Jellicle Ball at PPAC (NYC)

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

CATS is back.  Gird your loins.

This version blends LGBT ballroom culture with mostly original arrangements of the long-running British musical.

While I was curious to see what they'd end up with, I have seen the near-universal raves for this production.  I'm not the biggest fan of the original show, but went in anyway and hoped for the best.

What I got was a $300 seat that would have worked a lot better in a gay club versus a legitimate theater.  The audience was young and seemed to want to make it about themselves (screaming, popping fans, talking back to the show, etc).  The performances aren't truly competitive ballroom and that lack of motivation made things feel slow and unexciting (to me,, at least). 

The vocals in the show were fantastic, especially when the company was singing as a group.  They have the choral arrangements down pat. 

I just didn't find the gimmicky nature of the show enjoyable.  

Plus, I loathe when performers break the fourth wall.  It reminds me of the awful things they do at theme parks and cruise ships.

This show keeps getting extensions, so it's likely to still be running into early Fall.  YMMV.

[+ nycman]

Don’t make us work…..

Cats: The Jellicle Ball | Perelman Performing Arts Center

PACNYC.ORG

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PAC NYC is a new home for emergent and established artists in theater, dance, music, opera, film, and media from New York and the world.

Looks like the perfect dumb musical for a dumb block of a building….

Yes, I hate Cats.
Yes, I hate the PPAC.
Yes, I hate Ron Perlman. 

What’s your point?