Cats

Jul 27 2024 | By Torya Hughes More

★★★★☆ Spectacular

Festival Theatre, 26th-27th July 2024
Review by Torya Hughes

The Beyond Broadway Experience return to the Festival Theatre with their annual showcase of local youth talent, bringing together 200 young people for a spectacular performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats.

Originally developed as a songwriting exercise by Lloyd Webber, using lyrics from T.S Eliot’s poetry collection Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, the musical has gone on to become one of the longest running shows on both Broadway and the West End.

Corey Learmonth as Macavity. Pic: Stuart Gilbert Photography

Cats is sung through, and has a loose narrative about a group of cats gathering for the Jellicle Ball, at which one of them will be chosen to ascend to the Heaviside Layer and be reborn into a new life. However, the bulk of the show is a series of introductions to the different cats.

This structure could become repetitive, but main director and choreographer Murray Grant uses it as an opportunity to showcase the extraordinary talents of this enormous cast. The narrative may be lacking, but the visual spectacle is awe-inspiring, particularly given the fact that this entire show was rehearsed in only two weeks.

The ten strong creative team give the musical an Edinburgh flavour, cleverly utilising projections of the local area to set each scene. The stage itself is bare, apart from stepped platforms to create levels, giving ample space for the young cast and a blank canvas for Keigan Hawthorn’s evocative lighting design.

rich sound

Wheeled tables are cleverly utilised to highlight particular moments or to build additional pieces of scenery, and confetti cannons and gobos add to the visual spectacle. There is even a brief but effective moment where torches are used to create cats’ eyes in the dark.

The wardrobe team (Dres Garland, Peter Ferguson and Sarah Heney) have used a muted colour palette, combining stripes, fur fabric and everyday clothing to allow each cat to show their individual character. The whole piece is accompanied by a thirteen-piece orchestra under MD Linda Gibson, lending a particularly rich sound to the jazzier numbers.

Bustopher Jones (Duncan Brown) and company. Pic: Stuart Gilbert Photography

This is very much an ensemble piece. Although the cats perform solo and in small groups, it is the dramatic effect of the stage swarming with life which packs the most punch.

The opening and closing numbers Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats and The Ad-Dressing of Cats in particular are truly incredible, with slick synchronised dance routines and an enormous sound.

That being said, there are numerous performers who shine in their individual roles.

Aaron Gall narrates throughout the show as Munkustrap, bringing a considerable amount of energy to the part. Also displaying impressive energy are Bobby Duncan as Mungojerrie and Jess Taylor as Rumpleteazer. They perform an acrobatic routine perfectly in sync, while also belting out their introduction song.

iconic

Kirsty Montgomery takes on one of the most iconic songs in musical theatre in her role as Grizabella, bringing a beautiful emotional depth to Memory. As the youngest cat, Jemima, Elsie Kinyua also sings Memory and brings the house down with her powerful voice and confidence.

Elsie Kinyua as Jemima. Pic Stuart Gilbert Photography

Although all of the young people on stage are talented dancers, some are given the chance to really showcase those talents. Finn McFeely is quite astounding as the pirouetting Mr Mistoffelees, and Amy Brown has beautiful lines as the effortlessly graceful Victoria. Eve Houldcroft as JennyAnyDots leads an energetic tap routine which builds to a full company number.

Ailsa MacLean and Rhianne McAllister have huge soulful voices as Demeter and Bombalurina, showcased in Macavity – The Mystery Cat, which starts as a duet and culminates in a high kicking chorus line.

Other singers have their individual moments to shine as well. Lewis Boyd makes quite the convincing rock star as the Rum Tum Tugger, wielding a zebra print microphone, while Ian McBurnie leads the closing number as Old Deuteronomy with a lovely rich voice.

Morningside flair

Scott Glidden’s Asparagus and Millie Wilson’s Jellylorum make a great duo as well. Bustopher Jones is portrayed by Duncan Brown with a Morningside flair, strutting his stuff in white spats, and Joseph Gall’s Skimbleshanks hangs out in Waverley Station during a clever routine where umbrellas become the wheels of a train.

Scott Glidden as Asparagus and company. Pic Stuart Gilbert Photography

This is a wordy musical and the diction from the whole cast is crystal clear, meaning that the audience don’t miss anything.

Although Cats has some flaws as a musical, The Beyond Broadway Experience have taken the source material and used it to their advantage.

Everyone is given a chance to shine, whether as part of the slick ensemble numbers or in their own individual spotlight. This is a fantastic show, and many of the performers onstage will surely be the West End stars of the future.

Running time: Two hours and 5 minutes (including one interval)
Festival Theatre, 13/29 Nicolson St, EH8 9FT
Friday 26 – Saturday 27 July 2024
Evenings: 7.30 pm; Matinee Sat: 2.30 pm
Details and tickets at: Book here.