Cats

Melbourne may not have needed another production of Cats, but it seems we wanted one. Tickets for the limited engagement at the spacious Regent Theatre are pretty much sold out, meaning our love affair with the pussy cats is as solid as ever.

Not only is Cats one of the most successful musicals of all time, it has the added distinction of being the biggest ever ‘concept’ musical. Even after the worldwide acclaim that met previous hits Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita, Andrew Lloyd Webber could never have imagined the musical juggernaut he was putting in motion thirty years ago by setting a book of poems to music.

In the absence of a storyline, the central conceit of the show is that an assortment of cats illustrate the foibles and idiosyncrasies of humans. Poet T.S. Elliot celebrates an England now lost in his evocation of the various tiers of the class system  

Given its brief season and short bump in time, Cats is an extraordinary technical success. Sound design is excellent, with even the softest whispers sounding natural and perfectly clear. A surround sound effect is achieved with clashes and jangles emanating from various corners of the auditorium. Lighting is also first rate, adding intriguing texture to the oversized junkyard set. Strings of coloured globes reach all the way around the cavernous theatre and when they are twinkling the effect is quite magical. Also particularly impressive is the pinpoint accuracy of spots, for example on soloists in The Naming of Cats.

A brilliant addition to John Napiers’s classic set is the painted floor, a full gloss collage of advertising scraps featuring a giant growling tiger. The touring set easily fills the massive Regent stage, spilling out across the orchestra pit and on platforms left and right of the proscenium. One misfire, however, is the pared back staging of Growltiger’s Last Stand. Growltiger at the helm in front of a painted cloth was not enough to suggest a ship so when the invading Siamese just walked up holding fans the idea of a battle on the high seas was lost.

Delia Hannah makes a welcome return to the stage, effortlessly belting the classic Memory and fully capturing the pathos and poignancy of Grizabella the Glamour Cat. Lisa-Marie Parker made a splendid contrast between the gracious, tender Jellylorum and the flirty, comic Griddlebone. Parker’s gorgeous soprano voice has never sounded better. Other strong performances included Adrian Ricks’ spectacular dancing as Mr Mistoffelees, and Brenton Wilson and Justine Puy’s entertaining acrobatics as Mungojerrie and Rumpleteaser.

Ultimately Cats is a true ensemble show and this production is graced with a full company of triple threats. The choral singing was superb, particularly the impressive use of dynamics. Gillian Lynne’s choreography, re-created here by Jo-Anne Robinson, is still glorious, magical and breathtaking. The Jellicle Ball, assisted by thrilling orchestrations and dazzling lighting effects, remains the jewel in the crown of choreographic achievements.

Younger music theatre fans who have never seen the professional version of Cats as well as those who remember the seasons at Her Majesty’s and the Princess Theatres (not to mention the ‘tent’ tour) will all enjoy this lovingly created, highly entertaining production. The only challenge will be actually procuring a ticket. Bookings are through Ticketek. www.ticketek.com.au