The Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre was home to an updated version of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats. On opening night, the beautiful and prestigious outdoor setting was filled with celebrities, veteran actors, audience members wearing honorary cat ears, and the great and good from musical theatre. The overture beckoned a clowder of cats – entering mysteriously and inquisitively from the auditorium onto Sami Fendall’s striking set: a rusted construction site, with a huge, suspended moon above. The circular stage punctured by an old tree root, sticking out from the ground; strewn with shrubs and weeds. The feral creatures feeling the atmosphere through their whiskers and listening intently to what was carried on the air. Cats is based on a collection of poems penned by the author T.S Eliot. The poems depict various cats, their particular personalities and follows their adventures through song and dance. The tribe of cats is called the Jellicles, they are gathering for their annual ball, so that their leader can choose one cat to ascend and begin a new life.
What the choreographer/director Drew McOnie does adeptly, is introduce the Jellicle clan of cats through a contemporary lens. McOnie uses Gillian Lynne’s blueprint of ballet and musical-theatre jazz, and develops the style and form through contemporary movement, including breakdancing. He pays homage to the traditional production, whilst placing his own creative stamp on the musical.
The cast performed with great commitment, poise, passion, individuality and playfulness. I particularly enjoyed how the breath was employed by the performers and how the use of the spine was skilfully physicalised to highlight the emotions of each cat; whether it was flirtation, boldness, fear or mischievousness. The sensuous contraction and release of these feral cats was beautiful and magical.
Jessica Hung Han Yun’s lighting played another hugely important character in the production. Adding otherworldly mystery to an urban setting. The shifting shards of light and slinky silhouettes helped the musical transitions through various locales.
On occasion the production suffers from a lack of diction, on certain lyrics. Possibly due to the fast-paced score and the sheer amount of dancing the cast is required to perform. As a result some words are lost.
While the costumes on the whole are quirky, texturally interesting and coherent – adding to the character of each cat – not all are elevated to the same level.
It would be remiss of me not to mention standout moments from the performance. The Gumbie cat, played by the charismatic Charlotte Riby with an entourage of dancing bugs, was comedic and slick. The Rum Tum Tugger, performed by the provocative Jaydon Vijn, was reminiscent of a David Bowie rock concert. Elliott Broadfoot’s effervescent Bustopher Jones was both humorous and charming. The glittery, gold almost burlesque-like performances by Danny Nattrass (Mungojerrie) and Briana Craig (Rumpleteazer) were masterful and fearless. Matthew Caputo’s portrayal of Skimbleshanks was deliciously camp and engaging. Huge kudos to Gary Wilmot (Gus,) whose acting and storytelling were a sheer masterclass. Last but not least, huge congrats to Taziva-Faye Katsande, who stepped in to cover Grizabella. The audience took to their feet to applaud the sublimely sung ‘Memory’.
Cats is a very entertaining and accomplished production. Well done to the cast, crew and creative team. A purrrfectly good way to spend a summer evening; basking in the exploits of our feline friends.
Cats plays at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre until 19 Sep 2026
