One of musical theatre’s most famous shows is heading back to Birmingham, as Andrew Lloyd Webber’s CATS brings a spectacular new production to the Hippodrome for two weeks this autumn.
There are some musicals you simply know, even if you’ve never actually seen them.
CATS is one of them.
The music, the extraordinary costumes, the choreography and, of course, Memory have helped turn Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical into a theatrical phenomenon. Now Birmingham audiences have the opportunity to experience it all over again – but not quite as they remember it.
A brand-new production of CATS arrives at Birmingham Hippodrome from Tuesday 27th October to Saturday 7th November, playing for two weeks only.
And for anyone who thinks they already know CATS, this new staging may provide a few surprises.
A NEW GENERATION OF JELLICLE CATS
This latest production is directed and choreographed by Drew McOnie, whose credits include Brigadoon and Jesus Christ Superstar.
The story takes its inspiration from T. S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, bringing together the strays, outsiders and rebels of London beneath the Jellicle moon.
On this extraordinary night, the cats gather in the hope of being chosen for a new life.
Along the way come some of musical theatre’s most recognisable characters and musical moments, including Old Deuteronomy, the mysterious Macavity, the spectacular Jellicle Ball and that song – Memory.
It’s a score that has travelled far beyond the theatre and helped make CATS one of the most recognisable musicals in the world.
The new production is presented by Michael Harrison for Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals and originated at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre.
WHY WE’RE EXCITED TO SEE IT
CATS has always been a little different.
There isn’t the conventional structure audiences might expect from a musical. Instead, you’re invited into another world for an evening – one populated by wonderfully individual characters, told through music, movement and dance.
And that makes the prospect of seeing what a new creative team can do with it particularly interesting.
For those who have seen CATS before, this is an opportunity to rediscover it through a fresh production. For younger theatre-goers and those experiencing it for the first time, it’s a chance to understand why the show became such an enduring part of musical theatre history.
And where better to experience it in Birmingham than the Hippodrome?
WHEN CAN YOU SEE CATS IN BIRMINGHAM?
There are 16 performances scheduled across the two-week run:
Week One – 27 to 31 October
Tuesday 27 October – 7.30pm
Wednesday 28 October – 2pm & 7.30pm
Thursday 29 October – 2pm & 7.30pm
Friday 30 October – 7.30pm
Saturday 31 October – 2.30pm & 7.30pm
Week Two – 3 to 7 November
Tuesday 3 November – 7.30pm
Wednesday 4 November – 2pm & 7.30pm
Thursday 5 November – 2pm & 7.30pm
Friday 6 November – 7.30pm
Saturday 7 November – 2.30pm & 7.30pm
There are no Sunday or Monday performances currently listed. Tickets start from £26, although prices vary according to performance and availability. Some matinees are already showing limited availability, so this is one we wouldn’t leave until the last minute.
👉 CHECK AVAILABILITY & BOOK CATS AT BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME
ACCESSIBLE PERFORMANCES
Birmingham Hippodrome has also scheduled several accessible performances during the run.
The Wednesday 4 November at 7.30pm performance will be BSL interpreted; Thursday 5 November at 7.30pm will be captioned; and the Saturday 7 November at 2.30pm matinee will be audio described.
The production carries an age guidance of 5+, with children under three not admitted.
THE EDIT VERDICT
Some shows come and go. Others become part of theatre history.
CATS undoubtedly belongs in the second category.
A completely new production offers Birmingham audiences something more interesting than simply revisiting an old favourite. This is a chance to see one of the world’s best-known musicals reimagined for a new generation.
Whether you’re going to hear Memory, introduce the kids to their first Jellicle Ball, or simply discover what all the fuss has been about for the past few decades, this promises to be one of the Hippodrome’s big musical events of the autumn.
CATS
📍 Birmingham Hippodrome, Hurst Street, Birmingham B5 4TB
📅 Tuesday 27 October – Saturday 7 November 2026
🎟️ Tickets from £26
👨👩👧 Age guidance: 5+
👉 BOOK TICKETS AND FIND OUT MORE
A new day has begun. And this autumn, the Jellicle Cats are coming back to Birmingham.
