Theatreguide.London
www.theatreguide.london
Cat And Mouse
Village
Underground June 2017; Latitude Festival July 2017
Play? Musical? Projection? Concept album? Cat and Mouse is all of
the above and much much more.
Offering up a dark morality tale for our
times as its narrative, 1927's arthouse multimedia show takes a deep
breath of inspiration from classic US comic strip Krazy Kat - fertile
ground that gave us Tom And Jerry on the one hand and Maus on the
other - and plunges into impressive theatrical experiment.
The brainchild of 1927, responsible for the similarly
multi-faceted Golem, Cat And Mouse tells the tale of a caddish mouse
and bounder cat whose rivalry eggs each other on to ever more
audacious heights as they rise through our capitalist consumer-driven
society to success beyond their dreams.
Animator Paul Barritt's period monochrome and pastel vignettes
evolve the Krazy Kat bible like a gothic Gorillaz meets The Simpsons'
Itchy And Scratchy, where collisions of madcap scenarios and hypnotic
abstract interludes set the loopy protagonists up for a string of
deliciously violent slapstick come-uppances that inevitably hold a
resounding moral in their tails.
Providing commentary in song is diva narrator Lesley Ewen who,
earthy voiced and world weary, berates us all with a knowing smile.
She's clad in Hades haute couture designed by Octavia Austin, who
also created the sinister dog heads and boiler suits of the live
band.
The officially named Officer Pup Band - guitarist Laurence Owen,
drummer Siemy Di, keyboardist Sam Sallon and saxophonist Barritt -
are gloriously tight and weave their way enthusiastically through
Owen's score. The pop-song length compositions stand out for being
guitar-based rather than piano, which offers a far wider spectrum
here, evoking John Barry's Ipcress Files period to prog rock via
50s/60s Americana, bebop and electro minimalism.
With sirens, ocarinas and a Theremin augmenting the palette, this is
no mere soundtrack - think Godley and Creme's Consequences or
Robert Calvert's solo albums - as the music flows stylewise in every
direction tomeet and match the narrative of the images.
Barritt with his director's hat expertly keeps all these spinning
plates going and never lets the pace flag, while at the same time
resisting the temptation to let things get too frenetic - ditto the
lighting design and the punchy sound mix.
It's really hard to find anything that needs tightening or
improving, but do be forewarned that you're in for what’s essentially
a rock gig format-wise. But you can be sure the producers will find
you a quiet nook with a view if you so desire, so there's no need to
miss catching this remarkably slick piece of experimental
theatre.
The fact that Cat and Mouse has been
booked for Latitude Festival 2017 is a nice affirmation of the vision
of producers Village Underground for this, their first in-house
production.
Nick Awde
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Review - Cat And Mouse - Village Underground 2017