Review | CATS (UK Tour) September 2014

Concluding the UK leg of an almost 2-year tour, Cats - the musical based on T.S. Lewis' poems arrives in Birmingham this week. Despite the 33 years since it's original premiere, audiences continue to delight in the wonderfully wacky world of the Jellicle Cats. 

The story is woven out of numerous poems about several kinds of cat and by the end one is chosen to go to the Heavyside Layer and come back to a different Jellicle life... Some say there isn't a story but  listen carefully and you'll learn in just under three hours of pure entertainment. 

Story aside, it is Lloyd Webber's music that is most captivating, a fine orchestra led by Anthony Gabriele provides both an eerie yet strangely welcoming sound. The Phantom Of The Opera probably goes down as Webber's most impressive score, but there are beautiful moments found here, notably in the music of Old Deuteronomy, of course Memory and the climax to act 1 - the incredibly exciting Jellicle Ball which flits between every tempo possible.

In the narrating role is the excellent Callum Train, the strapping Munkustrap, protector and second in command. Train is in fine voice as a solid and strong grey tabby and impresses throughout despite what is clearly a demanding role. Also leading the males is Filippo Strochhi as Rum Tum Tugger - a clear audience favourite alongside Joseph Poulton, Rambert graduate as Mister Mistoffelees. Poulton's irresistible charm, expression and perfected dance solo ensure all eyes are on him.

Zizi Strallen as Demeter

Even as a cat, you can spot a Strallen a mile off, here Zizi (one of four sisters all in show business) is an impressive addition as Demeter, who gives a powerful vocal performance of Macavity along with Charlene Ford as Bombalurina.

There is energy aplenty but cheeky kitties Mungojerrie (Benjamin Yates/Barnaby Thompson) and Rumpleteazer (Dawn Williams) treat us to an acrobatic, tumbling tale of how they delightfully deceive. Sophia Ragavelas belts out a powerful rendition of Memory as the forlorn ex-glamour cat Grizabella.

Dawn Williams as Rumpleteazer and Benjamin Yates as Mungojerrie

Gillian Lynne's iconic choreography is executed with the highest precision. The show's entire choreography utilises every chance to show off what a phenomenal cast this is. If they aren't tap dancing cockroaches, they're siamese sailors - a wonderfully inventive and outlandishly imaginative production.

Nicholas Pound as Old Deuteronomy and Sophia Ragavelas as Grizabella

As theatre cat Gus puts it, "modern productions are all very well, but there's nothing to equal from what I hear tell". Cats remains that favourite show it always was, there's a magic that ensures this timeless classic doesn't need anything overcomplicated and it's success is in pure talent. Don't pass up your invitation to the Jellicle Ball, it's fearless feline fun. Introduce a young one to what is undoubtably a magical and mesmerising spectacular - they're certain to cherish the memory forever. Catch it at the final UK venue of it's tour, Birmingham Hippodrome until Sat 27 September. Tickets here. 

Related Articles
How to become a Cat with former cast member Richard Astbury. Click here.

Cast List: Adam Lake, Adam Salter, Charlene Ford, Paul F Monaghan, Joel Morris, Cassie Clare, Benjamin Mundy, Zizi Strallen, Sophia Ragavelas, Clare Rickard, Natasha Mould, Abigail Jaye, Cameron Ball, Callum Train, Benjamin Yates, Barnaby Thompson, Nicholas Pound, Joseph Poulton, Dawn Williams, Filippo Strocchi, Ross Finnie, Kathryn Barnes, Hannah Kenna Thomas, Ryan Gover, Barry haywood, Alice Jane, Grace McKee, Dane Quixall, Libby Watts. 

WHAT TO SEE (West Midlands) 2013/2014

The 2013 season is steadily drawing to close and theatres in the West Midlands are beginning to announce spectacular shows that you can look forward to throughout the new year. Here is my round up of the three theatres you're most likely to find me at!

BIRMINGHAM NEW ALEXANDRA THEATRE

RENT IN CONCERT

Seeing 2013 out and 2014 in is the groundbreaking Ghost The Musical - based on the Oscar winning musical, the timeless fantasy about the power of love runs from Tuesday 17th December 2013 - Sunday 5th January 2014 (BOOK GHOST).  Kerry Ellis stars in the hugely popular return of Rent In Concert on Friday 14th February, a perfect Valentines treat? (BOOK RENT) The Rod Stewart musical Tonight's The Night played to sold out audiences on it's previous tour, catch it from Monday 24th February - Saturday 1st March (BOOK TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT). Vincent and Flavia bring their brand new stage show Dance Til Dawn to Birmingham from Monday 21st - Saturday 26th April (BOOK DANCE TIL DAWN). Finally, perhaps the biggest and most anticipated production this year is West Side Story (BOOK WEST SIDE STORY).

Other season highlights include Sleeping Beauty On Ice, Scrooge The Musical, Ha Ha Holmes (starring Joe Pasquale), Peppa Pig's Big Splash, The Vagina Monologues and The Dreamboys.

Full listings of what's on at the New Alexandra in 2014 can be found here. 

BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME

WICKED

Seeing out 2013 at Birmingham Hippodrome are John Partridge and Gok Wan who star in Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs (BOOK PANTO). The West End hit Singin' In The Rain makes a splash from Tuesday 18th March - Saturday 5th April staring Faye Tozer from Steps as Lina Lamont (BOOK SINGIN IN THE RAIN). Marti Pellow continues to star as Che in Evita as the production tours to Birmingham from Tuesday 8th - Saturday 19th April (BOOK EVITA). The National Theatre's One Man Two Guvnors runs from Monday 26th - Saturday 21st May (BOOK ONE MAN TWO GUVNORS). The previously announced summer smash hit Wicked opens on Wednesday 9th July and plays until Saturday 6th September (BOOK WICKED). Finally, the Andrew Lloyd Webber phenomenon Cats will be bringing the Jellicle Ball in Birmingham from Tuesday 9th - Saturday 27th September. Tickets for Cats are on sale to friends of the Hippodrome from 10am on 7th October, group on 14th October and general, online and phone sales from 16th October (BOOK CATS).

Other season highlights include War Horse, War Horse: Only Remembered, Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake, Birmingham Royal Ballet and Welsh National Opera. 

VIEW THE NEW HIPPODROME 
SEASON TRAILER HERE

Full listings of what's on at the Hippodrome in 2014 can be found here.

WOLVERHAMPTON GRAND THEATRE

CABARET

Joe Pasquale headlines this years pantomime, Sleeping Beauty alongside Ceri Dupree and Lucy Evans from Saturday 7th December 2013 until Sunday 19th January 2014 (BOOK PANTO). Before the festivities however, West End heartthrob Oliver Thornton stars as Frank N Furter in the 40th Anniversary Production of The Rocky Horror Show from Monday 28th October - Saturday 2nd November 2013 with Dani Harmer and Ben Forster (BOOK ROCKY HORROR). Pop Idol winner Will Young returns to his award winning role of Emcee in Cabaret which also stars Siobhan Dillon from Tuesday 26th - Saturday 30th November (BOOK CABARET). The new year sees Noel Sullivan starring in Priscilla Queen Of The Desert from Monday 27th January - Saturday 1st February 2014 (BOOK PRISCILLA). The highlight of the 2014 season is Dirty Dancing which runs for three weeks from Tuesday 23rd September through to Saturday 11th October (BOOK DIRTY DANCING).

Other season highlights include The Upbeat Beatles, To Sir With Love, Brendan Cole License To Thrill, The Russian State Ballet of Siberia and Derren Brown Infamous. 

Full listings of what's on at the Grand in 2014 can be found here. 

You can book for any of the listed shows by visiting the theatres websites - click on the theatre to book: Birmingham New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham Hippodrome, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre. 

CATS (UK Tour) Cats Make Up - Becoming Coricopat with Richard Astbury

Coricopat is the male of the twins in the musical Cats. He shares very similar make-up and costume to the female - Tantomile. Throughout the show as the psychic cats Coricopat and Tantomile are always the first to hear and react to everything and when they do they move in perfect sync. Not only do they have a difficult job on stage but their make up is one of the most complicated too...

The show goes up at 7:30pm each night and I joined Richard Astbury in his dressing room a whole three hours before the show to begin make up at 4:30pm!

Richard begins applying the first base, an Oriental paint stick, which looks rather like a dodgy fake tan. Sponging it everywhere but his mouth area which he then fills in white. Coricopat's wig is quite high and the costume neck quite low so Richard has the most to paint including his ears and down to the bottom of his neck. After each different section or colour, powder is applied and brushed in to keep the colours dry and stop them smudging. During the show this also helps the make-up in its battle against sweat. 

The first detailed part are the eyes and Richard begins with the black detail. It takes extreme concentration, particularly to match the left side with the right. In the very beginning Make Up Supervisor Maria Cave provided each member of the cast with the original designs, she would paint one half of their face and they would have to copy it on the other side. Each member of the cast has to do their own make up and some of them, including Richard are understudies for other cats and have to learn their make up too! Richard covers for Rum Tum Tugger, Macavity and Skimbleshanks. 

Once the black flecks above the eye are done, white and brown is then added in, flicking it upwards. Richard's eye design differs very slightly to the original design, the flecks are slightly bigger so that it matches Tantomile's (who has a smaller forehead) and the eye make up meets the wig which sits quite high. Even at this far into the process after half an hour, there is still no one else in make up. There's no else even around yet, apart from Barry... making a cup of tea. He's a swing, he covers the older male Cats and wasn't on that night. 

Next are whiskers, and luckily these aren't symmetrical. First they're painted on white and later black is added to accentuate them. The first black paint added to the mouth area is to create a nose, painting the underside around the nostrils, a black line down the the philtrum and then out across the lips. At this point it's important to put the powder on immediately to stop the black upper lip and white lower lip from merging and becoming grey when you close your mouth. 

Once the black detail around the whiskers has been finished it's time to head into the wig department. Richard's wig cap is fitted by the deputy wigs mistress Jess Bishop. All of the cast come here to get their wigs and to have them fitted but first Richard has to take his back to the dressing room for the next stage of the make-up. The colours in Coricopat's wig are the same as the make up, but have to line up on the face so the fusion between hair and paint isn't obvious from the stage. 

The neck is painted black, all down the sides, into the hairline and completely covers the back of the neck. Flecks of black extend from the back of the neck into the orange colour at the front. Other flecks of white and brown are added too. 

After 90 minutes it's time for physical and vocal warm up. For the cast who have all now begun their transformations there is still a lot to do afterwards. The wig room is very busy after warm up, microphones are fed through the wig caps and fixed into place at the top of the head. For Richard, once his wig is secured there are a final bits of make up to touch up on before costume. The amount of powder required dulls the colours of the make up and so this is the time to make it all stand out again by going over the bits that have faded. 

As Mister Mistoffelees would say - "PRESTO!" the make up is complete. It's now only 15 minutes until showtime, and Richard is ready for costume. Shoes, tails and accessories are kept together in individual boxes for each character, after collecting these and putting them together with the catsuit itself.... we have Coricopat!

You can watch a time-lapse of Richard's lengthy transformation in under 3 minutes... If only it really took that long!

Richard is one of a 28 strong cast for the UK/Europe Tour of Cats so his lengthy transformation is actually only a very small part of the overall daily preparation for the show. Here is a little glimpse at what else goes on behind the scenes at Cats! (As with all of the pictures, click on them to view them larger)

Joanna Ampil who plays Grizabella first appears on stage for the opening as a kitten, her make up looks like this until she later adds the tears and wrinkles required for the ex-Glamour Cat Grizabella. (Production photography by Alessandro Pinna). 

Cameron Ball plays Admetus at the beginning of the show (left) but transforms mid show into Macavity (right) which requires some alterations. 

Will Lucas begins his make up for Bill Bailey and James Darch uses a close up mirror to add the finishing touches to Alonzo. 

The wigs on one of the tables include Skimbleshanks, Old Deuteronomy, Munkustrap and Gus (left), Lily Frazer's Demeter wig and Dawn Williams' Jemima sit on the top shelf (right) and the costumes are all stored together and brought up to the dressing rooms to put them on. 

There are some extra backstage pictures taken during the get in for the show on the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre's blog which you can read here. 

Cats continues in Wolverhampton until Saturday 30th March and tours the UK and Europe for 14 months through into 2014 - more details of the tour can be found on the official website. 

Review | CATS (UK Tour) March 2013

On just one special night of the year, all Jellicle cats meet at the Jellicle Ball where Old Deuteronomy, their wise and benevolent leader, makes the Jellicle choice and announces which of them will go up to the Heaviside Layer and be reborn into a whole new Jellicle life....

That's about it, as far as the story goes, but Cats is so much more than that. On entering the theatre you're entering a dump - a giant playground for cats. The atmosphere is set before a single note is sung, before a cat is even seen. An abandoned car, larger than life-size tyres, boxes of Shreddies, Ritz biscuits, paper plates, cans of Pepsi litter the auditorium and strings of fairy lights hang from the boxes and around the circles, it's magical, yet rubbish.

I think you're either a cat person, or a dog person... I have a dog (ssshhh!), a sausage dog, so he's cat sized but I've never really been a fan of actual cats. But from the moment the glorious orchestra boom out the overture these creatures are somewhat strangely welcoming. Inquisitive, cute and playful at first Jellicle Songs For Jellicle Cats is the purrrfect opening, captivating the audience in every way. It's hard to pinpoint a particular element for being greater than another. Vocals, choreography, costume and fiendishly difficult make-up combine to present the stories of these practical, dramatical, pragmatical, fanatical, oratorical, delphioracle cats. 

Ben Palmer (Munkustrap)

Munkustrap acts as the narrator of the story and played by Ben Palmer (42nd Street) we get a solid and strong grey tabby who impresses throughout, particularly in his telling of Old Deuteronomy. Also leading the males is Oliver Savile (Les Misérables) as The Rum Tum Tugger, a curious cat - milking it for all it's worth, this cat revels in strutting around and gaining everyone's attention which Savile certainly achieves, riffing his way powerfully through the final choruses of Mister Mistoffelees and impressive vocal range is evident. Mister Mistoffelees, the conjuring cat has perhaps the most beautiful costume - sparkling and shimmering as he dances around, Joseph Poulton's exciting facial expressions and strength in ballet ensures all eyes are on him. Cameron Ball makes a ferocious Macavity. Nicholas Pound is majestic and in fine voice as Old Deuteronomy. 

Joseph Poulton (Mister Misoffelees) and Oliver Savile (Rum Tum Tugger)

Melissa James attracts attention as Bombalurina - incredibly sassy and impresses with Lily Frazer as Demeter in Macavity. Two other impressive duos are Barnaby Thompson (Legally Blonde) and Katie Warsop as Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer in their song, and in dance Richard Astbury and Lizzi Franklin as Coricopat and Tantomile. Ross Finnie is a delight as Skimbleshanks the railway cat, the scene in which the cats build the train from rubbish is genius. 

Cats is very much an ensemble show and as boring as it may be to list names, I cannot go without out mentioning an individual that make up this fantastic company which includes Alicia Beck, Jessica Buckby, Matthew Caputo, Collette Coleman, James Darch, Barry Haywood, Will Lucas, Paul F Monaghan, Joel Morris, Ian Parsons, Alice Redmond, Clare Rickard, Freya Rowley, Francesca Whiffin and Dawn Williams. 

Richard Astbury and Lizzi Franklin

Memory is perhaps one of the most famous songs in Musical Theatre history and comes with a lot of pressure for a singer to follow in the pawsteps of Elaine Paige. So how do you manage to succeed in wowing thousands of people each night? You cast Joanna Ampil as Grizabella. I don't think there has ever been a time in which I have seen anyone sing with as much emotion, and keeping in such beautiful voice. A true star, who deserves to be remembered in this iconic role as famously as Paige. Incredible. 

Joanna Ampil (Grizabella)

Cats plays at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, the first English venue of the current tour for two weeks until Saturday 30th March 2013. Completely unmissable, get tickets HERE NOW. 

CATS (UK Tour) Interview with Ben Kennedy

Based on T.S Elliot's 'Old Possum's Book Of Practical Cats', Andrew Lloyd Webber's record-breaking musical Cats is about to embark on a UK tour. Premiering at the Edinburgh Playhouse on 9th February the tour plays it's first English venue in Wolverhampton at the Grand Theatre for two weeks beginning 19th March.

With an impressive back-catalogue that includes Hairspray, We Will Rock You, Wicked, Love Never Dies, The Wizard of Oz and most recently the UK Tour of Wonderful Town and the Wyvern Theatre's pantomime Aladdin, Assistant Musical Director Ben Kennedy is excited to be bringing Cats back to the Midlands where he grew up.

"I lived in Codsall all of my life so I've been to the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre on many occasions - from an audience member watching shows during my teenage years and more recently as a pit musician working on the touring shows which I started doing in 2007. I'm delighted that Cats is coming to the Grand for two weeks and I'm sure that Wolverhampton audiences will be delighted with the show!"

Cats ran for exactly 21 years in the West End between 11th May 1981 and 11th May 2002 and is currently back in London for the rehearsal process of a brand new tour.

Rehearsing Skimbleshanks The Railway Cat.

(Photographs by kind permission of Joanna Ampil.)

"Rehearsals are going very well at the moment, we currently have only one week left in London before we move up to Edinburgh for tech week and dress rehearsals at the Playhouse Theatre. A typical day in the rehearsal room starts with a thorough physical warm-up so that all of our company are totally prepared to work on the show, which is one of the most physically demanding shows in the musical theatre genre. We then do a vocal warm-up (as the show is also a demanding sing!), before starting work on the show itself.

We spent the initial part of the rehearsal period working on different sections of the show and putting all of the choreography together and learning all of the music. We are now at the stage of running the whole show - which is such an exciting part of the process!"

Cats has not only broken long-run records in the West End (21 years) and on Broadway (18 years) but has seen productions across the world including Madrid, Zurich, Sydney, Warsaw, São Paulo and Budapest to name but a few. The show has been translated into 10 different languages including Japanese however the show's title has rarely been changed. The Mexican people voted unanimously in favour of keeping 'Cats' as opposed to translating to 'Gatos'. The show has not only been presented in theatres but in tents in Japan and Korea as well as an engine shed in Switzerland. Perhaps the most recognisable version of the show however is the film version recorded at the Adelphi Theatre and released in 1998 starring Elaine Page and John Partridge. Fans should be pleased to discover the 2013 UK tour stays loyal to the much-loved favourite. 

"This is very much the Cats everyone knows so well. Chrissie Cartwright is directing and choreographing the production, bringing Gillian Lynne's brilliant original choreography to the stage once again. We were very lucky to have Gillian visit us in rehearsals this week, which was inspirational to all of us."

Cameron Ball rehearsing as Macavity. 

"Cats is such an exciting score to play. Firstly, as there are no dialogue scenes we are playing throughout the entire show, so we are kept very busy indeed. Secondly, Andrew Lloyd Webber has incorporated such a great variety of musical styles into the score that each section has it's own challenges. The result is a gripping piece of musical theatre, and demands a high level of continued concentration throughout. A good amount of the music in the show accompanies detailed choreography so we have to be totally focussed in order to give the company the perfect tempi, musicality and phrasing at all times. As Assistant Musical Director I get not only the pleasure of playing the beautiful score but also conducting one or two performances each week - which I'm looking forward to immensely!" 

Dance rehearsals require extreme precision. 

Cats has featured many well-known and much loved theatre stars in it's time including Elaine Page, Wayne Sleep, Bonnie Langford, Paul Nicholas, Brian Blessed, Sarah Brightman, John Partridge and Louie Spence. This brand new tour also has it's share of stars as musical theatre favourite Joanna Ampil leads as Grizabella. Joining Joanna is Les Misérables' Oliver Savile as Rum Tum Tugger, Nicholas Pound as Old Deuteronomy, Joseph Poulton as Mr Mistoffelees, Cameron Ball as Macavity and Katy Warsop as Rumpleteazer. 

You can book tickets to re-live the memory of Cats at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from 19th - 30th March online here.