this play has never been about race

Susan--

While I agree that John Lahr's interpretation of the mendacity in "Cat" as specifically that present in a Southern society in denial about it's racial past adds depth to the meaning of the play, I fear that it simultaneously subtracts breadth. To narrow the focus of the play to one specific type of society lessens the universality of the message. One can be disgusted with the superficiality of society without bringing race into it. For me, this play has never been about race, so the casting makes no difference in terms of the impact of the message. Perhaps the thought never occurred to me because I am not a Southerner, but that's precisely my point. Is John saying that I can't apply the message to my own life because the mendacious society I deal with doesn't have racial overtones? That defies the whole purpose of art which John so clearly articulated in the show: externalizing internal absence so that others might recognize the same absence in themselves and feel less alone.

Feel free to post these comments. Thanks for asking!

Carol Hampton,
Theater Devotee and Loyal Viewer