Well, dear readers, we got another lovely review for Drat! The Cat! so for those who only read these here notes, here it is.
“Ira Levin, author of this 1965 revival, warned up and coming writers never to insert two exclamation points in a title. His perky-quirky Victorian musical comedy closed after eight performances. He confessed that the title was a result of a name change from “Cat and Mouse” to the title of the show’s opener, with its overused punctuation.
Our cat that drives the plot is a young feminist socialite from New York’s elite upper east side who stealthily swipes her High Society neighbors’ jewels. “Cat burglars” were just coming into vogue at the turn of the 19th Century as the press played up their traits: quiet, sneaky, graceful, typically operating at night and, the reason the public fell in love with the stories, they used their skill and agility to avoid confrontation. They would always use finesse rather than brute force or violence.
Pit this cat against an up-and-coming NYC detective, add twenty-one songs and you have our mad-cap musical. Think Julian Fellow’s “Gilded Age” meets the Keystone Kops with a taste of Meredith Wilson’s Americana. A little hackneyed and overdone, but once I let my guard down, it became very enjoyable. Our high school drama club would have loved a production like this. Not so nowadays with songs like “A Pox on The Traitor’s Brow.” “Mr. C, uh, what’s a pox?”
Our cat, Alice, played athletically by Sydney DeMaria was perfect with her coy “meow’s” and her prancing, cat gestures. She is a perfect red-haired Audrey Hepburn with swanky grace and sneaky sleekness. Remember, it is a love story as well and, just like we all knew the idol’s diamond eyes would go missing, so too were we ready for Bob and Alice to fall in love. Officer Bob, played by the sheepish, “aw, shucks” Alex Reusch could sing and dance with the best of them. And the best of them was DeMaria, whose clear, strong voice had us all on her side. Their “Homes and Watson” number was choreographed so perfectly. The two of them were very sure of themselves, could dance together well and their vocals complimented each other. When that happens, musical magic takes place.
The ensemble was a well-oiled machine of timing and singing. Director Bruce Kimmel gets kudos for his playful touches of the era. The Keystone-esque Kops who, when knocked on their police helmets, would elicit a crack from the drummer’s wood block. These Kops also would march across the stage like an early silent film, with shutter flash and stutter-step. And Shon Le Blanc’s costumes were perfect. It seemed the cast members were always appearing in something new. And the cat with her black tights, ears and tail was playfully evil.
Let’s talk about my favorite part of the show: the duet between Alice’s parents played by Constance Mellors and Lloyd Pedersen. Alice’s father had a decidedly unique tenor that cut through and her mother, who matched him note for note, both had the cleverest, finger-pointing-est repartee of a duet, “It’s Your Fault,” – symmetry in the blame game of parents who believed each other was the reason their child turned out a criminal. Anyone who has raised a child knows this dance. The rapid-fire lyrics had this listener gasping for air. Well done.
And the band must be applauded. How only five can make the sound of a small orchestra, is a marvel. Deserving that credit is musical director and pianist, Gerald Sternbach who directed from the rear of the stage, pointing, glancing, gesturing to get his musical points across to his team: drummer, percussionist Craig Pilo, Tom Marino on trumpet, Paul Cotton on woodwinds and bassist Tim Christensen.
The tango, “Wild and Reckless,” was another piece that was so well choreographed. Cheryl Baxter outdid herself with twenty bodies to move around that stage. And who can resist a tango? Several scenes, especially the returning of the jewels, were clearly reminiscent of the silent era.
While certainly not the most memorable of Broadway shows, The Group Rep’s Drat! The Cat! was a harmonious romp, a slice in time, a good versus bad, boy meets girl feast for your ears and eyes – an original, historical rom-com.
It is only here weekends until April 27. Grab your tickets now. Drat! The Cat! Group Rep’s West Coast Premiere of the musical with books and lyrics by Ira Levin, and music by Milton Schafer, directed by Bruce Kimmel, with musical direction by Gerald Sternbach, featuring a live Five Piece Band, running on the Main Stage of the Group Rep Theatre, March 21st through April 27th. Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 2pm. Lonny Chapman Theatre, 10900 Burbank Blvd., North Hollywood (818)763-5990″
Reviewed by Chris Cassone for Discover Hollywood
Wasn’t that a lovely review. And I love that everyone has singled out the staging of Holmes and Watson, which I did. I gave Cheryl Baxter sole credit because I waffle back and forth about how many times I want my name in the program. Cheryl, with whom I’ve worked many, many times, is someone I adore and who always does a great job. She has very limited time, so I usually stage at least a few numbers. On Drat! The Cat! she had limited time, and she was happy I said I’d stage a lot of the numbers. She staged, and quite brilliantly, Wild and Reckless and the big Dancing with Alice number, also wonderfully. I did everything else, then she’d come in, watch it, and even though I gave her free reign to change anything I’d done, in this case, she didn’t change a thing. But Holmes and Watson’s staging is everything I love to do, every step, gesture, and bit. Give me two people and a great number with catchy music and I’m in staging heaven. In the case of Holmes and Watson, I did that number in a little over an hour and it never changed. Working with Sydney DeMaria and Alec Reusch made it all very easy. I did it on the fly except for two sections that I’d pre-planned in my very own home environment.
But back to the notes. I got a whopping eleven hours of sleep and I think had I not forced myself to get up, I could have done another hour or two. Most of the day was done by the time I got up, and by the time I finished answering e-mails and texts it was almost four, so I decided not to go out at all, made Wacky Noodles for food, ate them (smaller batch than usual), watched a few irritating YouTube videos, and then sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I watched a motion picture entitled The Killer. No, not the classic 1989 Hong Kong film by John Woo, not last year’s The Killer by David Fincher, but a remake of the 1989 John Woo, directed by – John Woo. Well, Woo-hoo, because I really love many of his films. He wrote the Hong Kong The Killer as well as directing it, and I assume he had much input on the remake, which has been in the works for thirty years now, but perhaps it went through too many drafts with too many studio notes because if there’s any issue with the remake, it’s some of the script. You kind of really have to forget about the 1989 film and just accept the remake as its own thing. The lead in the remake is female rather than male and there are many other changes. What hasn’t changed is how great Woo is with this kind of film – the over-the-top action scenes, the operatic style – no one like him and for someone who’s my age, it’s pretty remarkable he pulled this kind of undertaking off. It got some bad to middling reviews (what else is new) and also some terrific reviews. No, it’s not the classic the original is, but it’s still very entertaining. Most of the casting works, but there were a few weak links. This is his first American film since 2003. He made a film entitled Silent Night a year ago and I’m interested to see that one. And, of course, I have much love for his completely over the top Face/Off and I even like the film that no one likes, Paycheck, which was his last American film. I may even watch that one again, and Silent Night I’ll watch today. Oh, and The Killer remake has a fun score by Marco Beltrami.
Then I listened to Beethoven’s sixth, seventh, and eighth symphonies by Ormandy. I think my favorite is number seven. Next up is the one everyone seems to love most but that I can barely get through. Maybe I’ll like it better with Ormandy at the helm.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll do whatever needs doing, and then I’ll have the last of the ME days of this week, all of which have been very helpful. I’ll go to the mail place and see what’s what, take some stuff to the dry cleaners, maybe go to Gelson’s for food, and then I’ll watch, listen, and relax.
Tomorrow, we resume performances and I know a few people who are attending, so I’ll be there to schmooze and then go for a bite to eat after. Saturday will be more of the same, and then Sunday we have our second talkback.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up when I’m up, do whatever needs doing, have a ME day, go to the mail place, eat, take stuff to the dry cleaners, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite pasta dishes, favorite pasta additions and sauces? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have seen a new John Woo film.