Cats (The Musical, not the Movie)

[Archivist]

I recently purchased the musical Cats on DVD. This is the 2000 stage production, not the recent movie (which was horrible).

Since it is a quiet afternoon, I thought I would post this. Nothing that anyone says will change my mind as Cats is one of my favorite musicals.

I wanted to ask, is this an appropriate musical for Christians to watch? Again, say what you want, no one will change my mind.

For those who have never seen Cats, it is the story of the Jellicle Cats. They meet once a year for the Jellicle Ball. At the end of the night, just before dawn, their leader picks one cat who will go to the Heaviside Layer and be reborn into another Jellicle life.

 

[Chesterton]

I was in New York once. I went to see Cats. About 10 minutes in I realized...it's about cats. I tried to get my money back but the guy said "No, see, it says 'Cats' right there on the ticket". He had me.

 

[Archivist]

I was in New York once. I went to see Cats. About 10 minutes in I realized...it's about cats. I tried to get my money back but the guy said "No, see, it says 'Cats' right there on the ticket". He had me.

I’m sorry you didn’t like it—I think it is great. Just too bad the movie was so bad

 

[Darkhorse]

I see nothing wrong with seeing a play which incorporates reincarnation. The audience is not showing agreement with that any more then they are agreeing that cats have an annual ball and sing with human voices. It's all covered under the "suspension of disbelief", which allows us to imagine impossible themes and have some fun.

On a different theme, the movie of Hair was also terrible, while the play was much better.

 

[Archivist]

I see nothing wrong with seeing a play which incorporates reincarnation. The audience is not showing agreement with that any more then they are agreeing that cats have an annual ball and sing with human voices. It's all covered under the "suspension of disbelief", which allows us to imagine impossible themes and have some fun.

On a different theme, the movie of Hair was also terrible, while the play was much better.

An excellent post, and I agree with you regarding Hair!

 

[Jamsie]

On a different theme, the movie of Hair was also terrible, while the play was much better.

I think that it is typical for "hollywood" to do a poor, sometimes very poor, job of translating a play to a movie. I do think the scene in "Hair" entering the plane for departure was stunning both visually and emotionally. "A Chorus Line" was a benchmark of hollywood's inability ...

 

[Chesterton]

I’m sorry you didn’t like it—I think it is great. Just too bad the movie was so bad

It wasn't that I didn't like it, I just felt duped. I thought the title was symbolic or something. Like when I went to see Dog Day Afternoon, I didn't expect to see a bunch of dogs lazing around on an afternoon. I was satisfied with Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds, though. As best I could interpret it, it did seem to be about birds.

 

[Archivist]

It wasn't that I didn't like it, I just felt duped. I thought the title was symbolic or something. Like when I went to see Dog Day Afternoon, I didn't expect to see a bunch of dogs lazing around on an afternoon. I was satisfied with Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds, though. As best I could interpret it, it did seem to be about birds.

The title says it all!

 

[Rugged Cross]

I have two versions on DVD one is a stage version which has John Mills and the latest film version. I have also seen an amateur production at our local theatre. I think it is an excellent musical and can see no wrong in watching some harmless fantasy. Cats is one of my top three musicals - Westside Story my favourite followed by Cats and Grease. Must get the T.S. Elliot original to read sometime.

 

[Niels]

As with Les Misérables, I liked the music enough to buy the soundtrack. I sometimes listen to it while driving. Despite growing up near NYC in the '80s and '90s, however, I never got to see it at the Winter Garden Theatre.

Is it appropriate for Christians to watch? I don't see why not. As far as musical theater goes, it's mostly fluff.