CATS Comes to the Pantages

I’ve never really been a cat person, so it doesn’t surprise me that I didn’t love Andrew Lloyd Webber’s CATS, now playing at the Pantages Theatre.

CATS has been translated into more than 20 languages, presented in over 30 countries, seen by over 73 million people worldwide and is the fourth longest running show in Broadway history.

CATS is based on Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot. The musical tells the story of a tribe of “Jellicle” cats and the night they make “The Jellicle” choice at the Jellicle Ball and decide which cat can ascend the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new life.

Each cat character, including Rum Tum Tugger, Skimbleshanks, Magical Mr. Mistoffelees, Bustopher Jones, Gus the Theatre Cat, Jennyanydots, Macavity, Mungojerrie, Rumpelteazer and of course Grizabella with a lovely rendition of “Memory,” gets a moment to shine and share the reason why they should be chosen to be reborn.

The cast does a great job of prancing and preening in their 80s spandex costumes with their 80s big cat hair around the big glorious junkyard set below a beautiful big moon. I have two issues with CATS and neither has to do with the cast. There is absolutely no plot whatsoever and the dance numbers are very, very, very long. Oh, and one other issue, I still have some of the songs stuck in my head after a week of attending the opening night.

As I watched the audience sing along to “Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats,” “The Rum Tum Tugger,” “Macavity, the Mystery Cat,” and the show-stopper “Memory,” I realized that just like the actual felines, people either love or hate CATS the musical. Judging by the standing ovation at the end of the finale, it was apparent that the audience was in the former category on opening night.

CATS is playing at the Pantages Theatre through March 24, tickets available at www.hollywoodpantages.com/CATS and www.Ticketmaster.com.