Presented by Cameron Mackintosh Ltd. and The Really Useful Theater Co., English musical “Cats” will come to Shenzhen for seven shows.

    “Cats” was first shown at London’s West End at the New London Theater on May 11, 1981. The hit international musical is based on the poems of T. S. Eliot (“Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats”) with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, choreography by Gillian Lynne, and direction by Trevor Nunn.

    It played a total of 8,949 performances in London. The final performance at the West End was on the 21st anniversary in 2002 and broadcast on a large screen in Covent Garden to the delight of those who were unable to buy a ticket for the final performance. It held the record as the world’s longest-running musical until Oct. 8, 2006, when it was surpassed by “Les Miserables.”

    The show made its debut on Broadway on Oct. 7, 1982 at the Winter Garden Theater with the same production team. On June 19, 1997, “Cats” became the longest-running musical in Broadway history with 6,138 performances.

    It played a total of 7,485 performances in New York. Its New York record was surpassed Jan. 9, 2006, by “The Phantom of the Opera,” the music for which was also composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

    Time: 8 p.m., March 25-30; also at 3 p.m., March 29

    Tickets: 180-2,880 yuan

    Reservations: 8637-1698

    Venue: Shenzhen Poly Theater, at the intersection of Wenxin Road 5 and Houhaibin Road, Nanshan District (南山区后海滨路与文心五路交界处深圳保利剧院)

    Buses: 70, 80, K113, 204, 217, 226, 230, 245, 369, 390 (SD News)