CATS returns to Hong Kong after a successful prowl around the world. Indeed, as one the world’s most beloved, longest-running musical, CATS has always been a roaring success since its premiere at the New London Theatre in 1981 where it ran for 21 record-breaking years. 9000 performances, 81 million viewers and several accolades later, Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s award-winning musical has again set the thespian world purring with pleasure with its reappearance in Hong Kong this January. Playing at Lyric Theatre, Hong Kong Academy of Fine Arts, the show will run till 11 February.
Speaking at an exclusive media preview of the musical, producer David Ian says, “I am absolutely delighted that the revival production of CATS has received such a warm welcome in Hong Kong. Once again, this stunning creation will delight a new generation of theatre fans. It’s time to let the memory live again!”
But how is this world of feline perfection created? Gafencu went backstage to explore. We spoke to actor John Brannoch, who plays the pivotal character Rum Tum Tugger, to understand the process better. According to John, “It takes months of rigorous physical training and stamina-building exercises to replicate the natural grace of cats. We’d spend many hours just crawling around on the studio floor on all fours. At the beginning, you do feel a bit ridiculous, but our director encouraged us to be fearless and to improvise.”
And it is not just the actors who have to go through such rigourous preparation. From the larger-than-life sets designed by acclaimed designer John Napier to elaborate handmade costumes and masks, every aspect of this show is overwhelming in magnitude and painstaking in details.
It is safe to say that Andrew Lloyd Webber’s orchestra, Trevor Nunn’s direction and Gillian Lynne’s choreography not only bring to life T. S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats (on which CATS is based), but firmly places it as an undisputed masterpiece of the theatrical world.
Tickets are available here.
Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay