Review: CATS at the Civic Theatre

The latest West End revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber's smash-hit musical Cats kicked off its Australasian tour last night to a packed Civic Theatre in Auckland. Nominated for two Olivier Awards (including best revival) this production of Cats was put together by the original creative team of the award winning 1981 London production and features the superb UK star Sophia Ragavelas in the role of 'Grizabella'.

Based on the poems from T.S Elliot's 'Old Possum's Book Of Practical Cats' Cats tells the story of a group of cats known as the 'Jellicle Cats' who meet once a year at the 'Jellicle Ball' where their leader 'Old Deuteronomy' will choose one of them to ascend to the 'Heaviside Layer' to be reborn in a new life. It is an iconic and award winning all-singing, all-dancing blockbuster musical that has taken the world by storm and set record-breaking runs on both the West End and on Broadway.

Visually the show's designs by John Napier are stunning and are taken straight from the original production which will be very recognisable to those familiar with the successful 1998 film version starring Elaine Paige. Set in a fantastical junkyard there is plenty of opportunity to showcase the acrobatics and skill of this talented ensemble cast with legendary choreography by Gillian Lynne. The music by Andrew Lloyd Webber is fantastic and this production includes both 'The Awefull Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles' and 'Growltiger's Last Stand'. Lloyd Webber has also reworked the song of 'The Rum Tum Tugger' into a hip-hop number whilst maintaining much of the original 'Elvis' rock elements giving it a contemporary remixed feel. The orchestra led by Paul White is excellent and the sound design by Ki Young Kim is exceptionally clear, no mean feat in a notoriously difficult and vast acoustic.

Sophia Ragavelas is simply sensational as Grizabella in 'Memory'. The intensity and power of her singing was something to behold in one of the most anticipated songs in any production of Cats. She is an extraordinary talent and has a great understanding of the character she plays. Andrew Lloyd Webber describes this role as the emotional heart of the show and 'Memory' is one of the most famous and successful songs in all of musical theatre, taking its text from the T.S Elliot poems "Preludes" and "Rhapsody on a Windy Night." Of particular note also was the heartfelt and beautifully rendered singing of Josh Piterman in 'Gus: The Theatre Cat', the precise tap dancing in 'The Old Gumbie Cat' and the acrobatic and comedy duo of 'Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer', played wonderfully by Brent Osborne and Dominique Hamilton.

Cats is a legendary show with fantastic music and stunning choreography that has been enjoyed by adults and children alike all over the world. It is brilliantly clever and engaging and we are extremely fortunate here in Auckland to have had such a strong tradition of national and international talent coming to perform at the Civic Theatre. Don't miss your chance to see this excellent production of one of the biggest musicals of all time.

Cats Runs From the 11th of September until the 11th of October at the Civic Theatre, Auckland.

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