by Sam Hawcroft
For anyone coming to Cats for the first time, this spectacular production at Hull New Theatre is enough to make a lifelong fascination with the musical entirely understandable.
Visually stunning, thrillingly danced and sung with extraordinary power, the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre production takes Andrew Lloyd Webber’s much-loved show and gives it a fresh burst of life. Wednesday’s performance was, quite simply, a triumph.
Directed and choreographed by Drew McOnie, it combines astonishing physical feats with moments of stillness and reflection that are every bit as compelling. There is spectacle in abundance, but there is also a deeply moving story about belonging, rejection and the hope of being welcomed home.
Based on TS Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, the musical grew from verses Lloyd Webber had loved since childhood, when his mother read them to him at bedtime. Years later, he began setting them to music, with Paul Nicholas’s recording of Mr Mistoffelees released in 1980.
The stage show opened at London’s New London Theatre on May 11, 1981, with Elaine Paige as Grizabella. Famously, Judi Dench had originally been cast in the roles of Grizabella and Jennyanydots, but an Achilles tendon injury forced her to withdraw. Paige stepped in, and musical theatre history was made.
More than four decades later, it is easy to see why the show continues to captivate.
Its premise is relatively simple. On one special night each year, the Jellicle Cats gather for their ball, where their wise and benevolent leader, Old Deuteronomy, chooses which of them will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and be reborn into a new Jellicle life.
Much of the pleasure comes from meeting this extraordinary collection of characters, each introduced through music and movement. Hannah Joseph’s young white cat, Victoria, helps draw the audience into their world, while Kalisha Amaris takes on the traditionally male role of Old Deuteronomy.
McOnie’s choreography is central to everything. The sheer athleticism of the company is remarkable, but so too is the precision with which the performers capture feline movement: the stretching, prowling, watchfulness and sudden bursts of energy.
At times, it feels like ballet, opera and musical theatre rolled into one, with the grace, vocal power and sheer showmanship to do justice to all three.
There is a sensuality to it all, too. Between the slinking choreography and the skin-tight costumes, these cats have an unmistakable swagger. It is playful, confident and occasionally quite sexy, without tipping into anything overtly raunchy.
Sami Fendall’s set and costumes provide a striking framework. The familiar C of the Cats title forms part of the scenery, while relatively simple props, including circular hoops, leave room for the performers to do the storytelling.
The effect is anything but bare. Jessica Hung Han Yun’s lighting is exceptional, transforming the stage through moonlit silhouettes, rich red washes and drifting smoke. Again and again, the combination of bodies, light and shadow creates an image worth lingering over.
The second act takes an already impressive evening to another level.
After his threatening presence has been established earlier, Diante Lodge’s Macavity makes a truly sinister impression. With elongated pointed ears, long claws and spikes along his back, he has something of Nosferatu about him. Silhouetted against the moon, he creates one of the production’s most memorable images.
Then comes the fire. A flaming torch and a ring of actual flames bring a startling new intensity to the proceedings, adding another layer of danger to a character who hardly needs help looking menacing.
Macavity’s kidnapping of Old Deuteronomy provides the cue for another outstanding arrival: Jet Yau’s Mr Mistoffelees, whose conjuring powers offer the hope of bringing the leader back.
Sparkling in a sequinned costume, Yau delivers a dazzling display of dancing, including head-spinning breakdance moves that have to be seen to be believed. The energy, control and apparent ease are extraordinary.
Yet, for all the flames, acrobatics and visual invention, the evening’s emotional heart belongs to Grizabella.
Once the glamour cat, she has returned to the tribe after leaving to explore the outside world, only to find herself shunned. Her outstretched hand, waiting for a touch that does not come, is a quietly devastating image amid the exuberance.
Rachael Wooding’s vocals are magnificent. Comparisons with Elaine Paige are inevitable, but this is singing worthy of that formidable benchmark, combining immense power with vulnerability.
As Memory returns through the evening, its emotional weight grows. By the final rendition, when Grizabella’s longing for acceptance reaches its climax, the effect is overwhelming. It is difficult to imagine many eyes remaining entirely dry.
That balance is what makes this Cats so special. The breathtaking dancing and spectacular staging would be worth the ticket alone, but the quieter moments give it a lasting emotional pull.
For newcomers, it is an unforgettable introduction. For those who already know and love the musical, there is every reason to discover it afresh.
Perhaps the most succinct verdict came from one of three elderly ladies leaving the theatre: “They were very… bendy, weren’t they?”
They certainly were. And much more besides.
Cats runs at Hull New Theatre until Saturday, October 24. If tickets remain for the next two nights’ shows, seize the chance. This is the kind of production that leaves an immediate urge to watch it all over again.
