Andrew Lloyd Webber’s award-winning CATS starts its new tour from Plymouth and delivers an unmissable spectacle at Theatre Royal Plymouth. All the cool cats in town pounced to their seats to watch the latest version of this hit musical, in Plymouth until 17th October.
It was a first for me; I didn’t get to see the famous Jellicle Cats when they were in town last, some 12 years ago. So while I can’t compare or comment on what exactly changed, I can tell you one thing – it was absolutely superb! The layered staging is very impactful and every inch of the space is filled with movement once the Jellicle Cats appear from the darkness. What a sight that was! To me, the choreography (Drew McOnie) and movement are what make this show shine so brightly. Every single movement is executed to perfection and the routines bring plenty of feline flair.
The costumes were crafted to perfection. There was so much texture, cleverly imitating the variety of cat coats, without heavily relying on the more obvious choices like faux fur. Each Jellicle Cat felt unique and the costume went in tune with their character. My teenager and I could not possibly take our eyes off the fickle and rebellious Rum Tum Tugger (Jaydon Vijn), I’m pretty sure I will be tasked with recreating the trousers he wore on the night.
The incredibly charismatic cast gave us plenty of moments to remember on the night. Their powerful voices in perfect harmony delivered hair-raising moments, from laughter to emotional tears, it truly was a journey to remember. I loved the little teaser moments of Grizabella starting to perform the famous “Memory”, only to stop midway and retreat into the darkness. I don’t think there was a single dry eye left in the Lyric once Louise Dearman finished in Act Two, delivering a pitch-perfect performance!
Overall, it’s a fresh, cool, undeniably sexy and proud reimagining that breathes vibrant new life into the story. Drew McOnie’s vision is a stroke of creative genius, turning the Jellicle Ball into an electrifying, sleek and fiercely modern spectacle which I highly recommend seeing.
See CATS at Theatre Royal Plymouth until 17th October: https://theatreroyal.com/whats-on/cats/
Review by Kamila Bielawska – One Plymouth team member #BestOfPlymouth
