Friday April 17, 2009
Cats’ tales
Jo-Anne Robinson, director of Cats. CURIOUS things tend to happen at rehearsals of Cats. Cast members are often made to crawl on the floor. Real cats sometimes drop in on their own accord to visit their theatrical kin (as did happen during the show’s run in Melbourne). Many actors start acting more and more like their characters. And sometimes, the show’s director could do something like tie a bag of stale meat to a principal actor and make her wear it the whole day.
“In my defence, I was trying to get the cast members to react to the character of Grizabella properly!” laughs Jo-Anne Robinson, director of Cats, which has been brought to the Esplanade Theatre, Singapore by Lunchbox Theatrical Productions and David Atkins Enterprises in association with The Really Useful Group.
Amidst much laughter, Robinson explains that many of the performers were finding it difficult to relate the beautiful Australian actress Delia Hannah to her smelly, grizzled character.
“Cats have an incredible sense of smell; they sense scents like we see colours. I wanted everyone to react to the way Grizabella would smell as well as look, and so decided to actually create the experience,” says Robinson, who worked with the maestro Andrew Lloyd Webber, director Trevor Nunn, and choreographer Gillian Lynne in the original London production of Cats.
Such improvisation is an integral part of getting everyone into character for the production, and the cast, who hail from Australia, New Zealand and Britain, are no strangers to the process.
“They literally do start off the whole process by crawling on their hands and knees,” shares Robinson. “Then I give them various characteristics to embody, and they interpret that.”
John O’Hara plays the flirtatious and flamboyant Rum Tum Tugger. She doesn’t, however, teach the actors how to carry their roles. “You can’t direct by numbers. Trevor’s (Nunn) instructions to me were that I shouldn’t teach the show; it must evolve. Some actors relate to the role and express themselves differently. So it’s actually great when we have new blood coming in, because it revitalises the old blood too!”
The actors themselves have their own ways of tapping into their characters. Hannah, a veteran of the Australian musical theatre scene, finds a part of her life that relates to that of Grizabella.
“I myself am at a point where I’m reflecting back on my life, which helps me connect with this old cat who is living only with her memories. She is also a spiritual, soulful individual, and I go through phases like that as well,” she shares.
John O’Hara, on the other hand, had to look for external inspiration to play the flamboyant and flirtatious Rum Tum Tugger. With all the pouting, gyrating and swaggering he does onstage, O’Hara shares that he modelled his character after personalities like Mick Jagger, Steven Tyler and Captain Jack Sparrow (from Pirates of the Caribbean).
“I live out the ultimate fantasy, getting to be a celebrity every night. However, as much as Rum Tum Tugger’s the star of the tribe, he’s also really warm, and is everyone’s mate. I can really relate to that very social side of him,” adds the Australian actor.
For 29-year-old John Ellis, playing the wise and elderly tribe leader, Old Deutoronomy, initially seemed like a stretch. The role, however, helped him discover another side to himself.
John Ellis plays the wise leader, Old Deutoronomy. “I’ve always felt beyond my years, an old soul, so to speak. I’m also quite spiritual, and could relate to that part of Deutoronomy. So once I found the right voice for the character, I knew I had it,” explains the British actor, who has worked in musical theatre all over the world.
Some actors, however, find the characters influencing them too. In the case of Shaun Rennie, who plays the commanding Munkustrap, he found himself becoming the one in charge. “In fact, when we (the cast mates) are all out doing something, I’ll be the one telling everyone that it’s time to go, or where we should be; the others then say, ‘Shaun’s Munkustrap-ing!’” laughs Rennie.
Apart from the talents, however, the beloved award-winning musical remains very much the same, with its original music by Lloyd Webber and Lynne’s choreography.
“We always follow the blueprint,” says Robinson. “The show is still very original, and it doesn’t feel old-fashioned at all.
“I guess, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”
Related story:
Feline fantasy
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