Yup we're going to be 60s hippies...man

Hi theatre luvvies...

I'm not going to be writing any new posts over the next two weeks as I am going on holiday...a bit of R and R is needed as I have been working hard since January without a real break at all.

Our rehearsals for Jesus Christ Superstar are in full swing now and we have started the choreography.  Last night was a particularly sweaty evening in the school hall, and I had to come home and have a shower afterwards.  It was like a full Zumba workout!

Here are my highlights so far:

• Trying to learn the choreography for the Superstar number with Bob and Margaret - each of us saying 'I'll follow you' last night - not sure who followed who in the end??
• Learning a few aqua aerobics moves for What's the Buzz...
• Our Director's innuendos especially directed towards the younger male members of the cast...its the 'colgate' smiles that do it for him I think
• Judas nattily attired in a waistcoat that he last wore when he was 17 and it still fits him
• Stage speaking ie silently having conversations about absolutely nothing whilst Judas and Jesus square up to each other front of 'stage'

We learned that we are to be dressed late sixties - i.e quite hippy in attire so I am wondering what look we will go for...

I am hoping we can look something like this!  ie hippy but cool...

Or this would be acceptable

I found this which is a real 60's photo of demonstrators but could be straight out of JCS don't you think?

Here we all are just chillin' man and listening to Jesus...

 

Please please nothing like this....

Speak to you all again when I get back from my holibobs....! Bye bye from the soon to be suntanned Diva....

Jellicle Cats Come Out at Night

Hello fellow theatre luvvies...
Sorry it's been a little while since my past post but life has got in the way - or more precisely my job and my hummungous commute every day...some nights I lie on the sofa, a dribbling wreck, waiting for someone to put me to bed.

So anyway onto the today's subject - Cats!!  I was beyond excited when I heard that this musical was returning to the West End for 12 weeks only - EEEEEEKKKKK!  The reason for this excitement is that it holds a rather special place in my heart.  I remember going along to see it when it first came out - I worked out that I was 12 when it first came out in 1981and I think I went with the school! I remember the original cast - Elaine Paige as Grizabella, Brian Blessed as Old Deuteronomy, Wayne Sleep as Magical Mr Mistoffelees, Bonnie Langford was Rumpelteazer (I think) and of course my favourite leading man of all time Paul Nicholas was Rum Tum Tugger.  I think Sarah Brightman might have been in there somewhere as well.I remember being totally blown away by the set and the fact that the 'cats' ran into the audience!  I also remember Brian Blessed was sitting in the audience in character after the interval and signing autographs and he signed my programme (I think I still have it at my mum's house somewhere).

I bought the album and listened to it over and over in my bedroom (to my brothers' disgust) and I think my real love of musical theatre and just  theatre in general was born then - I soooooo wanted to be a Cat in that show!! I wanted to wear furry legwarmers so badly!

Not a great resolution but this is the picture I remember from the 1981 programme - Bonnie down the front on the left!

And here is our diva Elaine as Grizabella in1998...poor old Judi Dench lost out as she had a problem with her achilles tendon in rehearsals  but I think the role ultimately belongs to Elaine who made it her own.

Elaine after a rough night on the tiles - literally, being a cat and all...

Now my hubby does not understand this show at all - he thinks its completely awful.  He said, and I quote "I don't understand what there is to like about it. It's people dressed up in cat costumes, singing silly songs".  My view is - what's not to like about dressing up in cat costumes and singing silly songs??? - (this is where we are poles apart people).  To be fair a lot of people hate it and think its bonkers and it's even more bonkers to think it comes from TS Eliot and his "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats."  So how the hell did Lloyd Webber get the idea to writing a musical about it?

I think this is the copy I had at some point in time..

Apparantly our Andrew really liked this book as a child, so he wrote a musical about it.  Of course!  Reading up about it online he got the blessing of TS Eliot's wife, Valerie, to put the poems to music but the Eliot estate not want any script written - so they ended up with a load of songs about cats and a lot actors who had no idea what they were doing...hmmm sounds a bit like one of our rehearsals at BSMTC.  Although we are currently singing about Jesus and not Cats.  Could we merge the two - now that's an idea Jesus Cat Superstar??

Anyway back to Cats - I think one of the reasons I do like it so much is because it is a bit bonkers. And I also like cats - a lot.  I also love watching really good dancers - as I am not a great dancer myself and I really wish I could do what they do.  The musical is very heavy on dance so I guess I will never achieve my dream to be in it.  HOWEVER - the great news is that my friend Cat (yes she is really called Cat, isn't that appropriate) who also loves cats (she has theatre cats at home, yes really, more on that later)  got me a ticket yesterday and we are going to the last night performance!   MEOOOOOOWWWWWW!  She told me that they will have a photo booth there and you can put on cat make up and dress up - heaven!  I almost wet myself with excitement!  So look out for the pictures later on this year 'cos we are going to go for it.

So here are my favourite Cats from Cats ....

Bombalurina - she's sexy, she's sassy...

Jemima, cute and you get to wear a collar!

Macavity - I know he's naughty but we all love a bad boy don't we?

Munkustrap

And Rum Tum Tugger has to be my all time favourite

Look at that costume!  So rock and roll - although I hear he is now going to rap in the latest version!

I also like Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer....

Don't they look like they're having  fun?

 

Me and my hubby have a little joke now because he hates Cats - we were watching an episode of Inspector Morse once where Morse and Lewis are in the car together and Morse has got some opera on the radio.  Lewis turns to Morse and says " Is this Cats, Sir?" to which Morse replies witheringly and with an expression of utter disgust, " No Lewis, its Maria Callas..." so whenever my hubby puts opera on now I have to say in a Geordie accent " Is this Cats, Sir?"