OUR REVIEW OF CATS AT THEATRE ROYAL SYDNEY
#sydney REVIEW – CATS the Musical at Theatre Royal Sydney
Based on T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats and composed by theatre genius Andrew Lloyd Webber, CATS first debuted in London in 1981 and on Broadway in 1982. Lloyd Webber was inspired by childhood memories of his mother reading him the poems - how sweet! Now years on, CATS is celebrating its 40th Australian anniversary!
Miss and I were lucky to attend our first-ever CATS show last night during media night, joining families and longtime fans of the musical. If you’re new to the story (no spoilers!), it centres around one special night when the Jellicle cats gather at the Jellicle Ball, where their wise leader Old Deuteronomy selects one cat to ascend to the Heaviside Layer and be reborn into a new life.
We weren’t sure what to expect, but from the opening moment we were completely drawn in by the stage design, costumes, hair & makeup, choreography, and of course the incredible vocals and timeless music. What seems like a quirky premise at first turns into something unexpectedly meaningful behind the unpublished poem of Grizabella the Glamour Cat which was discovered when Webber was writing the music and transformed the show into a musical those years back, it makes this musical memorable and leaves with you a special message. One which I will not reveal and let you experience.
We had the very talented Aimee Jones swing in as Grizabella, and gave us goosebumps with her emotionally rich performance of Memory. Grizabella is CATS for us, though not without mention of the cheeky Rum Tum Tugger played by Des Flanagan, who was Miss’ favourite! I was also so happy to see Jarrod Draper return to the Australian stage as Munkustrap, while Lucy Maunder was lovely and warm as Jellylorum. Todd McKenney brought flair to Bustopher Jones and Asparagus, and Mark Vincent’s Old Deuteronomy was pure opera excellence.
We also adored the lively duo Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer (Jake O’Brien & Savannah Lind). So many fun moments and hats off to the phenomenal ensemble and orchestra!
CATS the Musical is recommended for kids 5+ (mainly due to duration — 2hr 20min incl. interval).
There’s plenty of singing, dancing, music, and magic to keep little eyes engaged. We even saw Old Deuteronomy invite guests on stage during the interval, and Cats roaming, very cute!
Note: This production includes strobe lighting, pyrotechnics, theatrical smoke & haze.
Now playing at Theatre Royal Sydney, with an audio described performance coming in late August.
#hosted #invited #catsthemusical #catsthemusicalau #catsmusical Cats the Musical Australia Theatre Royal Sydney
CATS RETURNS TO ITS ORIGINAL AUSTRALIAN HOME AFTER 40 YEARS
LET THE MEMORY LIVE AGAIN
On 27 July 1985, a ground-breaking musical production had its Australian Premiere at Theatre Royal Sydney, heralding an era of the British “mega-musical” in Australia. Now, 40 years later, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s record-breaking musical CATS returns to Theatre Royal Sydney to celebrate it’s 40th anniversary, opening in June 2025.
Based on T. S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats and set to music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, CATS has been captivating audiences around the globe since it opened at the New London Theatre (now known as the Gillian Lynne) in 1981, where it played for 21 record-breaking years and almost 9,000 performances, winning both the Olivier and Evening Standard Awards for Best Musical. Since then, CATS has been presented in over 50 countries, translated into 23 languages and has been seen by over 81 million people world-wide. On Broadway, CATS played for 18 years and won seven Tony Awards including Best Musical.
Producer John Frost for Crossroads Live said, “CATS is a legendary show that I’ve admired for over 40 years. A sparkling fusion of music, dance and verse, it was revolutionary when it first opened and enticed new audiences into the world of musical theatre. I can’t wait to bring the original production of CATS back to Australia where it all began, at Theatre Royal Sydney, to celebrate its 40th anniversary in Australia.”
The musical tells the story of the Jellicle cat tribe. 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.
The timeless musical score includes the hit song Memory, which has been recorded by more than 150 artists including Celine Dion, Barbra Streisand, Nicole Scherzinger, Johnny Mathis, Liberace and Barry Manilow. With “timeless music, spectacular sets and a superb cast” (Daily Mirror), breathtaking choreography and of course the unforgettable Memory, CATS is a magical musical like no other.
Event Details:
Dates: From February 2026 - dates TBA
Times: Not available.
Duration: CATS runs for approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes, including a 20-minute interval. Show times are subject to change.
Ages: CATS is suitable for the whole family, but it is best suited to ages 5 years+.
Warnings: This production contains flashing lights and visual effects, strobe, pyrotechnics, theatrical smoke and haze.
Location: QPAC Brisbane
Tickets: TBA