Sunday 3 December 2006

Cats - 2 december 2006




Yesterday I went to see Cats at the Gothenburg Opera with my friend Annika, and it was really a wonderful production!
I did have kind of a hard time getting used to it being in Swedish, as I know most of it in English, but after a while it felt okay.

I really love Cats because of its marvellous set and fantastic make-up and constumes, and I certainly wasn't disappointed yesterday! Very impressive!
The sets were actually quite amazing, with Mungjerrie and Rumpleteazer tumbling out of a huge tea cup (!), a giant size pot plant crashing down on the stage (!) and perhaps the most impressive: Skimbleshanks' train going around the stage, pulled by the actors! Incredible!!

Niklas Andersson, famous Swedish performer (who has also done a lot of work in London's West End), played Munsktrap, and he did a fantastic job! He looks excellent in cat costume *lol* and his voice is amazing! I'm very glad that I got to see him live (this is actually the second time for me, I was lucky enough to see him as Chris in Miss Saigon - another excellent performance!)!
Grizabella was played by Evelyn Jons and her prime number was without a doubt "Memory" which was very, very moving!
I also quite enjoyed seeing Patrik Magnusson as Rum-Tum-Tugger and Per Myrberg as Gus/Growltiger (I've seen Per Myrberg in Chess in Stockholm (2003) and he always gives a great performance)!
Hans Josefsson played Old Deuteronomy (which unfortunately had been translated to 'Profetikus'), he did a great job - wonderful deep voice! - but I think I would have liked to see a little more and charisma and authority in his performance.

There were also four absolutely amazing dancers on stage - I could hardly believe what they were able to do!! Credit to Hanna Linné (Victoria), Timo Lattu (Pouncival), Katja Kortström (Tantomile) and Mattias Andersson (Coricopat)!

I loved the way they did the curtain call, which felt quite original. The orchestra played the Jellicle Cats-song and the variuos groups, pairs or singel cats came on stage and did their own little dance routine, while the audience clapped to the song!! Very nice!!

All in all - a great production and a great Saturday afternoon!!





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10 comments:

The Darkest Night said...

Great review! :) I really love the pics you chose to post too! :)

Jessica said...

Glad you enjoyed it!
I really should have written even more, but I just don't feel like I have the time for it right now! *sigh*

It was REALLY hard to choose pics too ... I wanted to post them all - but I don't think that would have worked! :)

Sandra said...

Hey, hope you didn't mind me reading this :) I found your blog through Annika's, and was curious to hear your thoughts about Cats. It certainly sounds and looks amazing!
/Sandra

Jessica said...

Hey Sandra!
Of course not - just happy to see more visitors and readers! :)
Cats was truly fantastic!! A really great production, I soo wish I could go and see it again, but I don't think that will be possible ...

The Darkest Night said...

Yeah, I can imagine it was hard to choose the pictures! I only scanned ONE page of my program today, and I still had trouble...*lol*

I also really wish I could go see it again..but I really doubt it's possible to get tickets....*cry*

Sandra said...

How much did it cost to see it? I have never been on a real musical myself =( But I bet it's reallt expensive?

I am glad you didn't mind me reading, Jessica :)

Sandra

Jessica said...

the darkest night:
Yeah, there were so many great pictures in the programme ... I wish I could have posted them all!
I guess we can rule out seeing it again ... *sob* I know it's not possible, but I still REALLY want to go! :)

Sandra:
I think we payed about 500:- (swedish kronor) for this ticket, and I think that tickets are usually around that - it depends a little on where you want to sit - better seats cost more, obviously! :)
I REALLY hope you can see a live musical some day, Sandra, it's such an amazing and very very powerful experience!!!

The Darkest Night said...

Yeah..*crying*...how unfair!! You think we can sneak in and watch it on the TV screen? *LOL*

Jessica said...

*LOL*
That would be SOOO cool!!! :D :D

The Darkest Night said...

Yeah! :) :) *lol*