Don’t bring any kittens around Pepe Munoz, who plays the naughty and haughty Rum Tug Tugger in Broadway production Cats. He’s allergic to them, and goes as far as calling himself ‘a dog person’.
“When we’re on stage, we have to think of ourselves as tigers or lions. We’re not like little pussycats. We’re not Disney characters. We’re Jellicle cats, okay? And we don’t like humans,” said Munoz.
The musical opened at Dubai Opera on January 16, and the cast spoke the following afternoon about the method behind their madness.
“Some of us have cats at home, so we just watch them and observe them. It takes a lot of concentration to get into the character,” said Joanna Ampil, who plays Grizabella and sings the musical’s most popular tune, Memory.
John Ellis, who plays the wise and contemplative Old Deuteronomy, said every night is different on stage.
“Maybe we don’t feel 100 per cent that day, or we’re a bit tired, or we’re really happy. The show can change dramatically because of the way we’re feeling,” he added.
The show will continue its run in the city until January 28. Tickets begin at Dh275 from dubaiopera.com.
