Cats

The popular Australian theatrical podcast ‘Musicals Taught Me Everything I Know’, asks its guests “If you could obliterate one musical from history, what would it be?” Among this musical theatre crowd, the most frequently chosen musical to be removed from the planet is Cats. Despite its dubious reputation, Platinum Entertainment’s Cats Mandurah season has had very healthy audiences, showing that among the general public, this remains a very beloved show.

This is not the traditional Cats. No longer set in the junkyard, we now have what may be Max and Zoe’s play room - most beautifully employed during “Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat”, led by Sooz Bennet. The costuming is much brighter than we have been accustomed to expect, with each cat looking like it has stepped out of a complex colouring book, with highly coloured, intricate costumes. I realised after the show, when the cats appeared in the foyer, that the costumes are even brighter off stage. Makeup and wigs make it difficult to identify particular performers, and at times ‘who sings what’ has been altered, which changes the trajectory for individual characters.

Standouts in this hardworking ensemble include Clay Darius’ powerful Munkustrop, Dean Misdale’s nicely comic Bustopher Jones and Jemma Kuchel’s bright Jennyanydots. Tara Lynette Elliot as Bombalurina provides an impressive aerial performance. Paula Parore, a fluffier Grizabella than is traditional, brought a beautiful and powerful voice to Grizabella, but I would have liked to have been able to see her face more clearly during “Memory” and I felt that this production didn’t give her as much resolution as its predecessors. Mr Mistoffelees is played differently, with a guest appearance by Denzel Mahusay, an urban or hip-hop dancer giving this role a very distinct feel.

While this production probably won’t appeal to the purists, this is a big, bright, well-executed production that has much to offer and was clearly enjoyed by the capacity crowd. Cats will play in Perth at the beautiful outdoor venue, The Quarry Amphitheatre, from November 6-16.

Kimberley Shaw