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The cat that got the cream
ONE of the biggest musicals of all time slinks its way into Southampton next week - with a cast of felines.
Cats remains one of the world's best loved and longest running shows after nearly 27 years on the stage.
It opened in London in May 1981 and played almost 9,000 performances seen by more than eight million people.
It only closed in the West End after 21 record-breaking years, having won an Olivier Award for Best Musical, and remains second only to Les Miserables, as the world's longest-running musical.
On Broadway, Cats was the
winner of seven Tony awards,
including Best Musical and Best Director, and ran for 18 years, New York's longest runner after Phantom of the Opera.
It's a worldwide
phenomenon which has been seen by more than 50 million people.
Cats has been enjoyed by audiences in more than 300 cities, in 26 countries around the world and has been performed in at least 11 different languages.
A daunting prospect for members of the current touring cast I would have thought.
"There is a lot of pressure," laughs Stuart Ramsay, who plays
Rum
Tum Tugger, the character made famous by Paul Nicholas.
"It's just been seen by so many people. It seems to be everyone!"
But he's taking it all in his stride.
"There's not much room for messing around, although that's pretty much what my character does throughout the show!"
Cats tells the story of one very special night of the year when all the Jellicle cats meet at the Jellicle Ball where Old Deuteronomy, their wise and benevolent leader, makes the Jellicle choice and announces which of them will go to the
heaviside layer and be reborn into a whole new Jellicle life.
"It's great," adds Stuart, a 29-year-old musical theatre specialist who has also appeared in Grease, Oh, What a Night!, Les Miserables and Beauty and the Beast.
"It's a very good show and my favourite part is that I get to go into the audience and scare the life out of people!
"I'll be out there wearing my Lycra leggins, my crazy wig and all the fashions of the 80s! I'm quite lucky, my character is there for the audience to make them laugh and make them feel comfortable. If he wasn't there people might wonder what they were watching!"
So how does Stuart become a feline for the night, I wonder?
"Thankfully I'm more human than the other cats. A couple of them get really into it, practising cat moves. It sounds a bit of a joke, but they really do! I just listen to some 80s rock, get my make up on and I'm in character!"
Stuart began his showbiz career as a toddler, working professionally as a child actor on commercials, TV shows, theatre productions and as a young voiceover artist.
"I just wanted to be on TV and my mum didn't know what to do with me, so she sent me along to
dancing with my sister.I learnt to sing and dance and act and loved it!"
He went to stage school at 11 and lived in the flat recently occupied by one Victoria Adams, or Beckham as she is know better known, with Lee Latchford Evans of Steps fame as a teenager.
He went on to appear in some of musical theatres best-known roles, but now has a longing for the screen after appearing in and choreographing an episode of Extras alongside Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant.
Stuart adds: "I've done lots of musical theatre over the last couple of years, so it's time to take a break. I'll give myself until I'm 40 to break Hollywood. Then hopefully I'll look like George Clooney and have his success!"
Watch this space.
Cats, which was last seen at The Mayflower in 2004, opens again at the theatre on Tuesday and runs until Saturday, March 8.
Box office: 023 8071 1811 or visit mayflower.org.uk
9:04am Friday 15th February 2008
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