Hamburg 1986

Cats had its German premiere in Hamburg at 11th April 1986. It played there for almost 15 years, closing at 28 January 2001. Cats was the first commercial musical production in Germany, followed by shows like The Phantom of the Opera and Starlight Express.

The Hamburg production was loosely based on the Australian production which was created by the same team in 1985. Still the costumes had their own version of John Napier's original design; Alonzo's costume was brown and black and Sillabub's costume was golden (it became red/purple soon after the release of the video). Also the make-up and wig designs were completely unique.

The Hamburg version of the show was much brighter and more cheerful than the productions in London and Vienna. The size of the cast (22 cats) and the names of the cats (Sillabub, Pouncival, Tumblebrutus, Ghengis/Dschingis) were based on the Broadway production. Although there had already been a translation by Michael Kunze for the 1983 Vienna production of the show, the whole musical was retranslated because of copyright reasons.

Hamburg used the HH Nap 9 set that was designed to fit this particular theatre.

The Theatre
Cats played at the Operettenhaus in Hamburg. Cats was the first success in this theatre after a long time. After Cats closed in 2001 the theatre was extensively re-modelled.

Creative Team
Director: David Taylor (after Trevor Nunn)

Choreographer: Jo-Anne Robinson (after Gillian Lynne)

Assistant to Jo-Anne Robinson: Lynnda Curry

Musical Supervisor: Stanley Lebowski

Artistic Director: Sabine Grohmann

Resident Director: Terry Robinson

Musical Director: John Baer

Translation: Sabine Grohmann, John Baer, Marc Henning

Leader of the Costume Department: Alison Todd

Original Cast
Alonzo / Rumpus Katz' ~ Erique Redd

Asparagus / Bustopher Mürr / Growltiger ~ Stephan Drakulich

Bombalurina ~ Charlotta Thorell

Cassandra ~ Amanda Corbishley

Coricopat ~ Jürgen Wallraff

Demeter ~ Sabine Hettlich

Grizabella ~ Andrea Bögel

Jellylorum / Griddlebone ~ Nancy Nordine

Jenny Fleckenfell / Gumbie Katz'-Karin Ploog

Mr. Mistoffelees ~ Paul Porter

Mungojerrie ~ Steve Kadel

Munkustrap ~ Hartwig Rudolz

Old Deuteronomy ~ Walter Reynolds

Plato / Macavity ~ Eric Clausell

Pouncival ~ Adam Horton

Rum Tum Tugger ~ Fred Butter

Rumpleteazer ~ Janette Froud

Sillabub ~ Pauline Cooke

Skimbleshanks ~ Paul Keller

Tantomile ~ Sharlie Pryce

Tumblebrutus ~ Juca Dumont

Victoria ~ Barbara Wäldele

Chorus: Iris Malow, Ulrich Talle, Denise Norton, John Wiseman

Swings: Jutta Elenz, Morenike Fadayomi, Hans Johansson, Eddie Jordan, Hans Langen, Ferdinand Lundahl, Annette Mühlhaus, Peter Prior, Sabina Schneebeli, Alan Stuart