Cats purrs its way back to Chinese stages

Andrew Lloyd Webber's record-breaking and award-winning musical Cats will return to China after a five-year hiatus. From October to January 2025, the musical will visit nine Chinese cities with 93 shows, including Shenzhen in Guangdong province, Xi'an in Shaanxi province, Suzhou in Jiangsu province, Tianjin and Shanghai.

With a new cast and stage set, the classic musical adapted from the Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot sparkles with a fusion of music, dance and verses, taking a new spin for a new generation of theatergoers.

Since its premiere in London in 1981, Cats has toured over 30 countries and has been translated into more than 20 languages. In 2003, the musical debuted in China with 54 shows staged in Shanghai. From 2018 to 2019, Cats toured China for about six months, attracting many fans.

Webber's score, including beloved songs like Memory, has become ingrained in the fabric of musical theater history, captivating generations with its emotional depth and feline charm.

The return of Cats to China holds special significance, reflecting the country's growing appreciation for Western musical theater and its rich cultural exchanges with the global stage.

From Nov 9 to 24, the musical will be staged at the newly launched Beijing Performing Arts Centre, one of the venues under the National Centre for the Performing Arts.

Cats follows a pack of cats known as the Jellicles who meet up for the annual Jellicle Ball. One by one they tell stories for the amusement of Old Deuteronomy, their wise and benevolent leader who must choose one of the cats to ascend to The Heaviside Layer and be reborn into a new Jellicle life.

According to Zhao Fei, the deputy director of the performance program department of the NCPA, tickets for the Beijing Cats shows opened on July 16 and sold more than 65 percent of the bookings within two hours, proving the wide popularity of the musical.

Peter McCarthy, pianist and music director of the musical, says that the latest production staged during the upcoming China tour will stay loyal to the original version of Cats, which will tell the story with the universal themes of love, redemption and self-discovery through a unique theatrical lens.

"We started conducting auditions for the musical in April, which received over 2,000 applications. We held auditions with nearly 500 people and rehearsals will begin in August," says McCarthy.

"There is an appetite for musicals in China. When I was here in 2019 with Cats, I felt the enthusiasm from the fans," he adds.

One of the new cast members is actress Lucy May Barker, who plays the role of Grizabella, or Glamour Cat, the principal character.

Born in 1992 and brought up in Lincoln, England, she made her debut in the West End musical as Isle in the original London cast of Spring Awakening in 2009 and other musical theater credits, such as Sweeney Todd and Mamma Mia!

"Cats was the first musical that I ever saw. I was 8 years old," said the actress in Beijing on July 16. "It started my love for musical theater. I am so lucky to do it professionally now."

Barker made her stage debut at age 8 when she played the leading role in the musical Annie. She says that there is no feeling like performing onstage "because it comes from your heart; you try to tell a story as an actress".

"You are not just talking. You have a whole world created around you to help dramatically tell the story. To be a storyteller in that setting feels like magic," she says.

The actress took the audition of Cats and sang the classic, Memory. Then she got a phone call, which, as she says, "everybody dreams of when you are an actor" and she got the iconic role of Glamour Cat — a once-glamorous and beloved cat who is ostracized by the pack, loses her sparkle and only wants to be accepted.

"It's a real dream come true to do the show. It is a full-circle moment for me," she adds.

"I have a cat and I learned to mimic her movements, such as walking and yawning," says Barker.

The actress mentions that compared to other musicals she's done, Cats always holds a special place in her heart due to her connection with the musical.

"Every single one is highlighted equally. The rehearsals are so intense. It really showcases the very best of musical theater and musical theater talent," Barker says.

There is one particular scene in the musical that touches the actress when Jemima — the youngest kitten, sweet and compassionate, sings alongside Grizabella in Memory.

"Jemima becomes the first cat to accept Grizabella and from that moment, Grizabella dares to hope," Barker says.

During the upcoming tour, a live band featuring eight musicians will perform live in the production. According to McCarthy, the musical originally had 18 musicians in the band but now, thanks to the technology, the current eight-piece band can produce sounds like an orchestra.

"Cats is probably one of the musicals today where nothing is pre-recorded. Many shows will have recorded vocals or recorded orchestras. It's amazing that, even though everyone is singing and dancing, it's all done live," McCarthy says.