With its iconic songs, spectacular choreography and larger-than-life feline characters, CATS is returning to Singapore this October. But beneath the fur, there are some surprisingly human questions about belonging, identity and second chances.
There are few musicals quite like CATS. The costumes are unmistakable, the choreography is extraordinary, and the moment those first notes of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s score begin, you’re transported into a world where cats have their own personalities, rivalries, romances and, of course, a rather important annual gathering.
Yet, more than four decades after its West End debut, CATS continues to capture the imagination of audiences around the world. Based on T. S. Eliot’s poetry collection Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, the musical has been seen by more than 77 million people across more than 54 countries. It returns to Singapore this October, with the Jellicle Ball dancing back to the Sands Theatre at Marina Bay Sands.
This is an amazing opportunity for the kids to experience a bona fide stage classic. But there’s more to CATS than impressive dance sequences and the unforgettable strains of “Memory”. Look a little closer, and this fantastical feline gathering opens up some surprisingly timely conversations about the way we live, inclusion, and what it means to be seen.
The central theme: Everyone wants to belong
At the heart of CATS is a group of very different characters. There’s the flamboyant Rum Tum Tugger, the magical Mr Mistoffelees, the mischievous Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer, and the once-glamorous Grizabella, who has become an outsider among her own kind. Each cat arrives with a distinct personality and story. Some are confident and commanding. Others are playful, mysterious or vulnerable. Together, they create a community that is full of character, but not necessarily free of judgement.
Sound familiar?
We’ve all navigated school playground politics, tried joining a new friendship group, and some of us know this feeling all too well from starting up life in a new country. We all know that need, the feeling of wanting to fit in. Singapore, with its mix of cultures, backgrounds and life stories, is a particularly interesting place to consider what belonging means.
Teaching moments: Inclusion, judgement, and friendship
CATS also asks a more uncomfortable question. What happens when a community decides that someone no longer belongs? Grizabella is the character who brings this tension into sharp focus. Rather than simply asking her to prove herself worthy of acceptance, her story invites us to question the judgements that have left her on the outside.
It’s an idea worth exploring with our kids, too. We often encourage little ones to make friends, find their people and be confident in who they are. Just as important, perhaps, is teaching them to notice the child standing alone, to question an unkind group dynamic and to understand that somebody else’s difference doesn’t make them less deserving of friendship.
Second chances and redemption – how willing are we, actually, to let people be free of their past?
Of all the characters in CATS, Grizabella may be the one whose story feels most immediately relevant to us. Her signature song, “Memory”, is a moment of reflection and longing. She looks back at a life that has changed, remembering happier times while hoping for something different. It’s an emotional centrepiece that gives the musical emotional depth.
Grizabella’s journey raises questions that extend well beyond the stage and show us human-like struggles. How do we treat people who have made mistakes, experienced setbacks or fallen out of favour? Are we willing to see someone differently from how others do? And how often do we allow a person’s past to define their future?
In a culture that celebrates success stories, reinvention and the idea of continually becoming a better version of ourselves, it’s easy to overlook those who haven’t quite found their way. We cheer for the comeback, but are we always willing to offer someone the grace to make one?
There’s a message here for both adults and our kids. Our identities aren’t fixed, and neither are the stories we tell about other people. Sometimes, the kindest thing we can do is leave room for someone to surprise us.
Who are we when nobody is watching?
One of the most entertaining things about CATS is how each character seems to have their own carefully defined identity. There’s the show-off, the trickster, the magician, the glamorous outsider and the mysterious one who commands attention without saying much at all. We can link these personalities back to our own lives. Consider how much time we spend presenting particular versions of ourselves to the world. We might be the dependable colleague, the funny friend, the capable parent or the person who always appears to have everything under control. As mums, it can feel like we have 47 personalities in one day, depending on what our kids need. Online, our identities can become even more carefully curated.
The cats, with their exaggerated mannerisms and distinctive personalities, can make you question where the performance ends and authenticity begins. Is Rum Tum Tugger really as self-assured as he appears? Does being the centre of attention tell us everything we need to know about someone? And what might we discover if we looked beyond the persona?
It’s a fascinating question for our kids too, who are all growing up in the world of social media and constant comparison. Confidence and self-expression are wonderful things, but so is knowing that we don’t have to perform a particular identity to earn our place in the world. Perhaps the most interesting question isn’t which cat we’d like to be. It’s which parts of ourselves we feel comfortable showing, and which parts we keep hidden away. How can we encourage each other to keep showing up authentically, and not hide behind a persona? And how can we accept others in the same way?
The Cats show us the messy parts of being human, flaws and all
We’re surrounded by messages about achievement. Children are encouraged to discover their talents, work hard, make friends and strive towards their goals. Adults are expected to build careers, nurture relationships and somehow keep everything running smoothly along the way.
There’s nothing wrong with ambition. But what happens when we start measuring people’s worth by what they’ve achieved, how popular they are or how successfully they’ve managed to keep up? And how do we forgive ourselves when we fail, but keep trying again, despite it all?
CATS doesn’t present a conventional collection of heroes who all triumph in the same way. Its characters are eccentric, flawed and gloriously individual. Their stories remind us that people are complicated, and that a first impression rarely tells the whole story.
Pause and reflect with the kids after the show and go a little deeper
Seeing this musical together offers an opportunity to talk about qualities that don’t necessarily show up on a report card. Empathy, kindness, resilience and the ability to look at someone without immediately deciding who they are. For us as parents, the conversation might begin with a simple question after the show. Which cat did you like best, and why?
Then take it a little further. Some questions you could ask:
Was there a character you changed your mind about? Did anyone surprise you? What makes someone worth getting to know? There are no prescribed answers, and that’s part of the appeal. Sometimes, a story’s value lies not in giving us a lesson but in helping us ask better questions. You might learn a lot about how your kids view not only their friends and the people around them, but also how they see themselves.
Little kids will love CATS too
CATS is a great reminder of what makes live theatre such a special experience. The storytelling relies on the music, movement, physical expression and poetry, creating a world that doesn’t need to follow the familiar rhythms of a conventional, linear narrative.
The storyline could be confusing for younger kids, but they don’t need to understand every reference or follow every character’s journey to be swept up in the music, the spectacle and the imagination on stage. Whether you’re a lifelong musical theatre fan or introducing your kids to a big stage production for the first time, CATS is not just a great show. It also offers up a few things to think about and some great conversation starters on the way home.
Perhaps that’s the secret of its longevity. Beneath the whiskers, the elaborate costumes and the unforgettable songs are characters who remind us that everyone has a story, that belonging matters, and that people deserve to be seen as more than the labels we’ve given them.
See CATS the Musical in Singapore
When: 29 October to 22 November 2026
Where: Sands Theatre, Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore
Price: Tickets from $68 to $238, excluding booking fees. Dynamic pricing applies.
Duration: Approximately 145 minutes, including a 20-minute interval.
