Musical: Cats

Today, I was supposed to be back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) for The Midnight Gang Musical, from Chichester Festival Theatre. But isn't it a good job it was free.. because another UITCS group was meeting at the same time to see this week's Andrew Lloyd Webber offering. Which is.. Cats! Starring Elaine Paige and Sir John Mills. I've always, always wanted to see this show, so cancelled the other. Available from yesterday evening for 24 hours in the UK - 48 hours everywhere else, interestingly!

I started watching a little early - always advisable, as someone with buffering issues discovered. Ah, what a difference from By Jeeves, last week! (Seems that Andrew Lloyd Webber has given a shout-out to anyone who lasted through it!). His material is just better suited to flamboyant productions, I think, and big ideas - the niceties of an English drawing room don't bring out his greatest talents.

This, however, is a delight.. I think we all felt the same. The costumes are great - the dancing is good, although personally I was enjoying the music, and just wished they'd get back to it. And oh, the music.. it turns out, however, that mostly it's taken from the poetry collection on which the show is based, T. S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. (Cat lovers take note, you're bound to find familiar felines here.) Expect some clever quips.

So, I had a ball. But what elevates it beyond a whimsical way to spend a couple of hours is that one song that Lloyd Webber apparently dashed off quickly, upon hearing that Elaine Paige had been cast. This version of Memory is absolutely devastating - as someone remarked, she's ruined the role for everyone else. I swear, one moment in this song provides enough justification for the existence of musical theatre. And the closeups that you get in this online version.. I just melted. I don't often give my laptop a round of applause - this, I gave two. For goodness' sake, check it out.. I'm curious as to why the film version is panned - but having seen Jennifer Hudson sing a snatch of Memory in the trailer, I think I'll skip it - not a patch on this.

For the videoconferencing afterwards, Jitsi was fine on my phone, although the smaller screen proved awkward for seeing everyone, once more people joined. But reception was good, and I'll be using my phone for Jitsi in future.

Early tomorrow afternoon, UITCS are seeing - ooh - Andrew Scott, in Sea Wall. Wouldn't you know it, this is the one - written specifically for him - that I missed, back in 2018! By minutes! Because of moving into my new flat, and I'd bought an expensive ticket 'n' all. Two minutes over, and they wouldn't let me into the Old Vic, and had nowhere for me to watch on screen. Tsk. Well, another I finally get to see.. and am really looking forward to.

Later that afternoon, London Social Detours (LSD) has an online game of hangman! Well-known play or book titles, which we have to suggest.. I'll have to get thinking!

Monday, of course, sees another round of the London Literary Walks quiz.

And next Saturday, back with LSD for an NPG talk on Richard III.. specifically, on what a famous portrait of him can tell us about his true character..