Cats

Bringing Cats to the stage is no small feat. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical is known for its demanding choreography, intricate harmonies, and the challenge of making sense of T.S. Eliot’s whimsical poetry. 

So, when CAST Theatre Company, (featuring a cast with many younger performers) took on the challenge of bringing this show to The Forum, it showed alevel of ambition second to none.

From the opening moments of Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats, it was clear that the cast really enjoyed working on this one, throwing themselves into their roles, trying their best to embody the slinky, mysterious, and sometimes mischievous nature of their characters.

Every performer brought their own characters to the stage, with one or two particularly memorable moments.

Mungojerrie, played by Florence Montague, delivered a lively and charismatic performance, pairing well with Rumpleteazer (Martha Thomas) in their duet.

Leah-May Mawhinney as Mr. Mistoffelees dazzled with her hard work, and Macavity’s (Oliver Barker) brief but effective presence added a great bit of drama.

Chris Barker strutted his stuff as Rum Tum Tugger, thrusting his hips at anyone who glanced his way, throwing cartwheels in here, there and everywhere.

Nice to hear and see Matthew Barker onstage again as Old Deuteronomy, giving a level of gravitas to the production.

Of course, the best known number in the show is Grizabella`s song, Memory. Karen Barker had the unenviable task of playing the role- on the night we went, the crackling sound hindered that number somewhat, and made it difficult to hear the lyrics (although we all probably know them all), but Karen soldiered on through.

Performance of the night for me was Poppy Brown in the role of Demeter. Poppy totally captured the essence and movement of the role- more cat than Doja and Julie Newmar put together- a stand out performance enjoyed by all. Well done.

Staging and lighting were simple and effective, different levels designating different areas. The costuming was effective (from incredibly lifelike, feline colouring to a romper suit with attached fur), allowing the performers to move freely, and clever use of face paint.

The choreography was simplified in places to accommodate the younger cast members, but the effort they put in was admirable, and you could see the cast growing in confidence minute by minute. The sense of teamwork was evident throughout the production- as it has always been with this company.

One of the most heartwarming aspects of the evening was the clear support from the audience, and the way they created an encouraging and uplifting atmosphere for the performers-with CAST, it`s more than just putting on a show, it`s about building confidence and nurturing a genuine love for the theatre.

Graham Barker in the roles of Artistic Director, Musical Director and Choreographer should be really pleased with what he accomplished with this production.

Thank you CAST Theatre Company, for your invite and hospitality.

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