Cats: The Jellicle Ball Write Up
Wow it's been so long since I've had to do one of these. /j Anyways, I have once again traveled all the way to New York to see Cats: The Jellicle Ball with it's Bway transfer. Around the same time that there are problems with airports...good thing I booked the train preemptively and won't get stuck again.
Important to note that I've only seen the show in previews, so they could change some things in the next *checks time when I'm posting this* day before it officially opens. So if one of you sees it next week and goes "um, that didn't go that way". Obviously it's not gonna be exactly the same, I went to it while they were still trying things out. I'm gonna skip a few things since I am gonna narrow in on changes they made from the off-broadway. I know not everyone has seen it, but I made a whole video on it literally talking about everything that went down in that production so excuse me if I skip a few things.
My shows were for April 3rd and April 4th, so let's go!
Originally for the April 3rd show I was literally going to be last row of the mezzanine, but just as I was sitting down, one of the ushers came up to me and asked if I wanted to go down to the Orchestra free of charge, and yes obviously I want to do that!
April 4th i assumed I would be third row and I couldn't get any closer because the first two rows had just been booked. Turned out that they took out the first two rows entirely and just grayed them out on the site, so guess who was in the front row!?
The 4th I also got there early and they gave out complimentary black fans to everyone who was waiting in line. A few of the actors signed it for me after the show.
There were two tv screens and I could have done without them. For the most part they just displayed the category title and the later shared the projection that they put up for the photos of real life Balls.
Show started the same way as the off-broadway production with DJ Griddlebone coming out and flipping through records until he pulls out the Cats album, followed by the standard theater intro from Junior and the projection of Primo doing the dance on the windows.
The cats then have spotlights appearing on them showing them getting ready for the ball around the theater. There's two balconies at the front that are just for the cats to play. One is mostly for Gus, with other cats appearing up there as well and the other is where the DJ set up is. They will not leave him alone, he will be joined by several of the cats at various points.
On the 4th during this number Teazer was dancing right in front of me, and then suddenly she stumbled and fell right on top of me. Honestly, Cats are on me all the time when I'm in the front row at a show that I don't think I fully registered it. I tried to tell that to Dava at stage door (yes my anxiety riddled ass did stage door), but I don't think I got it across right.
Instead of having Jelly do the high C, they had Tara randomly come out, stand in the middle of the stage, do the C, and then walk off again...was this seriously not within any of the principal actors range???
Some of costuming was the same for this, but also some of the characters got upgrade's. Partially because of some recasting, and I think others just because they had a higher budget. Others it's pretty minimal but still updated like Tumble's hat during Jellicle Songs is now mirrored like a discoball. Macavity had basically a black corset and bust with stocking arms and a body suit legs, and her wig was orange with cat ears. They added more literal cat stuff to a lot of the costuming. Jellylorum had a black corset and fluffy blue shoes, as well as their pants saying "Jelly" on their butt. They also had a blue wig with dreads.
I'm assuming they/them pronouns for Jelly since their listed as Gus' grandchild in the program instead of Gus granddaughter like at the PAC.
Macavity walks across the runway, pushing Tumble to the side and calls out the man over there. She's joined by Griddlebone in doing so. I thought that was cute since Ken was original BWAY Macavity. There's a few moments in the show where they get paired up for a few moments, and I can't help but think it's a subtle nod to that.
Skipping Naming of Cats for the most part since it is done exactly the same minus Electra and changing the places where the Cats were located. Though Munk did accidentally knock his microphone off the stand on the 3rd and he just kept going, which was funny.
Victoria is also staring out into the distance before her solo and it's like she's put into a trance which is what causes her to go up and dance.
Mistoffelees dance's on the runway for Intro to the Jellicle Ball but Griddlebone is the one to sing it. They're gonna incorporate him a lot more which I liked.
So I accidentally started beef with Emma. Munk was asking the questions about who was going to be the Jellicle choice and she looked me dead in the eye and pointed to herself and mouthed "me?". And I don't know what possessed me to do this, but I just went "eh" and did the hand wavy motion. I looked away for a second but when I looked back she looked like she wanted to kill me. I had to hide behind my fan that's how vindictive that stare was. Literally she was telling Jenny what I did when they got interrupted by the call for virgin vogue.
The guest judges for the 3rd were Billy Eichner and Lea DeLaria. Those were two people I never expected to ever be in the same building as. For the 4th it was Jelani Alladin and Tramell Tillman. I was actually three seats away from Tramell and because I have not watched Severance, I did not care all that much...also I was busy being mortified and didn't hear them mention that he was from Severance during the announcements. Jelani I literally didn't know but his face was so familiar and it pissed me off when the only thing I knew him from was the Hercules musical, and it was literally just because I saw an article with his face in it. And yes, now I know he's in Fellow Travelers and I will watch it at some point.
At the start of Virgin Vogue when Munk is giving his little solo both House of Dots and House of Macavity are on either side of the stage and both mothers expect Munk to hand her the flowers. Macavity literally screams Jenny's name in shock when it's Jenny whose picked and storms off.
For the most part the rest of the number is the same from the off-bway but the gumbie trio got to do more choreo than they did before. It seemed kinda like Bomba and Demter were gathering Jelly to help make fun of Jenny a little, but I'm not entirely sure.
The the category actually starts and they did not do what I expected and have Etcetera just take on the Electra role, but instead they had Jelly be the one to walk virgin vogue instead. Throws me off entirely from a cats fan perspective when Jelly is normally older, and was previously a very experiences person in vogue in the off bway.
Etcetera is also in this weird place for most of the show. Like, most of the time she's just in the background, which in a normal Cats production is fine, but it makes less sense in a version of the show where everyone has something to do at all time's. I thought at first they were gonna have her be in the House of Macavity as their virgin vogue walker, since their house had a whole Cheetah theme going and she was wearing a cheetah prince outfit with a little skirt (loved the look), but it seemed she was just there.
Etcetera is also listed as a virgin voguer in the program so I extra don't know why they did what they did.
Jelly is called a double 07 (someone without a house), which is weird because, again, in the off-bway the actresses were saying that she was part of Gus' house as the House of Oppulence. So I am just continue to be confusion.
During the number Jenny sat in the lap of the guy next to me. Also one of the cats (I think it was Etcetera) said "it's not giving virgin".
After Cassandra wins, Realness is called and Tugger arrives. He flirts with the girls, and then gives like, a few extra flirt to Mistoffelees...guys, I don't know why, but I think they might be canon in this version.
Misto spends so much of the number rolling his eyes at Tugger, but also flirting back without being as extra as anyone else. He just stands there and Tugger just goes right over to him. Though at one point he did goad him by sticking his leg on the cabaret table up against the stage.
Bomba literally tells Misto to move, before she lies on the stage to call Tugger a terrible bore, and when he comes over Macavity pulls Bomba away and basically gestures for him to back off. Demeter and Bomba then get close after this...guys, what if they kiss this time?!
After Mungojerrie does everyday realness, Tugger removes his jacket and he's got a new shirt. It's mesh and is held together by rings...I don't know how to describe it, you can probably find it on the instagram.
Instead of Macavity coming out to do thug realness, it's instead Griddlebone and he walks executive realness. Which again, feels like a little reference to Ken being original Macavity while also still making it work for the show since Macavity can't walk cis gay male realness as a trans woman.
Tugger wins, does the thing where he makes everyone scream, flirted a little bit extra with Mungojerrie and the judge's. The Tugger zone, instead of being him going to the audience is now just him taking a picture with the judge's. I went in knowing this, but I still preferred the crowd interaction over showing off what well known/famous people they could get for the show.
Grizabella the Glamour Cat is done the same, except when Munk goes to hand her a few dollars, Macavity stops him and says that she might now want it.
Demeter then is up in the balcony for her part of the song, and this means that she is far away from Bomba when she gets upset...they cut out the part where they held hands, I have never been so sad in my life.
Bomba goes to Griddlebone's balcony for her part, and Grizabella leaves.
Bustopher Jones is mostly done the same, trio singing, everyone around them holding signs that say "phat cat". The only change I think was that just before Bustopher's solo, Munk brings out a plate of food, and they sniff it...c'mon guys, can't we go one production without having a food prop in this number. I praised the off-bway for this! It's not the worst, but still, c'mon.
Macavity scare and she is running around, drops off the first back through the window. She then goes to Griddlebone's balcony and drops off the rest, which is how it gets into Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer's hands. They start going through it, but Bomba claps a fan at them, and Rumpleteazer just goes "well I didn't even want it" as Bomba takes their stuff.
Mostly the same for M + R, but Victoria and Tumblebrutus, the designs of their costume's changed so that instead of swirls or other patters they actually have cats in them. Jerry and Teazer change behind the curtains with their hands popping out rather than behind the changing racks. Jerrie and Teazer's looks got a bit of an upgrade, nothing to crazy, but the wigs are longer and they got these cones sticking out of the shoulders. The rest of the cats will sing a few of the lyrics instead of Jerrie and Teazer, but only like, three time's.
Final change is that they cut the tandem cartwheel so Tori and Tumble just win and then Jerrie and Teazer steal the trophy.
Old Deuteronomy is also mostly the same but Macavity was just so excited when she called that he was here. She was just a little cutie sometimes in this show.
Then after Old Deuteronomy arrives that little section they did where Munk would freestyle for a bit and they'd all dance is then made longer, like a good full two minute's. I was clapping along with my fan and it was starting to hurt after a while. I know we all love Andre de Shields, but for the sake of not breaking my hand could we love him thirty seconds less?
Macavity then does her scare, and at one of the shows, Bomba calls out "hi mom" from the balcony. Macavity then starts throwing the bags up to Bomba, but needs to be reminded by Bomba and Demeter that throwing half a manequin is a very bad idea.
Deuteronomy then calls her over and after the clap off she is made to walk the runway. Also she came out in a new cheetah print outfit that had a sparkly cheetah head sticking out from one side of her chest and a tail on the back. Honestly it was iconic. Also, I am gay for Macavity...top 10 sentences I thought I'd never say as a Cats fan.
For the Jellicle Ball it starts out similarly with the cats bringing out racks of clothing, but then Victoria and Etcetera go onto the runway and do a dance together while Munk whisper MC's as they do. Also all the cats "put on make up" at first and they were all disgusted by their first looks.
Munkustrap then calls for the winners of the first act to come forward and commentates on it. Good, because I was stupid and did not understand that that was what they were doing in the off-bway. Me, queen of telling everyone to stop wanting things to be spelled out for them in Cats, needed something spelled out for her.
Etcetera and Mistoffelees then do a dance, and Old Deuteronomy signals out Misto and Etcetera leaves, while Misto slowly descends into a split.
The cats then all get transfixed by the disco ball and start to reach towards it until the all notice Grizabella in the DJ balcony. They all try and get her to come down, and Macavity yells at her in spanish, which I don't know word for word, but pretty sure she said "What are you doing up there?"
Macavity then does a count down and we go into some dancing followed by the sped up categories. During up and pumps Bustopher was yelling "that's my baby!" over Sillabub, which was very sweet. Also Bustopher was giving everyone shots throughout and I think this was subtle way to give the actors water without it being so obvious...even though they have water bottles in plain sight. Cassandra could not hold her shot, she did not have a fun time with it During hand performance Teazer was joined by Macavity and another cat and they all wear gloves. For foot eye and bag, Macavity had a comically oversized bag (like, the size of Teazer), and at least one of the bags was shaped like a shoe. The for hair affair, House of Dots came out and Victoria's hair had "haus of" spelled on it and Tumble had "dots".
The dichotomy of the Deut bros during bizarre. When Munk comes out Tugger is like hyping him up and was yelling something, and I couldn't hear him because it was so loud, but it looked like he was saying "that's my brother!", which yay. But then the second Munk looses he's laughing and making fun of him to the audience. The siblings of all time, I love them.
Memory is pretty similarly done, but I think they communicated more effectively that it wasn't that Griz was running away from the sudden appearance of Sillabub, it was more that she doesn't think she can have the glory of her old Ballroom days and is rejecting Sillabub's offer that she can.
Jelly's outfit in act 2 is a serious downgrade even from their earlier one. It just looks like a full jean outfit with a leopard print top underneath. I don't like it.
Gus the Theater Cat is largely done the same but a few changes. Instead of sitting on a chair, Gus sits on a walker. When Gus says "I knew when to let the cat out of the bag", he point to Jelly and they get offended, and yell at him for it. I don't entirely get it but their reaction was funny. Also when Jonathan comes out as young Gus, Old Deuteronomy is able to see him while everyone else does not. It's kinda haunting it was great.
Oh look, it's time for Cunty Skimbleshanks.
Skimble's entrance was a lot more iconic in the off-broadway. IDK, her coming out between the audience and the bleachers and literally getting on the table right next to an audience member was so good, and something about it going from that to just, well she entered just offstage and got on the prop table next to her fellow cast members, doesn't hit as hard. Maybe I'm not describing it right, IDK it was just missing something.
Skimbleshanks is largely done the same except there were more verses in spanish, and there was a point where all the Cats did a little train and walked around the catwalk.
When the power goes out one of the cats asks "Did the Schusters forget to pay the lightning bill?"
The light is shown on Demeter and instead of messing with the power she's just carrying shopping bags, before we see Macavity getting chased by the police on the windows.
Demeter then fights with the tv remote, repeatedly telling it power on before she gets it to work and Macavity's House symbol appears on the TV's. Which is a Cheetah peering over the house title. I feel like if they had kept the TV's off until literally this I wouldn't have minded them.
During one of the shows Demeter said during the number "she love me so she put me in chanel", so maybe they're dating in the bway show, but given that the day before she just asked Gus if he wanted some Gucci at this point, I think this is just a part where she improves a line in regards to the labels every night.
Pretty much the same again, but Bomba's dress got an upgrade. When Demeter mentions Mungojerrie he gets offended but when Bomba mentions Griddlebone he's all for it.
Macavity outfit upgrade and her instead of removing her had to reveal petals, she basically takes off half her wig and throws it. Her bag was also a giant cheetah.
When House of Macavity wins, Victoria and Tumblebrutus pull of the tags on Bomba and Demeter's outfits and ask "where are the receipts". Everyone around them all then pulls out the stolen stuff and Macavity is so offended that everyone would do that to her.
The cop the shows up looking for Macavity, but several of the cats get in the way and the cop calls for back up as they run off.
Old Deuteronomy then silently tells Macavity to hide and she runs off when the cops arrive. It was hard to tell but I think the intention was that this time Old Deuteronomy was being taken against his will versus in the off-bway where it was pretty much a sacrifice play for Macavity.
Tugger suggest that they call his boyfriend and everyone loudly says the word scoff when he tells them not to. Then when Bomba claps in his face Macavity cheers her on for it.
Magic tricks for this include, pulling a boot out of a hat, pulling a rainbow scarf out of Sillabub's mouth, pulling a pride fan out of the scarf, and then taking a fishing line, putting it in Tugger's pants, pulling out nothing, but then whipping it and his underwear appearing on the end.
For Runway, Skimble walks and Misto magics off her shoe and has it pulled off the catwalk. Misto then "shoots" Mungojerrie's outfit off till he's down to his shirt and underwear.
And then Etcetera appears in pretty much Jelly's old runway look but with a pink wig instead of a brown one, and when it gets magic'd away she gets it back. But Sillabub tells her that she doesn't need it, making a little pleading face and Etcetera gives her the wig.
Given that Etcetera walks runway, it proves my point that Cassandra should be named Etcetera. Just switch their name's and you cut out one of my problems with this show.
For the magic to get Old Deuteronomy back, Misto goes behind a giant gold circle curtain, and then when it lowers, Old Deuteronomy is there. Misto the pops up from below the runway for the final part.
The drumroll for a long ass time and Tugger goads the audience and is like "oh, I think he's gonna do it", till Misto jumps into the middle split and the two do their final pose together...gay.
Guys, when I say that I am about to give a big spoiler, I do in fact mean turn back now if you want to go in without any sort of expectations. I really recommend this if you didn't know anything about the off-bway production and are planning on seeing the show.
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RIP Tuggoffelees nation, because I am sad to report that they cut the kiss. The Jellicle Ball giveth, and then it tooketh away. I was talking with northstarfan about this and the working theory we have is that this likely due to the involvement of ALW or his company. Like, he was okay with it for an off-broadway non-rep, but now that it's Broadway he didn't allow it. And if that's the case, you can add that to the very long list of reasons as to why we need to eat him.
It was honestly such a shock when it didn't happen. Like, I was enjoying myself entirely up to that point, and then when it happened my brain stopped producing serration for a few minutes.
Screw all that they do in fact kiss they just didn't do it for the days I was there for some unknown reason, probably because ALW hates me specifically.
And they also cut a few of their other moments where they were close. Just like the background stuff where Tugger and Misto would cuddle during Gus the Theater Cat, just being a little affectionate sometimes. I feel like the staging separated them a lot so it didn't allow for it to happen.
They do kinda cuddle as they walk off the stage together, but it's not the same.
Sillabub sings Daylight and she's wearing the wig that Cettie gave her for the rest of the show.
Grizabella then comes out for Memory wrapped in her coat and starts to sing, but gets overwhelmed and tries to leave. Macavity then gets between her and the exit, pleading her to stay.
Sillabub then does her part, Griz takes off her coat to reveal her Silver Dress, and finishes the song. Old Deuteronomy then names her the choice and each of the cats comes up and welcomes her back in some way.
Temptress had a big improvement in her singing between now and the off-browadway. I wouldn't say she was bad before, but she's clearly done a lot of work in the meantime to find her voice, because she sounded so beautiful. Actually made me cry beautiful.
A white spiral staircase then descends down onto the stage, gold petals falling from it, and Grizabella goes up it.
After is goes up, Macavity and Munkustrap are standing on either side of Old Deuteronomy before going to join the rest of the cats at the back as they do a toast and the show comes to an end.
Curtain Call is exactly the same, but shorter.
Alright, so guys, I think I liked it more when it was off-broadway. Don't get me wrong, I didn't think the off-bway was perfect, and there was certainly stuff I thought was an improvement in this version, Lady Macavity stab me and I won't complain, but it was overall better at the PAC.
I think the stage is partially what killed it. So at the PAC the entire floor is the stage with runway being the main center piece, and that runway is long. In this, the runway is like really short, and takes up most of the stage, and then the remaining area's of the stage is mostly taken up by the bleachers that they put on the stage. This means that the area's for the characters to be on for the literal stage are much smaller, and while yes, they took out the front two rows to be stage, it still is also taken up by mostly the runway, and by the fact that I got fallen on, it's not a whole ton of extra room for the actors either. The move didn't allow them to actually have more freedom with the show, and they instead have to make a bigger set with a specific atmosphere condensed down to fit a smaller stage. It also caused some things to be cut, like the tandem cartwheel and the curtain calls were way shorter. Dudney barely had time to say a few words before the cat was off the stage. The PAC just fit the vibe way more than the Broadhurst does.
It also meant there were less places where the cats could sit. In a production where they're all cats, it's not weird for the cats to lay on the floor, but that kinda is weird here. So they end up just kinda standing at the top of the riser staircases, or in the middle of the stage, and sometimes they just lean against the walls of the stage. They sent some up to the balconies, but sometimes it was literally just because they had nowhere else to put them.
There's also just a whole bunch of little things that make me like it less. Like I said the TV's but also how Grizabella gets to the Heaviside Layer. I liked that it was a fire escape coming down and that you could see her reach the top, it was cute and I liked that she would blow everyone one last dramatic kiss before stepping through.
Okay, so we need to talk about Macavity, Grizabella and Demeter. Look, I'm okay with the way they adapted Macavity where she's not the villain and Bomba and Demeter are part of her house, but the stuff with Grizabella kinda irks me. Because in an interview Antwayn Hopper said that Macavity was part of Griz's house prior, and I thought the PAC did a bad job of showing that. The Bway version did a much better job of showing that, and I applaud them for it. However, as I sit here, having seen now four different non-reps...do, non-rep creators just literally not understand the point of Demeter at all??? Like, most get rid of any real connection she has to Grizabella, or Macavity, and the Jellicle Ball got rid of anything she would have with Grizabella. She's distant from her anytime she appears and back on off-bway she at least comforted Bomba when she was upset by Griz, but they didn't even keep that. Instead they highlight a connection between Macavity and Griz and every time that happened I couldn't help but think, "that should just be Demeter". But then I don't think their Macavity would be as strong if they didn't have that for her, so IDK.
Also when everyone says that they understand the plot more because of this version, they are lying liars who lie, because I heard so many normies talking during intermission and after the show, and a lot of them were just "I think the plot's too abstract" or "I don't really understand what's going on". So like, none of the masses can understand Cats, we need to stop making them try. Let's just make Cats shows not for them.
Overall as much as I like what this show is doing in terms of queer rep, and had a fun time, it is also, I'm gonna say it, probably weaker as Cats adaptation and can be frustrating at time's from that perspective.
Had to keep my mouth shut in line for stagedoor when people would say "this is better than the original" because I'm 100% certain those people haven't seen Cats in at least 20 years, or only saw the revival. Which as well all know, changed so much of the choreo, to, y'know, not be great.
Photos! I got the building, the cups, stage, my signed playbills and fan, merch...and a picture with Sydney!
