★★★★★
How To Live
a Jellicle Life: life lessons from the 2019 hit movie musical ‘cats’
I was
watching Sir Cameron Mackintosh talking recently about his 50 years in show business
and the need to reinvent hit productions after 25 years viz. Phantom, Miss
Saigon and Les Miz. Maybe rather cynically I considered this a budgetary/production
overhaul to fit into smaller theatres and increase profitability, rather than
any real artistic reinvention? But hey, maybe I’m being unfair but it did make
me ponder Linus Karp’s How to Live a Jellicle Life... a wondrous production
inspired, motivated and ultimately a glorious homage to Cats - the 2019 hit
movie musical!
This is the
point when I would encourage Sir Cameron to get down to the Two Brewers in
Clapham tomorrow and take in the last night of Karp’s infectious, smart and totally
compulsive homage to Cats. This is surely the quintessential piece of
reinvention!
Having
immersed myself in Linus Karp’s Jellicle world for a full hour, it is easy to
appreciate that he is, without a doubt, a totally unique force of nature. And totally
welcome and a huge bravo for that alone!
Karp draws inspiration
for his almost obsessional comedy from every character from Cats – Rebel Wilson,
Ian McKellern, Jason Derulo, Ray Winston, but with special credence given to
the performance of Tayor Swift, a slightly undefined, albeit justified, assault
on the bona fides of James Corden, but all nevertheless surpassed by the
overwhelming adulation, nay love, for the dame that is Judi Dench!
Linus Karp
and producer Joseph Martin have been on tour for the last three months and
conclude their epic, 22-venue marathon at London’s Two Brewers in Clapham on
Friday. This is a gem of a show, original, heartfelt, irresistibly joyous and
Linus Karp is unmissable. I have a feeling this will not be the end of
Jellicles, but look forward to seeing what is next from this furtive and ingenious
mind!
Written and starring
Linus Karp
Produced by Joseph Martin
How to Live
a Jellicle Life is currently streaming. To link linktr.ee/jellicle
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