Lyrics: T S Eliot
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber
Director: Ben Cole
Musical Direct: Adam Joy
West Bromwich Operatic Society takes on the huge task of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Cats.
Director and Co-Choreographer Ben Cole carefully directs a vast ensemble around the stage and uses its scale to the production’s advantage as it creates some great huge musical numbers that light up the stage. However, he, alongisde fellow Choreographer Clare Flavell does this in a way that doesn’t overcrowd the space.
Cole and Flavell’s choreography is intense and mixes some fantastic, precise moves, incorporating a variety of styles, with some toned down steps to take into account the different dance skill level. The tap dancing during The Old Gumbie Cat is a great moment in the show and is super slick and hugely entertaining.
You can’t fault the energy of the cast, particular mentions go to Mungojerrie (Matt Evans) and Rumpleteaser (Beth Logan) who bounce off each other incredibly well in their duet while Harry Simkin nails the choreography for Mactivity and Tasheka Coe pulls of a goosebump moment with her rendition of Memory.
The costumes, which Leo’s Theatrical Costumiers provide are reminiscent of the original design and highly detailed and although there were a couple of times where wigs affected microphone quality the cast handle it like professionals.
WBOS have done well to bring this huge musical to the people of Wolverhampton. With a large cast of talented amateurs, they leap at the opportunity to show off their skills and tackle this mammoth musical well.
*A complimentary ticket was given in exchange for this review. This value for money rating is based on the ticket price value of £23.50 + £3.00 Booking Fee. For more info on this value for money rating please visit here: Introducing a new kind of rating
The Theatre Twittic 
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