19-year-old drama school graduate Taziva-Faye Katsande goes on as Grizabella on opening night of new Cats revival

Back in 1981, a young Elaine Paige had a career-changing moment when, mere days before opening, she replaced Judi Dench as Grizabella in the world premiere of Cats.

The role, and the show, have therefore gained a strong reputation for being star makers – proved again on the opening night of Drew McOnie’s new production at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre where Taziva-Faye Katsande, only recently completing her studies, took on the role rather than her regular part of Tantomile.

Of course, one of the key parts of any Grizabella turn is the quintessential 11 o’clock number “Memory”, and Katsande seemed to handle it with aplomb according to critics: Time Out labelled the moment “sublime” while Sarah Crompton, of this parish, said it was a “star is born moment” in “a rich and raw version” of the number.

Even before training at Bird College, Katsande had taken on vital roles in shows – she played Tallulah in the recent tour of Bugsy Malone and the eponymous role in Annie. Earlier this year, she was named runner-up at the 2026 Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year Competition.

Grizabella isn’t the only Andrew Lloyd Webber role she’s played this year – during her third year musical at Bird College she played Jesus in an all-female Jesus Christ Superstar. 

McOnie took to the stage before press night to explain her appearance to the audience, with Rachael Wooding, who plays the role and is out with illness, set to return in due course.

Composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Cats is based on T S Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats. It premiered in London’s West End in 1981 and on Broadway in 1982, becoming one of the longest-running shows in both cities. The musical follows the Jellicle Cats, who gather at the Jellicle Ball to choose one cat to ascend to the Heaviside Layer and be reborn. A 2019 film adaptation followed.

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