Cats, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s award-winning musical about an eclectic clowder of eccentric felines, is to return to the London stage this winter, playing a 12 week run at the London Palladium.
The musical, which played for 21 years at the New London Theatre during the 80s and 90s, will open at the historic venue in early December, though exact dates and casting are yet to be released. More will be revealed when tickets go on sale on 7 July.
Speaking to the Daily Mail’s Baz Bamigboye, Lloyd Webber confirmed that the show would be a version of the production currently touring the UK, though original creative team Trevor Nunn (Director), Gillian Lynne (Associate Director/Choreographer) and John Napier (Designer) would be working on the show before its London return.
The Phantom Of The Opera composer will also re-evaluate some of the show’s songs, among them Rum Tum Tugger, for which he is promising more of a street vibe for the 21st century. It’s probably safe to assume that Memory, which has been recorded by more than 150 artists, will probably not receive extensive rewriting.
Cats, which has been staged in more than 26 countries and seen by more than 50 million people, is the story of the Jellicle cats who meet once a year. At this Jellicle Ball their leader, Old Deuteronomy, chooses one of their number to go to the fabled Heavyside Layer and be reborn.
The hit show will open at the London Palladium following the return of another popular favourite, Michael Flatley’s Irish dance phenomenon Lord Of The Dance, which runs from 1 September to 25 October.