Few productions in musical theatre inspire reactions as polarised as Cats. One of the biggest commercial hits in theatre history — and one of its most divisive — it is back, reminding audiences why it helped usher in the era of the mega-musical.
When Cats premiered, it redefined what musical theatre could be. It challenged traditional narrative structure, put spectacle, scale and choreography front and centre. There is no dialogue and no linear plot. Instead, music, poetry and dance intertwine as a tribe of cats reveal their personalities through song and movement.
The new production is visually arresting, buoyed by a dynamic cast and striking costumes and make-up. With a high proportion of local performers, the show has just completed a successful run at Artscape, moves next to Johannesburg, and then kicks off on a two-year international tour.
There was a vitality to this Cape Town production that I don’t recall from a more subdued version I saw years ago in London — an experience after which I had sworn never to see Cats again.
From the outset, critics have been sharply divided. Detractors argue that Cats prioritises spectacle over storytelling, while fans are drawn to its bold, almost abstract theatrical language. Love it or loathe it, the musical’s commercial success is undeniable, with extraordinary global longevity.
It is also among the most physically demanding productions in musical theatre. Nearly 30 performers must sing, dance and act continuously, encased in elaborate costumes and make-up, with stamina a prerequisite.
At its core, Cats is a story of transformation. The Jellicle Cats gather for their annual Jellicle Ball to decide which one will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and be reborn. The musical is inspired by Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot.
The show holds particular significance in South Africa. In 2001, theatre impresario Pieter Toerien took a risk by staging Cats — the first large-scale musical theatre in the country — testing whether there was an appetite locally for grand-scale musical theatre. The gamble paid off — and audiences wanted more.
About a third of the current cast is from LAMTA, the performing arts academy which has had a major impact since it was started seven years ago by Duane Alexander and Anton Luitingh, with Toerien’s support. The academy is based at Theatre on the Bay in Camps Bay and was created to develop “triple-threat” performers — artists equally adept at acting, singing and dancing.
Alexander, now resident director and choreographer on Cats, was himself part of the 2001 South African production. “It’s a whole déjà vu, full-circle moment,” he says. One of the motivations behind LAMTA’s founding was the drain of local talent into international productions, leaving fewer performers at home. The academy set out to address that gap.
Systems are in place to preserve the integrity and vision of the original production. Associate director and choreographer Chrissie Cartwright spent several weeks in Cape Town for rehearsals. Having worked closely with the legendary choreographer Gillian Lynne, she is entrusted with upholding the legacy of the production.
The show’s most famous number, Memory, belongs to Grizabella, the once glamorous cat who has fallen on hard times and is shunned by the tribe. In one Sunday performance, Cindy-Ann Abrahams delivered the song with an emotional intensity that earned a mid-show standing ovation.
Through Grizabella, Old Deuteronomy teaches the tribe about acceptance, redemption and renewal. Alexander suggests it may be the musical’s simplicity — and its universal themes of transformation and the cyclical nature of life — that continue to resonate.
“It’s a demanding production,” he says. “It really is like a litmus test of what the talent is like in the country.”
Behind the scenes, the scale is immense: a set transported in around 10 large containers, with oversized props designed to create the illusion that the cats inhabit a human world three times their size.
LAMTA’s impact is increasingly evident. Its graduates are working primarily in theatre, as well as TV and film. “For Ant and I, it’s just a huge sigh of relief,” says Alexander. “We’ve poured our hearts and souls and seven years of our lives into creating this academy, and it’s doing what we set out to do.” Last year alone, LAMTA’s production of Spring Awakening won 11 out of 14 Naledi Awards.
Standout performances in Cats include Cassiel Eatock-Winnik as Victoria, the white cat, whose movement is both sinuous and powerful; Tshepo Ncokoane in the dual roles of Bustopher Jones and Gus the Theatre Cat; and rising star Dylan Janse van Rensburg as Rum Tum Tugger, delivering swaggering rock-star energy and silky, powerful vocals, all of which signal star quality – bringing another standout performance that was evident in Spring Awakening and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.
Since its debut in 1981, Cats has been staged in more than 54 countries and seen by more than 77-million people worldwide. As Alexander puts it, the show is a bit like a cat itself — endowed with nine lives.
The production moves to Teatro Montecasino from January 17 to February 22, before touring internationally to destinations in Asia and the Middle East.
Once again, Cats is ready for a new generation.
