OPENING night of Phoenix's production of Cats was delivered a full audience by energetic young cast, the majority of who starred in most scenes of the fast-paced performance. Many of the performers had multiple parts and had the audience engaged from the beginning. They overcame a few microphone issues to put on a fantastic show which had the crowd on their feet. 

The first half included standout vocals from Jennyanydots (Geri McNamara), Rum Tum Tugger (Ben Donovan) and Munkustrap (Owen Lloyd Hughes) who took on their roles and really delivered in their solos. The chemistry between Mungojerrie (Robbie Burns) and Rumpleteazer (Phoebe Jones) was entertaining and their acrobatics were well received by the audience. 
Grizabella (Rebekah Walford) performed a fantastic rendition of Memory to conclude the first half and the orchestra was great in supporting the vocals throughout. 

The stunning costumes made the cast stand out and the special effects brought the performance to life. 

The second half included the strong vocals of Jerrylorum (Rhiannon Chard) and Jemima (Erin Davies) and the enthusiastic and challenging performance of Macavity by Demeter (Emily John) and Bombalurina (Lilly Hart) really raised the roof. 

A wonderful twist on a classic not to be missed.

Julia Fitzgerald