'Cats' take on new life with tweaks
Actors on the Asian tour of "Cats," from left, Will Richardson, playing Rum Tum Tugger; Brad Little, Old Deuteronomy; and Laura Emmitt, Grizabella, pose for a photo at a cafe in Seoul. / Courtesy of Clip Service
By Kwon Mee-yoo
The musical "Cats," composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, is one of the most popular musicals in the world. Premiering in 1981, the show featuring a handful of feline pals is still performed across the globe in more than 20 languages, attracting an aggregate audience of 73 million.
It has been over three decades since "Cats" first opened in London's West End and while the show’s basics of telling the tales about various cats remain the same, the musical theater classic has seen attempts to stay fresh. In 2014, a revival with new songs by Lloyd Webber raised its curtains in London, followed by a 2016 Broadway revival.
A reworked version of "Cats" will hit Korea as a point of departure for the show's Asia tour. The Asia tour is a new production combining the West End and Broadway revival, breathing new life into the show with a few modernization tweaks.
Laura Emmitt, playing the glamour cat Grizabella on the Asia tour, said she first saw the show in London when she was 11. The girl has grown up and became a professional actress, understudying for highly coveted roles such as Eva Peron in "Evita" and Elphaba in "Wicked."
Now Emmitt will sing the famous show tune "Memory," reminiscing on the character’s glorious past and a declaration of her wish to start a new life.
"For me, the show is huge part of the musical theater history. It's such a phenomenon and as a musical theater lover, it's a privilege to just be in the show." Emmitt said enthusiastically. "The song is so iconic and this role is such a dream to me. When I sing that song, it literally makes me feel so emotional. I have known the song throughout my life, but learning it in depth is so different.”
Will Richardson, playing the perverse and mischievous Rum Tum Tugger, said "Cats" is so unique as it is the only musical that incorporates every single element a performer needs.
Richardson has Rum Tum Tugger in him as the actor and the character share certain qualities such as youthfulness, playfulness, rebellious in some way and a comedic bent. "It feels natural for me to play the role," Richardson said.
Brad Little, one of the most familiar foreign stage actors in Korea known for his roles of Phantom in "The Phantom of the Opera" and Jekyll/Hyde in "Jekyll and Hyde," is seeking change by turning into Old Deuteronomy, the wise leader of the Jellicle cats.
Little said he studied "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats" by T. S. Eliot, the poetry collection that inspired Lloyd Webber to compose "Cats," when he was cast for the role.
"There are so many stories within these poems and the audiences go home with different inspirations," Little said.
He will also reflect on his life in the theater and leadership to portray the role.
"The greatest leaders of our lifetime are people who are real, people you trust, not perfect," he said. "I bring in my father, who was a minister and teacher and his whole life was about being a leader. But he also was a normal, loving human being at the same time," Little said. "I rely so much on the tribe and whether I lead or not, I try to be as realistic as possible in playing Old Deuteronomy.”
Little, who has been performing in Korea for over 10 years now, described Korean audiences as passionate, devoted and loyal. He married a Korean woman and will soon pick up a Korean residence card.
"In the past, I said Korea was home away from home. But now it's my home and there's a big difference. I am very lucky to have the second act of my life here in Korea," he said. "I'm excited to be back on the Korean stage and in front of the best audiences in the world."
The show attracts many repeat audience members naturally, but the production continues to evolve at the same time.
"’Cats’ draws people back. The first time you see the show, you see the whole piece. When you return, you will notice subplots and stories of different characters," Emmitt said. "They miss so much the first time and catch things when they return to the show. The different relationships, storylines and interactions between the cats draw people back in."
While some shows gets an overhaul by a new creative team, "Cats" is still in the hands of the original Trevor Nunn and original choreographer Gillian Lynne, keeping the show as great as it has been with fresh twists.
Make-up and costume design has been upgraded to portray distinct features of the characters. Grizabella has become more charming, emphasizing her glamorous past than disheveled present.
Lynne re-choreographed some scenes such as the tap dance sequence of tabby cat Jennyanydots and Lloyd Webber wrote a new song for the theater cats Gus and Jellylorum, replacing "The Ballad of Billy M'Caw."
"Cats" will be performed at the Gimhae Arts and Sports Center in South Gyeongsang Province from June 29 to July 1 and arrive in the Haeoreum Theater of the National Theater of Korea in Seoul on July 11, running through Sept. 10. Seoul tickets cost from 60,000 won to 150,000 won. For more information, visit www.musicalcats.co.kr or call 1577-3363.