Jellicle cats come out tonight, Jellicle cats come one, come all! An iconic musical is on its way to SA.
South Africa (16 September 2025) – Andrew Lloyd Webber’s legendary CATS will take to our stages this summer, bringing with it all the magic, music and mischief that made it one of the most successful musicals of all time.
First performed in London in 1981, CATS ran for 21 record-breaking years and almost 9,000 performances before leaping onto Broadway, where it also made history. Since then, it’s toured to 54 countries, been translated into 23 languages, and has been seen by more than 77 million people worldwide.
Now, it’s our turn again.
Based on T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, the show transforms the stage into a moonlit junkyard where a tribe of cats gather for the annual Jellicle Ball. Each cat tells their story through song and dance until one is chosen to ascend to the mystical Heaviside Layer.
It’s weird, whimsical, and right up any cat and theatre lover’s alley.
And we can’t mention CATS without bringing up ‘Memory’. Sung by the character Grizabella, it’s one of the most famous show tunes ever written, and it still gives audiences goosebumps more than 40 years on.
The South African run will keep the sparkle of the original, with set designs by John Napier, choreography by the late Gillian Lynne, and direction by Trevor Nunn. It’s the same team that turned CATS into a global sensation. Cape Town Opera is also part of the production, making sure that our local talent shines alongside the show’s big international fame.
“We’re excited to bring CATS back to South Africa, It’s a production that continues to inspire generations and is perfect for families and audiences of all ages,” shares Andrew Loyd Webber Musicals.
CATS opens at Artscape on 10 December 2025 and at The Teatro at Montecasino on 17 January 2026.
Sources: Linked above
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