LIVE! LIVE! Life is a banquet, and some sorry sons of bitches are starving!
Friday, May 15, 2026
CATS:THE JELLICLE BALL
When I went to NYC recently, the main reason was to visit the clan, and we all had plans to go see the Broadway show Cats: The Jellicle Ball. New York City on a Saturday night and the excitement was building as show goers queued up all the way down the block, for Broadway's latest sensation.
This revival I found to be a vibrant, queer-centric reimagining of the iconic 1981 musical. Instead of felines at a literal junkyard, the show sets the production in the underground LBTQ ballroom and house scene rooted in New York City. The characters still compete to be chosen for a new life, but they do it through fierce vogueing, runway and dance battles judged by "Old Deuteronomy. The stage is transformed into an underground ballroom. The songs become competition categories where "cats" perform on a runway to win favor with the judges, who rotate each week with different celebrities. The show pays homage to the legendary real life ballroom community. And the cast! It gave a new reason to cheer! For costumes, voguing and even for the laughs. Not to mention, I've never seen any live production with so many trans people, more important than ever. Here's an idea: have more roles for gay/trans/drag! Give them a chance to shine and they will. This production proves it!
I am Tempress plays Grizbella and to the hilt!! She is styled as an older trans woman whose silicone has dropped...and the makeup team actually painted her face crooked so that her mouth drooped. Tony winner Andre DeShirlds ruled as Deuteronomy. He holds one note that lets you know right ways why he's a Broadway legend. It was also nice to see Junior LaBeija, from Paris is Burning who played Gus and Tempress who is from the House of Margiela. It's a huge bonus to see the ballroom community showcased and thrilling the mainstream I say. And DON'T get me started of Sydney James Harcourt who plays Rum Tum Tugger!! That man and his moves gave me the vapors honey!!! Excuse my French, but that man is fucking scorching, sexy as hell. Nina West is friends with him, I must get the tea on him darlings. Another reason I liked the show was to see costumes by Qween Jean, who has gotten raved over her costume designs.
My own critique, the story is told through song. But the music is louder that the cast's vocals. If you can't hear the lyrics, you can't quite follow the plot. The good news? It doesn't matter. Don't over think it. The show is fun, electric and spine tingling to watch. This version of Cats is arguably superior to the standard one, wrote one review. I agree. Go see it if you get to NYC. Now it remains to be seen if it will be hot and crazy or a huge hit...but the nominations say different, and are a good sign, for the show only open for a little over a month.
I saw the Cats: The Jellicle Ball signs around the blog-o-sphere and skipped right past because of my loathing of Cats the musical. I had no idea what it was about ... a BALL!!!! With the LGBTQ+ inclusivity. It sounds fabulous. I need to get the the NYC with Carlos soon. And Alyssa Edwards! Of course she's sold out!
I went to see Cats back in 1983 without knowing it was a dance musical. I like musicals. My first musical with Ben Vereen. Pippin's a dance musical choreographed by Bob Fosse. It also has a lot of dialog. I loved that show. Cats has no dialog, just dancing. I hated Cats. Since this revival is still only dancing, I'd probably hate it, too.
Unlike some of your commentators above I LOVED 'Cats' right from the start when I saw it way back with the original London West-End cast before it opened anywhere else - and I've seen it another four times since, including in Amsterdam. This latest venture sounds FAB! I wonder what Lord Andrew L-W would think - though presumably they must have gotten his permission do this version, and he does tend to be quite broad-minded in such matters regarding his creations. And anyway, anything to scrub away the memory of that dismal film has got to be worth it. I only wish I too could see this.
That looks cool, but I had to reread that a couple of time. The silicone has dropped? That sounds like a cosmetically enhanced version of Stop The Car!
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I saw the Cats: The Jellicle Ball signs around the blog-o-sphere and skipped right past because of my loathing of Cats the musical.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea what it was about ... a BALL!!!! With the LGBTQ+ inclusivity. It sounds fabulous. I need to get the the NYC with Carlos soon.
And Alyssa Edwards! Of course she's sold out!
OMG
ReplyDeleteSuch a treat! This looks fantastic!
Free that Cats movie, this is a huge improvement.
XOXO
I went to see Cats back in 1983 without knowing it was a dance musical. I like musicals. My first musical with Ben Vereen. Pippin's a dance musical choreographed by Bob Fosse. It also has a lot of dialog. I loved that show. Cats has no dialog, just dancing. I hated Cats. Since this revival is still only dancing, I'd probably hate it, too.
ReplyDeleteYour description made me think of a novella I read recently by Ben Aaronovitch.; the masquerades of Spring, set in New York in the jazz age.
ReplyDeleteWhat an INSPIRED idea for a "Cats" revival! Looks fabulous!
ReplyDeleteUnlike some of your commentators above I LOVED 'Cats' right from the start when I saw it way back with the original London West-End cast before it opened anywhere else - and I've seen it another four times since, including in Amsterdam. This latest venture sounds FAB! I wonder what Lord Andrew L-W would think - though presumably they must have gotten his permission do this version, and he does tend to be quite broad-minded in such matters regarding his creations. And anyway, anything to scrub away the memory of that dismal film has got to be worth it. I only wish I too could see this.
ReplyDeleteSounds even worse than the original, to be honest. At least that had Elaine Paige in it. Jx
ReplyDeleteThat looks cool, but I had to reread that a couple of time. The silicone has dropped? That sounds like a cosmetically enhanced version of Stop The Car!
ReplyDelete