REVIEW: The Cat In The Hat - Nuffield Southampton Theatres, Southampton.

Watching 'The Cat In The Hat', a Leicester Curve and Rose Theatre production, at the Nuffield Southampton Theatres this evening was a nostalgic blast from the past restoring me to my childhood through the famous words of Dr Seuss. This immersive and genuinely exciting performance is both engaging and humorous particularly for the likes of young children and those who enjoy bubbles and water fights… Including acrobatics, tricks, song and dance, this pantomime style performance is a must-see.

The performance is set in a Dr Seuss style book, consisting of staggeringly tall, white boards with a ‘drawn on’ set, which, with the addition of the colourfully dressed cast and the perspective drawing, created the opening of a book. The innovative use of lights and costume brought the ‘book’ to life, with the lack of colour, drawing attention to the characters allowing them to ‘pop’! The set was imaginative and practical including sliding traps and a ladder shaped like a book case which were used particularly for the acrobatics, two energetic performers embodying the roles of Thing 1 and Thing 2.

The acrobatic elements, for the most part, were striking. Thing 1 and Thing 2, the mischievous fictional ‘things’ were cast as a back-flipping duo; perfectly depicting the imaginary world created by Dr Seuss. The show also involved elements of dance and movement which went alongside the catchy songs perfectly (catchy due to the sheer repetition of each one, both by the cast and a number of audience members following the show!)

Most regrettably, not all of the characters' performances came across as polished and as well-rehearsed as Things 1 & 2. The Cat (in the hat) gave the audience very little, allowing him to become lifeless and drab. I felt that the actor could have experimented more with his character however he was focusing too much on his own tricks. It seemed as though he was unsure of his role and didn’t quite expect the tricks he did perform to go right, suggesting he was under-rehearsed. This was a massive shame as there is so much room for characterisation and depth, and I left feeling disappointed by this.

Contrary to this however, the Fish played with frivolity and infectious humour. Her opera styled singing was hilarious and inspired. Further, her costume consisted of a Zorb; providing the internal of a fish tank. This was inventive, injecting a particular shock factor, notably with the use of centralised lights and glitter confetti. The only slightly bizarre addition to her characterisation was the use of a cocktail shaker and margarita glass. Although this was weirdly funny, it seemed inappropriate and unnecessary in the unfolding of the story.

Conclusively, the production was a beautiful homage to the well known and loved childhood stories and was exciting to watch. The use of mime with dramatic soundscape worked impeccably and the over-dramatic styled acting captured the exact essence of the story. The production stayed true to the story of The Cat In The Hat following the exact lines from the book with the same hilarious rhyme and witty mannerism. This production is so much fun and due to the book’s timeless nature would captivate generations. A perfect adventure for a rainy day, as he would say, “I know it is wet and the sun is not sunny. But we can have lots of good fun, this is funny!”.

Reviewer - Grace McNicholas
on - 20/3/19