In my day job, outside of the nights I spend in and around the various theatrical haunts of Greater Manchester, I write about dogs. Yes, I am a canine journalist and yes, that is a real job! Given that my professional life revolves around man’s best friend you would think I would hate Cats but this production was so pleasing that I wanted to take it home, give it a saucer of milk and tickle it behind its ears.
However, I did have one problem with the show and I will get the negative out of the way now because there was so much in it to enjoy. My gripe was that for some of the numbers where everyone was singing, I couldn’t hear the words. I don’t know if it was a sound issue but the solo songs were fine. The person I took with me said they had the same problem. As I say, I don’t want to dwell on this and it may have just been us who had this issue.
Let us forget that and move on because this production had so much verve, energy and creativity to admire. It was performed by The Drama Dept, a performing arts academy in Stockport and judging from this production it has some seriously talented students. There were some fabulous set pieces and show stopping routines, Carolynne Jones choreography was stunning.
There is not much of a plot to the musical, which mostly concerns a number of cats vying to be chosen by the head cat, Old Deuteronomy, to be reborn into a new life. If there is a theme it involves aging, regret for lost youth and the hope of finding resurrection and to be reborn. It doesn’t bare too much scrutiny as a piece of drama, there is very little jeopardy, but it is a riot of movement, song, dance and sheer joy.
Paul Lawton, the musical director, deserves a special mention because the orchestra he had at his disposal performed miracles and he led them with such liveliness and pizazz. They were magnificent and provided the performers with the perfect soundtrack to bring the show to life.
It is probably unfair to pick people out from a musical with such a large cast and I thought everyone was fantastic. There were though a few stand out performances and Isaac Murtagh as Rum Tum Tugger was charismatic and engaging whilst Gary Jones as Munkustrap had a wonderful stage presence as well giving an impressive vocal performance.
The most famous song from this musical is Memory, and Dawn Leigh, as Grizabella, was absolutely spellbinding as she sang the song. It was a stellar rendition of possibly one of the most famous musical theatre songs of all time and it was, for my money, as good as the recordings made by Elaine Paige and Barabara Streisand.
Cats is the longest running musical to be staged in London and on Broadway and I can see why. It is full of spectacle, fun, frivolity and it is a show you can take all the family to see.
It continues at The Plaza until the 30th September and tickets can be bought here – https://stockportplaza.co.uk/whats-on/the-drama-dept-amateur-production-cats/
Reviewer: Adam Williams
Reviewed: 26th September 2023
North West End UK Rating:
Rating: 4 out of 5.
