JK Performing Arts Presents CATS
Event description
Based on the universally popular poetry of T.S. Eliot, Cats tells the story, in song and dance, of the annual gathering of Jellicle cats at which time one special cat is selected to ascend to the Heaviside layer.
Cats follows the journey of a tribe of Jellicle cats who come together once a year to pick which cat will be chosen to be reborn to a new Jellicle life and ascend to the Heavyside Layer. We are introduced to a number of cats who tell us their stories and explain why they should be the ones chosen.
All cats are welcome to participate in the Jellicle Ball - except for one, who is shunned due to her age and physical appearance. She tries to join the ball a number of times but the other cats make it known her presence is unwelcome.
Finally, she returns as the ball comes to a close, and a cat is going to be chosen. This time the cats realise that despite her appearance, she too is worthy of love, kindness, and respect. The cats then decide that she is the one who should be reborn, and she ascends to the Heavyside Layer.
In order to truly undertsand the world of CATS, one must travel back in time prior to Andrew Lloyd Webber, to the poet who first breathed life into these feline creatures. The tale of CATS now becomes two stories to tell, that which Andrew Lloyd Webber put to music and the original intent of T.S. Elliot. To tell our version of this story you, the audience, need to travel back to the time of T.S. Elliot to feel the true intention of the poems themselves.The story of CATS truly begins with the reason T.S. Elliott wrote the book of Old Possum's Pracical Cats
"143 Letters from 1934 - 1963 were discovered in 1990 in the hands of an English pig farmer Edward Kidner. Mr Kindner was the widdower of Athena (Poppet) Tandy, Elliot's God daughter and the youngest of 3 children" Some believe the poems were presents to the children while others feel they were lessons to bestow up;on them, afterall he does state "CATS are much like you and me" in Elliots own words he is telling us that these feline characters qualities has something to tell us about humanity.
Children and adults alike will be transfixed by the human-sized felines performing on stage. Stunning music, energetic choreography, imaginative costumes, and unique cat make-up create a visually and musically spectacular experience for all ages.
Come along and be transported into the fantasy world of Cats and enjoy all the magic this wonderful theatrical production has to offer.
Music by ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER. Based on 'Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats' by T.S. ELIOT.
By arrangement with ORiGiN™Theatrical on behalf of The Really Useful Group Limited™© 1981 The Really Useful Group Limited.