Then there’s the humour. Laughter rippled through the audience almost as frequently as applause. What’s remarkable is that many of these jokes have been making audiences laugh for nearly half a century. Krzan tells me that when he first watched the production in the ’90s, a filmed version of the stage, it was nearly exactly the same as the production today. The comedy is physical, playful and silly, but it works. The director explains that becoming a cat involves relearning how to move entirely: “We contract our bodies. We never stand up straight. We have paws instead of hands.”
The characters are similarly entertaining. “Even when someone isn’t the centre of attention, if you look to the side, you’ll see them completely in character,” says Ann Abrams. “You’ll see Carbucketty (played by Michael Fullard) doing something Carbucketty or Tugger just being Tugger.”
If you’re unfamiliar with the musical, a quick skim of the Wikipedia synopsis beforehand is not the worst idea. Beneath the razzle-dazzle lies the life of Grizabella, the ostracised former glamour cat seeking acceptance from the Jellicle tribe. “It still resonates today because people really just want to be seen,” Ann Abrams reflected. “People deserve love. People deserve unconditional love.”
