"Cats"- Festival Theatre Jan 2010

"The problem with cats," the late Trevor Searle once said to me, "is that it never changes. The set is the same, the costumes the same and even the cast albums sound the same". I guess you can use the old adage that if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Whatever the reason, "Cats" has been around for nearly 30 years and its formula has remained largely unchanged.
The set, costumes, lighting and sound have undoubtedly been tweaked through the years and there has been some tinkering with the music but, by and large, it still has the same magic that has kept audiences captive for three decades.
This production is a well polished and lively one. The dancing is slick and solo dance spots are taken by the throat and delivered with aplomb. The characterisations of the various cats is also sensational. No-one breaks character even when they aren't in the spotlight.
Highlights in this particular cast include Shaun Rennie as the powerful Munkustrap, John O'Hara as the flirty and feisty Rum Tum Tugger and Laura McCullough as Jennyanydots.
Delia Hannah is an absolute standout as the haunted Grizabella. She exudes every nuance of this character and when she sings the words of "Memory" you realise just why this song is so popular. Michael John-Hurney also shines in his triple whammy of Bustopher Jones, Gus the theatre cat and Growltiger (one of the most brilliantly executed sequences in the show).
The only drawback in the cast is the rather lacklustre performance of Old Deuteronomy by John Ellis. There is little gravitas- or indeed seniority- in his performance.
The other major drawback is the use of a largely taped orchestra. Whilst the four live musicians hold things together well there is little nuance or shape to the music and a lot of the subtleties of the score are lost- given over to cheesy synth sounds instead. There were a number of times when the cast desperately needed to have the full live force behind- or at the very least a conductor not bound to a tape machine.
Having said that, the large audience wouldn't have cared one bit as they enjoyed every magical moment of this true theatre classic. Yes, it hasn't changed much in 30 years Trevor, but when it achieves what it sets to then who are we to judge?