Cats -- Thursday, February 8, 2001, 1:00pm Alley 1, Section 106 L 3 Another full cast today -- and a MUCH better seat!  Originally I was further back.  I managed to get on an aisle in my first seat, but since it was a matinee, there weren't really many people there, so I was able to move. I don't know what the seat number was, but it was across the aisle from where I was sitting and right down on the middle aisle -- perfect for encounters!  So there I stayed.  I'm very glad that I did to, even though I was sitting by myself. This time, I was prepared for the Overture and it didn't give me quite as much of a shock -- but Victoria did! She stopped in front of me when she was making her way down to the stage and hissed at me while those little lights on her head were flashing madly away!  Gee ... thanks, Emma!  She didn't scare me too badly, though, and I recovered my senses in time for the start of 'Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats'.  It went as brilliantly as it had on Wednesday.  I believe Brian was on the bungie today, but again I didn't catch who was on the trapezes.  My second encounter with a Jellicle came during 'The Naming of Cats'.  I did know, of course, that at some stages in the show, the cats did come off stage and wander around the audience.  I just didn't realise how much they did!  But anyway, when they came off while they were reciting 'The Naming of Cats', Tumblebrutus (at least, I think it was Tumblebrutus!) crawled up to me and sat at my feet while he was reciting it!  Yay!  It was a little un-nerving, having a cat sitting there staring at me, and I had to look away once, but very cool anyway!  Thanks a lot, Tim! Emma did her gorgeous 'Invitation' again, and I still love Oliver's accent!  'The Old Gumbie Cat' went swimmingly.  This time, Mungojerrie had me laughing as he tip-toed after Jennyanydots and tried to stab her with his knife.  He was soon pushed back into line, though!  'The Rum Tum Tugger' was next and again Richard wowed his audience.  I'm not sure, but I THINK Richard picked the same guy he did last night!  Must've been there twice, like me!  Anyway -- I was again treated to Nicola's unusual-sounding (I think ... *shrugs*  Might just be me), but gorgeous voice as she sang her little solo part -- how does she kick her leg so high?  All of them do it!  All the time!  Ack!  This time, Sillabub did the screaming at the end.  The audience all laughed when Richard held up his hand to stop her, which she did abruptly and then blew her over, as he'd done with Rumpelteazer the night before. Grizabella again made her entrance and Delia enchanted us once again.  Cara sang her little bit just as beautifully as she did the night before -- I do love that little solo.  Nicola and Cara's voices sound so lovely together when Nicola joins in.  Bustopher Jones made his entrance next and this time I found myself watching Oliver imitating Bustopher a little and making these awful, but very cute, faces when Bustopher was mentioning having cabbage, rice pudding and mutton.  On one or two of them he'd lick his lips and on the other/s he'd stick his tongue out in disgust.  The others were doing it too.  So cute!  The fun-loving pranksters were up to do 'Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer' next -- Markham and Rebecca do remarkably well for having such demanding roles, particularly during this song.  But they performed wonderfully and 'Old Deuteronomy' came afterwards, to give the pair a break.  I said before that this song wasn't one of my favourites -- well, I love this version, though.  This time I was watching as Sillabub tried to get over to Deuteronomy and Munkustrap kept pulling her back.  He did the same with Rumpelteazer, but when Deuteronomy made it onto the stage, Munkustrap let them both go over to him.  :) I still love 'The Pekes and the Pollicles' -- I watched Tugger this time, doing his little ... uh ... thrust in time with the music where Munkustrap should have done his kick.  Richard does his part so well!  Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer had me giggling again and this time it was Sillabub who was up on the ball.  Speaking of balls, 'The Jellicle Ball' again took my breath away -- I still didn't know where to look during this number -- the stage, the trapezes, the bungie, the cloud swing ... and goodness knows what else is going on during that song!  I paid attention to Emma's little solo, which was again gorgeous (the flute part's nice there too!) and was again astounded by the talent these people have.  Whoever cast this show sure knew what they were doing!  They're all wonderful performers.  Then Delia sang her extraordinarily beautiful 'Memory'.  I could see that she does indeed get very emotional during this song -- you can see the lines through her make-up where the tears ran.  Not that that matters -- Grizabella is an emotional character and I'm sure the best Grizabellas (and Delia's definitely one of them!) have all shed tears while they're singing what's probably the most widely-known song in the whole show. During the Interval, I went out to get some fresh air.  Even though it was very cool in the tent, it still gets very stuffy, so I went for a walk.  I wandered around the back of the tent and saw Nicola, Glen and Brian to name a few (I can't remember who else was there!) relaxing outside the caravan.  I said hello to them, but didn't bother them any further, since they were resting ... and a well-deserved rest it was too!  Glen did a very nice thing when he came back on stage after the Interval.  The lights hadn't been dimmed yet -- the cats were just making their way back to the stage -- and looking around the audience, Glen spotted me and gave me a little wave.  That made me feel special -- thanks, Glen! Also before the next act started I had ... uh ... well, it was either Victor, Admetus or Plato ... crawl up to me and sit at my feet for a while.  He rubbed his head against my leg and got me to scratch behind his 'ear' (those wigs are really rough!).  Then he rubbed his head against my leg again and headed off.  Thanks ... uh ... well, whoever it was!  I know it was Tod, Oliver or Trevor, so thankyou whichever one of you it was!  Oh -- must tell you all this, because it gave me a good laugh.  When my mystery cat, whoever it was, had departed, he went over to the Loreto girls (that's actually who I came with this time) sitting across the aisle from me.  They seemed scared of him, but one of them eventually reached out and tentatively touched his wig ... so he reached up and messed up her hair  *giggles*  Then he did a somersault and ran back onto the stage.  Yay! Again, my favourite act. This started with 'Gus: The Theatre Cat', again sung beautifully by Helen and Mark.  Then came 'Growltiger's Last Stand', which I loved the first time I saw it, but loved even more this time!  I just love the expressions on Adam-Jon, Glen, Stephen, Richard and Oliver's faces when Griddlebone makes her entrance!  They're all so cute!  I love those pirate costumes!  I was watching Oliver -- it was funny to watch him running away from Growltiger, waving at him from the other end of the line, then going and starting to play with that fish until Growltiger throws him onto the others.  Stephen's expression when they caught Oliver was priceless!  You'd have thought Oliver was heavy or something!  Anyway, Helen and Mark sang their gorgeous duet and the Siamese came sneaking up through the audience.  This was the really un-nerving part ... I happened to be in the seat where the Siamese who came my way actually stopped.  So for about 5 minutes I couldn't see anything on stage because I had this Siamese staring me in the face  Yikes!  Very cool, though!  And I don't even know who to thank, since I couldn't see who it was.  I know it was one of the females, but other than that, I don't know.  Sorry! Stephen was up next and again I loved his Skimbleshanks.  I hadn't been that keen on the Video version, but Stephen's Skimble was terrific!  Love that train!  Cara and Nicola danced their hearts out again for 'Macavity' and the fight was wonderfully done.  This time, I discovered it was Demeter and Alonzo in the spotlight, which I hadn't noticed Wednesday night.  The magical Mr. Mistoffelees was next and Oliver astounded me once again with that conjuring turn.  Wow!!  People were clapping along again.  When all the cats came down off the stage, Victoria came over to me and played with me for a little while -- she pawed at my shoulder and gave me a gorgeous smile.  Thanks again, Emma!  Sarah and Delia made us all cry again with 'Memory', followed by the very sweet 'Journey to the Heaviside Layer' and Juan's lovely 'Ad-dressing of Cats' -- another song which I hadn't been too keen on in the Video, but this version was ... wow.  In fact, every song in this production was just that -- wow.  During this time, I'd also had Jellylorum, Bombalurina and Jennyanydots come and go from the pipe in front of me.  Adam-Jon was also there at one stage and hissed at me when he jumped off.  I know this sounds strange, but thanks!  I mean, who'd thank a cat for hissing at them for goodness sakes?  Well ... I would, for one!  Thanks, Adam! The show was finished, but the experience wasn't, since this time I was able to zip round the back of the tent to see who I could catch.  First 'cat-off-the-rank' was Stephen, who came out still wearing his make-up.  That, I suppose, was because they had another show that night and I know that Skimbleshanks' make-up takes the longest to do, along with Munkustrap's.  He willingly signed my program and I also met Richard, Delia and Tod who were all just wonderful and they too willingly signed my program.  Here's where I make an apology: Megs, I couldn't deliver your card 'cause Brian had already gone!!  I even asked Richard, who went back into the tent to look for him, came back out looking very apologetic and informed me that he'd already gone.  Sorry!!  I'll get it to him somehow -- if not, I'll leave it with one of the other cast.  So...thankyou to Stephen, Richard, Delia and Tod for making this show extra special for me and thankyou to Emma, Glen, Tim and whoever my mystery cat was!