Cats
Poster
1981 (designed), 1981 (printed)
1981 (designed), 1981 (printed)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This poster, advertising the opening of Cats by Andrew Lloyd Webber at the New London Theatre in 1981, is one of the iconic posters of the 20th century. Its deceptively simple design presents a cat's eyes with silhouettes of dancers for pupils. Instantly recognisable, it also hints at what you will experience in the theatre - the mysteriousness within the eyes peering out of the darkness, and the dancers reflected in them.
Cats has been translated into more than 20 languages and ran for 8,949 performances in London, with its final performance on its 21st birthday. It was the world's longest running musical, until Les Misérables surpassed it on October 8, 2006.
Cats has been translated into more than 20 languages and ran for 8,949 performances in London, with its final performance on its 21st birthday. It was the world's longest running musical, until Les Misérables surpassed it on October 8, 2006.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Cats (assigned by artist) |
| Materials and techniques | Offset lithography |
| Brief description | Poster advertising the opening of Cats by Andrew Lloyd Webber at the New London Theatre, April 30th 1981 |
| Physical description | Black poster with two yellow cats eyes in the top third, the pupils of which are abstract depictions of dancers. At the bottom is the title, CATS, in white brushstroke writing, and details of the musical's writer and opening date. |
| Dimensions |
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| Production type | Mass produced |
| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Gallery label | Photographic posters
This striking image advertising The Icebreak reveals little about the content of Tippett’s opera, other than that it is the world premiere.
In contrast, the Cats poster – one of the great theatre posters of the 20th century – offers an arresting yet economic glimpse of the show itself.
The Ice Break
1977
Opera by Michael Tippett, 1977
Royal Opera House, London
Offset litho
Designed by Rick Wentworth
Photograph by Dawson Strange Photography Ltd
Museum no. S.816-1995
Cats
1981
Musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, 1981, based on poems by T.S. Eliot, 1939
New London Theatre, London
Offset litho
Museum no. S.2415-1994 |
| Literary reference | T.S. Elliot's <i>Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats</i> |
| Summary | This poster, advertising the opening of Cats by Andrew Lloyd Webber at the New London Theatre in 1981, is one of the iconic posters of the 20th century. Its deceptively simple design presents a cat's eyes with silhouettes of dancers for pupils. Instantly recognisable, it also hints at what you will experience in the theatre - the mysteriousness within the eyes peering out of the darkness, and the dancers reflected in them. Cats has been translated into more than 20 languages and ran for 8,949 performances in London, with its final performance on its 21st birthday. It was the world's longest running musical, until Les Misérables surpassed it on October 8, 2006. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.2415-1994 |
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| Record created | May 2, 2008 |
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