconceptions leaned heavily toward the skeptical. Beyond the iconic song “Memory,” most of what I knew about Cats was negative. My theater partner for the night summed up her expectations as “a show about cats being cats.” And that, essentially, is what we got—though director Trent Stork’s inventive new staging transforms these Jellicle cats into something quite unexpected: the stars of a full-on cat-themed circus.
The famously thin plot of Cats revolves around a tribe of cats called Jellicle cats who have gathered together at the annual Jellicle Ball to decide which one will ascend and be reborn into a new life. The cats introduce themselves one by one, mostly using Elliot’s poems as lyrics. Traditionally, the stories are told through dance, but Stork’s production reimagined these cats using gymnastics, aerial artists, trapeze artists and other circus performers to create a different world for these cats.
What I liked about the show:
The music, with its lush synthesizers and unmistakable ’80s flair, instantly transported me back to that era. It was a wave of warm, sensual nostalgia that grounded the surrealism in something emotionally real.
The chorus of cats are eerily catlike. Each of the 32 actors have clearly and carefully studied the movements of cats and this, paired with Kasey Alfonso’s dynamic choreography, blurred the lines magically between human and feline. When the full company moved as a group, I felt like I was watching a living, breathing alley cat collective in motion. Even the little moments like Jennyanydots (Kat Hoil) curling up for a nap or Asparagus (Gene Weygandt) crossing his paws in front of him as I’ve seen many a cat do, added mesmerizing authenticity.
What I loved about the show:
From its opening moments, Paramount’s production distinguishes itself. Paramount’s production opens with the very 80’s synthesized overture playing while the screen shows retro graphics of the “Le Cirque Du Chat” and its many performers. This delightful framing device continues throughout the show, and what follows is a nonstop visual feast.
Throughout, not only are Stork’s direction and Alfonso’s choreography keeping us engaged but Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi’s circus choreography is a visual orgy. For example, Hoil’s Jennyanydots, traditionally a tap dancer, is now a contortionist and aerial artist and Mungojerrie (Michael Lunder) and Rumpleteazer (Dani Goldberg) swing through the air, their mischievous antics reimagined as high-flying acrobatics. The Jellicle Ball itself becomes an explosion of dance, aerial stunts, and floating red balloons—a full-on spectacle that captures the chaotic joy of a cat on a catnip bender. The haunting Grizabella (Emily Rohm) is reimagined as a trapeze artist leaving the audience breathless with set designer Jeffrey D. Kmiec’s effects and her beautiful rendition of the Broadway classic “Memory”. There are so many technical components of the show, it is hard to mention them all, but a special mention to the amazing costumes by Izumi Inaba and illusions (because what circus is complete without a little magic) by Benjamin Barnes.
Honorable mentions:
I loved all of the cats and have mentioned many by name already. A few others who moved me in one way or another-Donovan Hoffer’s charismatic Rum Tum Tugger, Emma Oega’s sweet and soulful Sillabub, and Tiffany Topol and Alexandra Palkovic sultry Bombalurina and Demeter.
Is this review disjointed and chaotic? Yes. But so is Cats, especially when you add circus arts. Should you see Paramount’s production? Absolutely . Whether you’ve seen the show before or are diving into the Jellicle universe for the first time, you’ll leave visually overwhelmed—in the best possible way.
Cats is now playing at the Paramount Theatre, 23 East Galena Blvd., Aurora, through June 15. Performance times vary; check the website at Paramount Theatre. Find more information about current plays on our Current Shows page and at theatreinchicago.com.