Cover Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘Cats’ will return to Hong Kong in August 2026 (Photo: courtesy of Nardus Engelbrecht)
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘Cats’ will return to Hong Kong in August 2026 (Photo: courtesy of Nardus Engelbrecht)
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Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘Cats’ will make an anticipated return to Hong Kong in August, with direction by famed theatre director Trevor Robert Nunn, formerly of the Royal Shakespeare Company
The “Jellicle Ball” is returning to the city. Season Entertainment, GWB Entertainment, and SMG Live, by arrangement with LW Entertainment, have announced that Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats, a cornerstone of theatrical history, will make a triumphant return to Hong Kong this summer.
Opening on August 6, this world-class production is set to take over the Grand Theatre at the Xiqu Centre, West Kowloon. With a performance schedule running Tuesday through Sunday, the residency offers a prime opportunity for both seasoned fans and a new generation of theatregoers to witness the spectacle that has captivated more than 73 million people worldwide.
Based on TS Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats (1939), the musical first pounced onto the stage at London’s New London Theatre in 1981 before its legendary Broadway debut at the Winter Garden Theatre in 1982. Since its premiere, the show has become a global phenomenon, staged in over 30 countries and translated into 15 languages.
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Above Grizabella in ‘Cats’ (Photo: courtesy of Joanna Ampil)
Grizabella in ‘Cats’ (Photo: courtesy of Joanna Ampil)
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The enduring appeal of Cats lies in its unique "song and dance" DNA. The original creative powerhouse—featuring direction by Trevor Nunn, breathtaking choreography by Gillian Lynne, and iconic set and costume design by John Napier—transformed the theatre into a fantastical, oversized junkyard where mischievous felines compete for a new life.
Central to the experience is the magnificent score by Andrew Lloyd Webber. While Webber’s resume includes titans like The Phantom of the Opera and Evita, Cats remains home to perhaps his most famous composition: the timeless hit song Memory. Hearing this anthem performed live, amidst the production’s inspired choreography and vibrant costumes, remains one of the most evocative experiences in musical theatre.
The show was last in Hong Kong in 2018. As the Jellicle cats prepare to descend upon West Kowloon, the production promises a high-energy spectacle that balances technical precision with pure theatrical magic. Whether you are revisiting the junkyard or experiencing Memory for the first time, this summer’s return to the Grand Theatre is an appointment with theatrical royalty that is simply not to be missed.
Also on the arts calendar this summer is Jesus Christ Superstar, a 1970s rock opera, also by Lloyd Webber, alongside Tim Rice. The production, which is coming to Hong Kong for the first time as part of its international tour, will be staged at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre from July 8 to August 1.
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Zabrina is the Senior Editor, Arts and Culture of Tatler Hong Kong. She specialises in performing arts, visual art and film. Her wanderlust was first fuelled by the Mighty Rovers Antarctica Expedition 2010. Over the years, she has interviewed A-list artists and filmmakers, including Oscar winners Chlóe Zhao and Tim Yip, Golden Horse winner Sylvia Chang, In the Mood for Love cinematographer Christopher Doyle, Pachinko author Min Jin Lee, and Coachella’s first Chinese solo singer Jackson Wang. She won gold at the WAN-IFRA Asian Media Awards for her 2021 feature on the waves of hate crimes targeting Asian Americans.
