Date and Time: December 1st 2003, 7.30pm
Place: Regent's Theatre, Stoke On Trent.
I went to see Cats at the Regent Theatre, Stoke on Trent on December 1st with the new cast, and was sat in Row E in the stalls. The stalls has row AA-DD then A-D then a big gap, then row E! So I had the big gap in front of me! Ideal for kitty-interaction! :)
Just bullet points here:
- Jemima is a little too harsh, not soft voiced enough on her solos. - The tannoy said "at this performance, Munkustrap will be played by Matthew Cole" ... does that mean he wont be doing it as the main actor for Munkustrap?
- Just as the Pekes and Pollicles start, Munkus is meant to do a dance pose which Tugger mocks... he did it kind of wrong and kind of late, so Tugger just sort of appeared behind him and laughed in confusion, wandering off swinging his tail (but not as noticable as normally)
- Old Deuteronomy is a little hammy/over the top, but I lilke the tint of an Italian accent in his voice, I like that a lot.
- Mistofelees did 33 spins.
- Skimble pushed the empty seat beside me down, stood on it and reached to people behind me... I had his butt in my face!
- For some odd reason the audience laughed when Tantomile and Coricopat came on at the beginning... a lot of them... I dont know why!
- Bill Bailey only swung once on the trapeze... one swing, nothing special.
- Tugger kissed every bald man's head on the central aisle (horizontal aisle, not traditional vertical), and I even heard him say "one more!" before he kissed the last fella. Lots of laughter for that!
- They also laughed at Grizabella trying to do the dance move where she wiggles her bum with her arms outstretched.
- They cheered and applauded loudly after Macavity's Battery-explosion.
- Bustopher now chuckles away as he nearly falls over backwards before he squeaks, very funny.
- Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer are good, work well together. Mungojerrie was a little too manic in his movements, being a little too emphatic with them so he seemed a bit mad, he also ran out of breath easily. Rumpelteazer was fantastic, sounded proper London instead of fake Cockney, she sounded good!
- Quaxo practically blushed when Tugger kissed him this time!
- Bombalurina is MUUUUUUCH better!
- Griddlebone came on from the stage side-wing, not from the stairs leading into the audience.
- Growltiger puposely DROOLS SPIT now!
- Tugger didnt approach Munkustrap and touch fists with him during Old Deuteronomy's intro.
- Tugger is flicking his collar in a "John Partridge" way a lot more now! Yay!
- Demeter often shouted "MACAVITY!" in unison ...with Bombalurina! And it worked very well!
- Griddlebone/Jellylorum is very good too! :) (But I'm still partial to Rebecca Vere!)
- The audience also laughed at Macavity appearing in a theatre box.
- Grizabella was on incredibly top form, got the longest applause and cheer Ive heard yet.
- Curtain call had Old Deuteronomy RUN on stage and do a long stage jump like a normal Jellicle! That was weird!
-Also right at the end, Tugger came back to the front of the stage when it was nearly empty for more applause, and Bombalurina came behind him scritching his thighs and back etc and he did his fast-shaking-vibrating-shuddering thing he does during the Jellicle Ball.
-Guy Paul (Mistoffelees) seems to always be wearing denim and a cap on exiting the stage door, and has a cigarette without failure! Usually hanging out of the side of his mouth, very hard to see him as Mistoffelees when he looks like that.
