The unlikely musical that conquered the world
Gabriyel Thomas remembers the exact moment she first encountered Cats.
'I was four and my mum brought home the 1998 film version on VHS,' she says. 'I started watching it, again and again, on repeat, like it was my job.
'I danced around the living room to it so much that, even now, when people have been learning their choreography here, I know almost every movement they have to learn.'
The 'here' Thomas refers to is the Alexandria rehearsal room for the 40th Australian anniversary production of Cats, opening this week at the Theatre Royal Sydney. Fresh from rocking a nun's wimple in the Australian production of Sister Act, Thomas is part of the production's 28-strong cast as Grizabella, the once-glamorous, bedraggled moggie who sings the melancholic, chart-topping mega-hit Memory.
'It's one of those songs where if you don't know Cats, you still know Memory, ' she says. 'It's iconic. I did worry about doing it justice but, now, when I'm on the floor being Grizabella, the notes just come out. It takes over my entire existence.'
Since premiering in 1981 in London's West End, Andrew Lloyd Webber's sung-through contemporary dance musical about the Jellicle cat tribe has taken over stages around the world. Pioneering the concept of a blockbuster musical, and earning more than $3.5 billion worldwide to date, Cats has played in 51 countries, been translated into 23 languages and played to more than 81 million people.
Its original UK season won multiple Olivier and Evening Standard Awards followed by Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score and more, after the show's 1982 Broadway premiere.
But there were bumps along the way.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sydney Morning Herald
4 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘We have no choice': Bar owners drive a levy to make sure the music won't die
In a move that its owners claim is an Australian first, Sooki Lounge in Belgrave will begin charging customers a $1 levy to help cover the costs of public liability insurance the bar has identified as a threat to its ongoing operation as a live music venue. 'We have no choice,' says Stephen Crombie, who runs the venue in the foothills of Melbourne's Dandenong Ranges with his partner, Suzana Pozvek. 'But I don't want to just whack up the booking fee because it needs to be educational. 'I need the customer to understand that's where it's going, and that Oztix [the venue's online ticketing partner] is not gouging and Sooki Lounge is not gouging here.' To that end, he plans to share a video explaining the move on social media in the next two weeks, including his latest premium, a copy of which is already on public display at the bar. 'Insurance' is probably not the first word that springs to mind when you think live music (the words 'sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll', on the other hand …) But for many venue operators who have been struggling to stay afloat since the disruptions wrought by COVID and ongoing cost-of-living pressures, the issue is an absolute chart topper. Loading Multiple inquiries into the state of live music and the festival scene have heard that the soaring cost of public liability insurance is a key factor in a crisis that has plagued the sector for more than four years. The increase for cover on Sooki's 330-capacity venue – which is open four nights a week and is only occasionally sold out – has been massive. Pre-COVID, it cost about $15,000 annually. The latest bill, issued less than a fortnight ago, came in at $61,035. To pay it, Crombie and Pozvek need finance, and that increases the total to about $65,000. It's little wonder then that so many venues have simply given up. According to an industry survey released in late 2023, more than 1300 had closed doors or stopped hosting live music since the pandemic, which is about one-quarter of all the sector's venues in Australia. More recent figures are not available, but anecdotal evidence suggests the situation has not improved, as higher living costs and the trend to lower alcohol consumption on premises continue to blow holes in the business model.
The Age
4 hours ago
- The Age
‘We have no choice': Bar owners drive a levy to make sure the music won't die
In a move that its owners claim is an Australian first, Sooki Lounge in Belgrave will begin charging customers a $1 levy to help cover the costs of public liability insurance the bar has identified as a threat to its ongoing operation as a live music venue. 'We have no choice,' says Stephen Crombie, who runs the venue in the foothills of Melbourne's Dandenong Ranges with his partner, Suzana Pozvek. 'But I don't want to just whack up the booking fee because it needs to be educational. 'I need the customer to understand that's where it's going, and that Oztix [the venue's online ticketing partner] is not gouging and Sooki Lounge is not gouging here.' To that end, he plans to share a video explaining the move on social media in the next two weeks, including his latest premium, a copy of which is already on public display at the bar. 'Insurance' is probably not the first word that springs to mind when you think live music (the words 'sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll', on the other hand …) But for many venue operators who have been struggling to stay afloat since the disruptions wrought by COVID and ongoing cost-of-living pressures, the issue is an absolute chart topper. Loading Multiple inquiries into the state of live music and the festival scene have heard that the soaring cost of public liability insurance is a key factor in a crisis that has plagued the sector for more than four years. The increase for cover on Sooki's 330-capacity venue – which is open four nights a week and is only occasionally sold out – has been massive. Pre-COVID, it cost about $15,000 annually. The latest bill, issued less than a fortnight ago, came in at $61,035. To pay it, Crombie and Pozvek need finance, and that increases the total to about $65,000. It's little wonder then that so many venues have simply given up. According to an industry survey released in late 2023, more than 1300 had closed doors or stopped hosting live music since the pandemic, which is about one-quarter of all the sector's venues in Australia. More recent figures are not available, but anecdotal evidence suggests the situation has not improved, as higher living costs and the trend to lower alcohol consumption on premises continue to blow holes in the business model.
The Advertiser
7 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Newcastle Comedy Club: Friday Night Comedy - Fri 27 Jun to Fri 22 Aug
Community Newcastle Comedy Club: Friday Night Comedy When Fri 27 June 7.30pm Repeats weekly, each Fri, until August 22 2025 Where Newcastle Comedy Club Get Directions Head over to Newcastle Comedy Club on Darby Street for a rolling lineup of comedians - from locals to travelling comedians from Sydney, interstate and worldwide every single week. You can expect to see 5-6 different acts, with different styles so there is something for everyone. Discover the next big thing in Australian comedy before everyone else! Strictly 18+.
