CATS

Kidderminster Operatic Society Youth Section CATS

Based on T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, the show is set amongst a larger than life junkyard playground. It is easy to forget that there is a story behind the spectacle of this once longest running show in the West End and Broadway – when the cats come out to play and tell their stories to their wise leader who must choose one of the cats to ascend to The Heaviside Layer and be reborn into a whole new Jellicle life. The first impression of this production was that the sound made by just 5 musicians was a great match to that produced from the original orchestration. The second great impression was the superb visual impact of the set, costumes and make-up.

In a talented cast of 33, there were just 6 lads, but that was more than compensated by their very own talent. The wise and benevolent leader ‘Old Deuteronomy’ was well played by Tom Dobbins, sustained throughout including his ‘Ad-dressing of Cats’ at the conclusion. Josh Haywood moved well and was every bit a cheeky ‘Rum Tum Tugger’ and Louis Wharton gave two great but different portrayals of ‘Bustopher Jones’ and ‘Gus the Theatre Cat’, the latter being particularly well acted.

Meanwhile Harry Cartwright was well cast as ‘Shimbleshanks the Railway Cat’, with a tricky number well delivered, whilst good support was provided by Evan Mancrief as ‘Macavity’. But the outstanding performance came from Dan Richards as ‘Munkustrap’ and ‘Mister Mistoffelees’ who not only sang well and danced superbly, but maintained a cat like persona throughout.

For the girls, the stand-out performances included Hannah Perry (‘Mungojerrie’) and Hannah Lammas (Rumpleteaser’), Lucy Mann (‘The White cat’) who danced impressively with Dan Richards, Jessica Brett (‘Jellylorum’) for her accompaniment in Gus the Theatre Cat, Jessica Richards (‘Grizabella) for her rendition of Memory, together with Chelsea Guest (‘Bombalurina’) and Imogen Roff (‘Demeter’).

 Although I would like to have seen a few more cat-like mannerisms, all the remaining cast gave great support and should be enormously proud of their performance. So too, should James Skidmore (Director / Choreographer) and Russell Painter (MD) for the obvious hard work that had gone into this production. For any established society, one of the best decisions they can make is to form a youth section and Malcolm Wright should be congratulated for promoting that and that this production was directed by former youth members is a superb outcome.

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