TUESDAY sees the long-awaited arrival of Andrew Lloyd Webber's CATS at Birmingham's Alexandra Theatre for a limited season.

Based on 14 poems of TS Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, the show is the most successful and longest running musical in the world, has won many awards since it first opened in 1981 and has had more than 100 versions made of the hit song Memory.

About 30 actors make up the cast for the show, including Patrick Clancy as Bustopher Jones/Asparagus/Growltiger. Patrick has appeared in Aspects of Love, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Doctor Doolittle and Les Miserables.

Chrissie Hammond stars as Grizabella. Her musical debut was in Jesus Christ Superstar in which she played Mary Magdalene and she is well-known for her career in music with bands Air Supply and Cheetah.

The part of Rum Tum Tugger is played by Stuart Ramsay, who made his West End debut in Grease at the Cambridge Theatre, followed by Les Miserables.

CATS runs until November 1 and includes Wednesday and Saturday matinees. Tickets, priced £13-£34, are available on 0870 607 7544.