BRITISH musical “Cats” will embark on a tour to nine cities around China from October to January. The tour will start from Shenzhen, where the show will take place from Oct. 11 to 24 at the Nanshan Culture and Sports Center. It will then go on to Zhuhai in Guangdong Province, Xi’an in Shaanxi Province, Beijing, Tianjin, Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province, Zhengzhou in Henan Province, Suzhou in Jiangsu Province, and eventually arrive in Shanghai. China Daily quoted Peter McCarthy, associate music supervisor of the musical, as saying that the music arrangement will follow the version 10 years ago, and the Chinese tour will present to the audience the original classic version. The creative team and the live band lineup of this tour will be different, and “we look forward to the new team producing new sparks and bringing a different experience to the audience,” he said at a recent press conference in Shanghai. “Cats” was composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on T.S. Eliot’s poetry collection “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats.” The plot revolves around the Jellicle cats, a tribe of felines gathered for the Jellicle Ball, a yearly event where the tribe’s leader, Old Deuteronomy, chooses one cat to ascend to the Heaviside Layer and be reborn into a new life. Throughout the musical, each cat introduces themselves and shares their unique characteristics and stories through various musical numbers. The characters include Grizabella, the Glamour Cat, who was once a beautiful and famous cat but has since fallen from grace; Rum Tum Tugger, the rebellious and flirtatious cat; and Mr. Mistoffelees, the magical and mysterious conjuring cat. As the Jellicle cats celebrate and showcase their individuality, conflicts arise, particularly with the villainous Macavity, the mystery cat who seeks to sabotage the proceedings. Ultimately, Old Deuteronomy makes his decision on which cat deserves a new life, leading to a climactic and emotional conclusion. “Cats” is known for its elaborate costumes, intricate dance numbers, and memorable musical scores, including songs like “Memory” and “Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats.” It is a beloved musical that has captivated audience members worldwide for decades. It has been five years since the musical’s last tour in China, which took place from 2018 to 2019. ACO Musical, the Chinese live entertainment company promoted the original English production in 113 sold-out shows across the country. Since its creation in 1981, “Cats” has become one of the most popular musical shows around the world. With a record of 3,358 performances, it has hit the first milestone as the longest-running musical at the New London Theater in the U.K. To date, “Cats” has been translated into over 20 languages and performed in more than over 30 countries and regions. (SD News) | 