REVIEW: Cats - QPAC

Music by: Andrew Lloyd Webber

Lyrics: T. S. Eliot

Principal Cast:

Grizabella – Gabriyel Thomas

Bustopher Jones/Asparagus – Todd McKenney

Old Deuteronomy – Mark Vincent

Jellylorum – Lucy Maunder

Rum Tum Tugger – Des Flanagan

Munkustrap – Jarrod Draper

Jennyanydots – Leigh Archer

Mr Mistoffelees – Tim Haskayne

It felt about time that I finally saw Cats! This Andrew Lloyd Webber musical has been prowling around the world’s stages for over forty years, yet somehow it had eluded me until now. Our theatre landscape is currently bursting with flashy new film-to-stage adaptations like Pretty Woman, Anastasia, Beetlejuice, and Back to the Future, along with repeat juggernauts like Wicked, The Book of Mormon and Six. In the words of the show itself, “the modern productions are all very well..." but it was energising to finally witness one of the true giants of the musical theatre canon.

And what a way to experience it! The musicians absolutely did not hold back as the overture score surged out of the pit with full power. The theatre itself was packed to the rafters, and the audience energy was electric. Sitting in Row O (first row of the back of the stalls) turned out to be the perfect vantage point when the Jellicle cats began wandering through the aisles. The production made brilliant use of the entire theatre, not just the stage. Performers climbed, slinked, leapt and prowled across every available surface, swinging on structures, running along the edges of the orchestra pit, and interacting with audience members. You were never allowed to forget that you were inside their world now.

Even during the interval, the illusion continued. Old Deuteronomy quietly remained on stage, observing the theatre like a wise old feline guardian. The design was wonderfully atmospheric too. John Napier’s iconic junkyard set provided endless levels and nooks for the cats to explore and hide, while the lighting design transformed the space constantly. Pawprint-like lights stretched across the theatre walls and ceiling, drawing the entire auditorium into the Jellicle playground. Glowing green eyes appeared in the darkness as the cats crept in through the stall doors. Strobes and flashes punctuated magical moments, while sirens blared during the dramatic sequences. But mostly, soft moonlight washed the stage in eerie blues and silvers.

If there is one thing that becomes immediately obvious is that this is the ultimate ensemble show. Performing in Cats must surely be one of the most physically demanding gigs in theatre. These performers must leap, tumble, and prowl like felines for the entire show, often while holding impressively difficult vocal lines. The stamina shown across the company was seriously impressive.

And this cast delivered. Savannah Lind and Jake O’Brien were standouts as Rumpleteazer and Mungojerrie, bringing some serious swing to their jazzy number. Their playful chemistry and tricks made the whole sequence a real highlight. Tom Davis was phenomenal as Shimbleshanks the Railway Cat. The athleticism in that number was something to behold, combining rhythmic choreography with impressive acrobatics. Edward Smith’s Macavity brought a burst of big band swagger to the show, with booming brass in the score and a troupe of Macavity girls delivering fierce vocals and slick moves.

Des Flanagan as Rum Tum Tugger was the epitome of rockstar charisma. He reminded me of legends like Tim Curry or Freddie Mercury, strutting across the stage with playful confidence and a magnetic presence. Todd McKenney looked like he was having an absolute ball in his dual roles as Bustopher Jones and the aging theatre cat Asparagus. He leaned fully into the theatricality, delivering both characters with plenty of flair and just the right amount of comic exaggeration.

Tim Haskayne dazzled as Mr Mistoffelees, a sparkling whirlwind of precision dance and showmanship. His magical solo was met with huge applause, and rightly so. Mark Vincent’s Old Deuteronomy brought a deep, operatic richness to the production. His commanding voice and gentle authority grounded the show beautifully amid all the chaos and spectacle. Then there was Gabriyel Thomas as Grizabella. Under layers of scruffy fur and weary makeup, she delivered the show’s emotional heart. When the familiar opening notes of “Memory” played, the theatre grew still. Her voice soared through the auditorium with warmth, vulnerability and power, and by the final notes it was clear the audience had been completely swept up in the memory too. I had goosebumps all over!

What struck me most about Cats is how fancifully strange it is. The lyrics come from T.S. Eliot’s whimsical poems, and the music swings from lyrical ballads to odd rhythms and playful character songs. It definitely feels less like a traditional musical and more like a full-length dance ballet with bursts of spectacular singing. Speaking of which, the choreography is truly the backbone of the production. The feline movement language is so detailed and committed that you quickly stop seeing performers and start believing in a tribe of Jellicle cats gathering for their mysterious annual ball. And seeing the “Jellicle Ball” performed live was completely entrancing; I just sat back and took it all in, completely transfixed.

By the final curtain, I found myself absorbed by the sheer theatricality of it all: the energy, characterisation, vocals, costumes, makeup and choreography make it impossible not to be impressed. After forty years, the Jellicle cats clearly still know how to put on a show.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to sing to my own cats.