Search - Ira Levin :: Drat! The Cat! A Musical Comedy (1997 Studio Cast)

"I Like Him"...and DRAT THE CAT!

Byron Kolln | the corner where Broadway meets Hollywood | 03/02/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This superb studio cast album of DRAT! THE CAT! (one of the most notorious Broadway musical flops) is a must-own. The original 1965 production opened and closed in a week, despite a strong cast - Lesley Ann Warren, Elliott Gould, Margery Gray - though the score was preserved thanks to a bootlegged recording taken during one of the performances. This new recording allows the score to fully shine, and producer Bruce Kimmel assembled a stellar lineup of Broadway stars to perform it. Susan Egan is an absolute riot as Alice van Guilder, the 1890's debutante who moonlights as New York's most nefarious cat burgler. Jason Graae plays Bob Purefoy, the young policeman who falls in love with Alice and attempts to lead her onto the straight and narrow. Elaine Stitch and Jonathan Freeman play Alice's parents, Matilda and Lucius van Guilder. Lee Wilkof, Judy Kaye and Gregory Jbara also appear. The Milton Schafer-Ira Levin score is pure gold. Alice has two juicy numbers ("Wild and Reckless", "I Like Him") as well as a gorgeous duet with Bob ("Let's Go"). Elaine Stritch and Jonathan Freeman have a ball with the blame-laden "It's Your Fault!". Despite it's very brief life on Broadway, it did yield one popular hit (Barbra Streisand's take on "She Touched Me"). This recording begs for a fully-fledged Broadway revival."

Jonathan Freeman is a winner on "Drat! The Cat!"

Jason Frazier | TX | 12/18/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"All the vocalists on this recording perform wonderfully, but I have a special liking to Jonathan Freeman's witty performances. On the disc, he is Lucius VanGuilder, and the song he sings with friend Elaine Stritch, "It's Your Fault" is hilarious in it's own right; "...You spared the rod and spoiled the child -- like rotten apple cores!" -- Funny stuff.Jonathan Freeman was also the voice of Jafar in the Disney film "Aladdin", and on the soundtrack. He's a promininent performer in the New York area. I actually managed to get a letter to this guy! We'll see what happens. Anyway, BUY THIS CD! He's awesome!"

I Wanna Do It!

neil16 | Bournemouth, England | 04/06/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I belong to a musical society (I recently played Mack in Mack & Mabel) so I'm always on the look out for shows I've never heard of. I read the review for this one and after seeing that Susan Egan was in it (who I loved in Beauty & The Beast, Hercules) I couldn't resist. WHAT A FIND! I LOVE this show! It's so witty and clever with some absolutely gorgeous melodies. I'm going to suggest doing it for a production next year...so I hope the amateur rights are available. If you love great musicals in the tradition of 'The Mystery of Edwin Drood' then buy this - you won't be disappointed."