CODYS’ Cats had the cream of Warrington’s talent.

The young people’s musical theatre group proved at Runcorn’s Brindley theatre that they can do any show they put their minds to.

In recent years they have staged exceptional productions of Les Mis, Whistle Down The Wind and Phantom. But would Andrew Lloyd Webber’s feline smash hit use up all of CODYS’ nine lives?

Not a chance.

The young people – all aged between 11 and 19 – dazzled sell-out audiences with their West End-class singing and proved they can dance brilliantly too.

Based on T S Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats poems, the musical has no story to speak of. It is a series of interlinked feline vignettes.

As such there is no discernible lead roles. However, it does allow for some brilliant performances from these young stars.

It is difficult to single out individual performers as the entire cast was great.

Those who caught my eye, however, included Joe Anderson as a charismatic Rum-Tum-Tugger, Joe Campbell resplendent as Bustopher Jones, Nick Gartland and Phoebe Williams brilliant as ever as Munkustrap and Demeter respectively.

James Dodd as Mungojerrie and Ellie Norton as Rumpleteazer were superb as the ‘quick-change comedians’ in their knockabout routine. Ellie, in particular, was born to entertain and looks truly at home on the stage.

Special mention, however, should go to Holly Gabathuler, who was spine-tinglingly good as Grizabella singing the show’s most famous song Memory. She has an incredible knack of moving her audience.

Great credit as always must go to producer Nick Cupit and chairman Gemma Thorniley for assembling a brilliant team around them to bring this most demanding of musicals to life.

Musical director Matt Pallant, director and choreographer James Gibbons and choreographer Claire Bundy worked wonders.

Now the hard work begins again for Musicality 20: Celebrating 20 Years of CODYS Productions. Book your tickets now for this night of musical memories featuring CODYS stars from the past and present, at the Brindley, Runcorn, from September 7 to 10.

JEREMY CRADDOCK