re: CATS - THE JELLICLE BALL | |
Posted by: NewtonUK 07:26 am EDT 07/11/24 | |
In reply to: re: CATS - THE JELLICLE BALL - Chazwaza 02:54 am EDT 07/11/24 | |
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Chazwaza has a point here. Although I differ in one way. OKLAHOMA is a great musical, which doesn't need a makeover. Daniel Fish did indeed make hash of the intent of the writers, as well as introducing the worst dance number in the history of modern Broadway. You can't really do much damage to CATS. And unlike OKLAHOMA, the authors and rights holders of CATS are all still alive - and they are fine with THE JELLICLE BALL. Especially wit the money that will roll into their pockets. ALW, Cameron M, tervor Nunn (who wrote the lyrics for Memory and OEM for Jellicle Cats) and Richard Stilgoe. mean Cameron has a castle and a yacht to take care of. When I saw Fishlahoma, first at St Annes, then on Broadway, I thought that most everything worked surprising well in Act One - other than I never figured out why Laurie was a grumpy tom boy with attitude. I mean why were Curly and Jud interested? Then intermission came, and I went - wait a minute - did they cut the Dream Ballet? Thats what Act 1 builds too, one of the most famous and game changing dance sequences in Broadway history. Then Act 2 starts, and the penny drops. If THAT dance number ended Act one half the audience would have left. Both times I saw FISHLAHOMA, audience members did leave during and after that dance. Then there was the Laurie/Jud oral sex scene. And then Curly killing Jud in cold blood, and the whole town of horrible Oklahom-ers being indicted by Fish for the violent racists that they were. Except. That Mr Fish likely didn't read the almost full page article in the Times, in 1943, about how he and Rodgers had wrestled over how to end the show, with integrity, with some uplift. They thought through all the problems of the story telling and characters actions, and came out the other end with an idea that worked a treat for almost 8 decades until Mr Fish decided that he knew better. With CATS. Who gives a flying .... I mean, if its fun, and people like the Jellicle Ball - go forth and be gleeful. Heaven knows the recent revival on Broadway wasn't much fun. |
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