Sunday, March 28, 2010

Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats??

That is the name of the poem by T.S.Eliot that inspired the musical Cats. I had never seen it (frankly the idea of people dressed up as cats gave me pause), but when my friend Brooke spearheaded the idea of a Girls Night Out to drive to Portland and see it, I decided it would be fun to go. The 2 hour drive to get there went by real quickly. It's amazing how fast the miles go by when talking with friends, and not settling disputes between the kids in the backseat! Dinner at Macaroni Grill was delicious and then on to the theatre.


Beth & Donna................. Niki & I ...................Brooke & Pam

Now the big question: How in the world did Cats last so long on Broadway??
I
was thoroughly confused during the first half, and if it would have been a tv show, I would have changed the channel long before intermission! The second half was better (maybe I was used to the weirdness by then?), but I still don't understand why it was so popular. I remember reading The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by Eliot in High School (thanks Mr. Peterson) and thinking it was a bit depressing, but not weird.
I grow old … I grow old … 120
I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled.

Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach?
I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach.
I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.

I do not think that they will sing to me.




I am glad I went. I will say that the dancing was Absolutely Amazing! It was the redeeming factor for the musical. Thanks for a fun night ladies!! - April

3 comments:

Woodberries said...

Cute pix! Looks like fun. I went to Cats this week in Oly and felt the same way! I kept wanting a plot. But at the break I read it was just basically a series of poems. Plus the 2nd half is better. Great singers & dancing.

sorry if this goes twice. I thought it went through and it's not showing up.

P Kirkwood said...

Have to agree that it was very crazy! But it was so fun to get away with friends and have fun that it made it worth the $18 tickets. :-} Pam

Jo's girl said...

oh man tell me about it. I saw it ages ago, mainly for the fact that it "had" to be good be cause why else would it run so long. I'm guessing no one gave it any competition. or they couldn't get enough chandlers to do phantom every night. or what else that would be more entertaining than a bunch of people dressed up as cats dancing around a junk yard.