If the mention of kitties gets you humming to the tune of Memory, then get your paws (or claws) on tickets to Andrew Lloyd Webber's iconic musical, Cats The Musical. One of the longest-running shows on the West End and Broadway, the fantasy tale follows a tribe of cats called the Jellicles that only come out to play on one special night of the year. They share stories of their old and wise leader who must then choose one of the cats to take on The Heaviside Layer and be reborn into a new Jellicle life. With synth-heavy songs, captivating choreography, and fur-tastic costumes, this spectacle is one for the cool cats.
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Time Out Singapore in partnership with Marina Bay Sands
Review
You've probably seen the many memes of Tom Hooper's new film adaptation of Cats. But what we're actually excited about is the original Broadway production that's returning to our shores after wildly successful runs here in 2009 and 2015. One of the longest-running Broadway musicals, Cats has shown in over 300 cities since its premiere in London in 1981. The musical is a visual spectacle based on Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats – a collection poems by T.S Eliot – paired with music by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, who also dreamt up the scores for The Phantom of the Opera.
Set on one special night of the year where all Jellicle cats meet at the Jellicle Ball, expect lots of singing, dancing and meowing. The musical features original choreography by the renowned British ballerina Gillian Lynne, which has been spiffed up and given a modern spin by Andy Blankenbuehler (the same genius behind Hamilton).
Yes, there are lots of cat-like creeping and pouncing – but the choreography heavily features ballet and contemporary dance moves: with plenty of somersaults, pirouettes, attitudes, and splits mid-air. With the show running for two hours and twenty minutes, you're just left with one very important question: "where do they get all the stamina from?!"
The show opens with a dazzling light show, followed by Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats, an introduction to the kitties themselves. Dressed in skin-tight leotards and colourful painted-on stripes, nose and whiskers, the Jellicle cats make their first appearance and pounces their way from behind the audience. In fact, you'll soon find that the musical features a lot of audience interaction, almost as if you're at the Jellicle Ball yourself.
We loved The Rum Tum Tugger, one of the show's catchiest numbers of the musical, which introduces the notorious, attention-seeking rockstar of the tribe. The charismatic male cat dances his way around stage and whips his, er, tail around, charming the kittens and Queens with his confidence while at it. In the same vein, the rockstar also led the introduction to Mister Mistoffeelees, an enchanting illusionist act by the mysterious cat himself as he twirls about in his shimmering catsuit, leaving the Jellicles (and audience) dazzled. But the most memorable number, no pun intended, was Joanna Ampil's (she plays Grizabella) beautiful, heartwarming rendition of Memory, the most iconic song from the musical. Trust us, even if you're never seen the musical, you've definitely heard the tune somewhere.
If you're thinking of heading to the cinema for the movie adaptation, we'd recommend going for the musical first – if you haven't already. Just don't expect a meaningful plot or storyline, though. Its saving grace is the mind-blowingly impressive dance moves, catchy show tunes and pitch-perfect harmonies, which lands Cats in our good books.
Review by Dewi Nurjuwita