Japan 1983

The Japanese production of Cats originated at the Shiki Theatre in 1983, and has continuously played in the country across multiple locations since. The show is hugely popular within Japanese pop culture.

Production Specifics
The Japanese production was one of the first productions worldwide, opening two years after the first production. It was based off the Original London Production. It has developed independently over the years without much influence from more western productions, leading to a strongly Japanese influenced production that still maintains a replica status.

One unique element of the Japanese production is its ensemble characters, which differ significantly not only in design but in role compared to most other productions of Cats. There is no Alonzo; his role is covered by two ensemble characters, Gilbert and Rumpus Cat. Gilbert is the cat who swings on the trapeze and his design is an interpretation of the Broadway Golden Alonzo costume; while Rumpus Cat has had various designs throughout the history of the production, in recent years his ensemble costume design has resembled that of the Black and White Alonzo costume (he also puts on a separate "superhero" costume for "The Awefull Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles"). Admetus or Plato are not present in the production, while Macavity doubles as an ensemble character (with a separate yellow ensemble costume). The roles of the Twins, usually Coricopat and Tantomile, are instead Cassandra and Tumblebrutus in this production, with Tantomile wearing the smooth brown costume design normally identified as Cassandra. Cassandra and Tumblebrutus are featured as pair dancers; however, they don't necessarily wear identical costumes and therefore are not always "twins", as is customary in most productions worldwide. The show includes both Sillabub and Jemima, with the elements of the role split between the two characters.

According to the Japanese production website, Jemima is featured as one of the Gumbie Trio (with Jellylorum and Tantomile) and sings the "Moonlight" refrain during "The Moments of Happiness", Coricopat and Victoria dance the Invitation to the Jellicle Ball, Cassandra and Tumblebrutus dance a solo during "The Moments of Happiness", while Sillabub is the youngest kitten and is the one who sings "Memory" with Grizabella.

Starting from the 1998 Fukuoka run, "The Awefull Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles" was cut from the show. It was added once again starting from the 2018 Tokyo run.

Locations

 * Tokyo - 11/11/1983 - 10/11/1984
 * Osaka - 20/03/1985 - 30/04/1986
 * Tokyo - 10/10/1986 - 31/05/1987
 * Nagoya - 23/11/1988 - 23/11/1989
 * Fukuoka - 20/04/1990 - 19/11/1990
 * Sapporo - 21/05/1991 - 26/04/1992
 * Osaka - 18/07/1992 - 23/09/1993
 * Tokyo - 04/01/1995 - 14/12/1996
 * Sapporo - 08/04/1997 - 08/03/1998
 * Fukuoka - 01/07/1998 - 09/05/1999
 * Nagoya - 20/07/1999 - 28/01/2001
 * Osaka - 11/03/2001 - 13/01/2003
 * Shizuoka - 29/04/2003 - 09/07/2003
 * Hiroshima - 02/08/2003 - 24/11/2003
 * Sendai - 19/12/2003 - 05/05/2004
 * Tokyo - 11/11/2004 - 03/05/2009
 * Yokohama - 11/11/2009 - 11/11/2012
 * Hiroshima - 12/09/2012 - 24/03/2013
 * Sendai - 23/04/2013 - 20/08/2013
 * Shizuoka - 15/09/2013 - 1/12/2013
 * Fukuoka - 20/04/2014 - 04/10/2014
 * Sapporo - 18/01/2015 - 21/03/2016
 * Osaka - 16/07/2016 - 06/05/2018
 * Tokyo - 11/08/2018 - present

Milestones

 * 1,000th performance on 9 November 1986 at the Cats Theatre in Shinjuku, Tokyo
 * 2,000th performance on 13 October 1991, at the Cats Theatre in Sapporo
 * 3,000th performance on 3 October 1995, at the Cats Theatre in Shinagawa, Tokyo
 * 4,000th performance on 5 December 1998, at the Fukuoka City Theatre
 * 5,000th performance on 4 November 2001, at the Osaka MBS Theater
 * 6,000th performance on 8 July 2005, at the Cats Theater in Shinagawa, Tokyo
 * 7,000th performance on 27 June 2008, at the Cats Theater in Shinagawa, Tokyo
 * 8,000th performance on 28 October 2011, at the Canon Cats Theater in Yokohama
 * 9,000th performance on 22 August 2015, at the Hokkaido Shiki Theater
 * 10,000th performance on 12 March 2019 at the Cats Theater in Oimachi, Tokyo

Cast Recordings

 * Original Cast - Released April 1985
 * 1989 Cast - Released 8 February 1989
 * 2019 Cast - Released 24 April 2019

Costume Designs
The Japanese production has a distinctive look influenced by Japanese culture, and has developed separate from other productions worldwide. This has led to unique characters and designs that can be hard to relate to the more familiar western names and designs.

Cats Theatre
Purpose-built Cats theatres for the Japan production.

Merchandise
The Japanese production releases new merchandise every season that isn't available in any other production, including stuffed toys, character trading cards etc.

Trivia

 * Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone saw the show in Osaka on 26 September 1985
 * Queen frontman Freddie Mercury attended a performance in 1986
 * On 22 August 2014, Kobunsha published a guidebook on the history and backstage information of the Japan Production.
 * From 7 March 2019, onwards, the Rinkai Line (a railway line in Tokyo) changed its 13:14 train departure melody at the Oimachi Station to jingles of "Memory" (for the train to Osaki Station) and "Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat" (for the train to Shin-Kiba Station).