Cats

Regent's Park Open Air Theatre

Playing until 19th September 2026

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Photo credit: Mark Senior

{PR Gifted ticket}

It’s been over ten years since Andrew Lloyd Webber’s feline fantasia Cats was last staged on the West End, and it’s been in dire need of a reputational facelift after Tom Hooper’s disastrous 2019 film adaptation haunted the big screen. Across the pond, Cats: The Jellicle Ball has breathed new life into the musical for Broadway audiences, and now Director and Choreographer Drew McOnie has stepped up to bring a new production of the ‘80s classic to the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre.

The first thing to point out is that the venue couldn’t be more perfect for this show. There’s an other-worldliness to Cats that really comes alive in this leafy oasis, with the wind blowing through the trees only heightening the sense of mischief and magic on stage. As for the stage itself, Sami Fendall (who also designed the costumes and wigs) has created an imposing Jellicle Moon that takes up most of the space, but also offers the cats spaces to crawl through, hide behind, and climb onto. This creates a nice sense of dynamism and lets McOnie’s choreography shine. Fendall’s costume design successfully creates distinction between the characters, while maintaining a consistent, earthy feeling that perfectly suits the surroundings.

As anyone familiar with Cats knows, this is not a show known for its plot. Really, it’s more of a song cycle tied together by a vaguely coherent thread. McOnie embraces the mythical (and often nonsensical) language of these creatures by putting the focus on their movement and musicality. The choreography is sublime, simultaneously lithe and precise, and helps keep the energy of the production up in some of the admittedly slower moments, such as the lengthy stretch of lyricl-ess music towards the end of Act One.

With Cats featuring so many characters, some of whom are only featured for a couple of minutes out of the whole show, it can be a challenge to make these individual cats distinctive. This is a challenge McOnie’s production excels at, with the help of a brilliant cast. Jack Wilcox is a strong, grounding presence as Munkustrap; Danny Nattrass and Briana Craig make a wickedly entertaining Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer; Jet Yau makes a crowd-pleasing appearance as a street dancing Mr Mistoffelees. Melanie La Barrie is a formidable Old Deuteronomy, while Jaydon Vijn is an absolute scene-stealer as the cheeky, flirtatious Rum Tum Tugger.

In this performance, the role of Grizabella was taken on by Taziva-Faye Katsande. Responsible for undoubtedly the most iconic musical number in the show, it’s a big pair of paws to fill, and despite looking a bit too young to play a faded diva, Katsande’s rendition of Memory truly raised the (non-existent) roof. You could almost sense the collective goosebumps in the audience as Katsande sang “Touch me, it’s so easy to leave me”, a sage reminder that there’s plenty of emotion to be found in Cats beyond the catchy songs and strange language.

If you’re not a fan of the source material, this faithful production is unlikely to sway you. However, if you’re happy to lean in and discover the beauty in the madness, Cats is a perfect summertime treat for theatre lovers.

Creatives

Director & Choreographer: Drew McOnie

Musical Director: Geraint Owen

Set, Costume & Wigs Designer: Sami Fendall

Sound Designer: Adam Fisher

Lighting Designer: Jessica Hung Han Yun