CATS The Musical 40th Anniversary Tour at Crown Perth

CATS Musical at Crown Perth
Photo Credit: Daniel Boud

The last time I saw CATS was on a VHS videotape borrowed from my sister, so I was looking forward to checking out the show again when it came around to Perth for the 40th Anniversary Tour. My partner had never seen it at all (gasp!), so I was also interested to see what she would think about this theatre classic.

Walking into the Crown Theatre, the stage curtains were open so we were greeted by the sight of the fabulous set that has been put together for the production. Enigmatic greens and purples glowed invitingly as the scaled up to cat size junkyard beckoned us forward. Old stoves, car wrecks, drainage pipes and more made a multi-level playground and performance space for the acrobatic cast.

The audience were a wide ranges of ages, from silver-haired elders who can remember the original launch of CATS by Andrew Lloyd Webber way back in 1981, all the way through to young kids with wide eyes about to watch it live for the very first time. Plus a number of people like my partner and myself, middle-aged in body but still young at heart!

The show commenced in a whirl of ferocious feline movements and singing (in human, thankfully!). It was at this point I remembered just how much dancing takes place during the performance – no wonder the performers need a 20 minute interval!

The plot of CATS hardly needs a synopsis by now, but suffice to say that there were a few misty eyes by the time a Jellicle cat was picked to ascend to the Heaviside Layer and be reborn.

I’ve already mentioned the atmospheric set and lighting, but credit must also go to the live orchestra who kept the music flowing for the cast to swing and shimmy along to – there was great synchronicity between what was happening above and below the stage.

And while everybody in the cast was suitably fabulous (as you would expect from Jellicle cats in a production like this), I’ll just pick out a couple of personal highlights – Grizabella’s (Gabriyel Thomas) rendition of ‘Memory’ (no pressure!), the flashing paws of Mr Mistoffelees (whew, he’s making me dizzy!), and the slinky and sensual duet for ‘Macavity’ by Demeter and Bombalurina (should cats be sexy?!).

Anyway, the cast and crew gave it their all and the audience lapped it up and meowed for more. Over 40 years on, there’s still a life or two left in this particular moggy! Highly enjoyable for all ages – and cat lovers of course!

CATS The Musical its 40th Anniversary Tour is showing at Crown Perth till 6 December.

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