Cats, Ferneham Hall, Fareham, review: ‘The future of local theatre seems assured if it’s in such capable hands’

Youth theatre has been known to strike dread into my heart; semi-talented youngsters giving semi-talented performances directed by semi-talented directors and choreographers.
Sam Beer made-up as Munkustrap in Stage One Youth Theatre's Cats.Sam Beer made-up as Munkustrap in Stage One Youth Theatre's Cats.
Sam Beer made-up as Munkustrap in Stage One Youth Theatre's Cats.

Not so for Stage One Youth Theatre at Ferneham Hall with Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s unforgiving Cats.

Unforgiving? Those songs are not an easy sing; Lloyd-Webber is a master of his art and expects his performers to be the masters of theirs. How does this group, average age around 13, cope? Extraordinarily well.

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Accompanied by an orchestra, they conquer all. It’s not perfect but it’s up there with some of the best adult non-professional stuff I’ve seen.

Jacqui Ivemy (director) and Matt Newman (choreographer) have played to the company’s strengths – and this company has strengths a-plenty.

Performance of the evening goes to Brandon Cable-Rogers as Gus, the theatre cat; a studied, minutely-detailed performance worthy of an actor many years his senior. He even dances, impressively in character, in the finale. And on the subject of dancing, Charles Clark, take a bow. His solo during Magical Mister Mistofelees garnered applause before he’d even finished – and well deserved.

Nice work, too, from Milo Baker, Siobhan Carroll, Zoe Elliott, Isobel Griggs and Eden and Hope Hillier-Smith. Excellent vocals; excellent movement. 

The future of local theatre seems assured if it’s in such capable hands.