The UK tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'Cats'

Where do you start with Cats? Perhaps with the story of how it broke Cameron Mackintosh into the competitive world of musical theatre, allowing him to go on and produce Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera and Miss Saigon. Perhaps you start with the story of how Judi Dench was supposed to play Grizabella, but had to bow out and hand it to Elaine Paige. Or maybe you start with the fact that it is the longest running musical in West End and Broadway history.

Wherever you choose to begin the Cats story, however many facts you want to throw at it, there's no denying that Cats is a musical phenomenon. At any one moment in time, somewhere in the world 'Memory' is being played on the radio. It even toured Australia in a circus tent. But how well is it pulled off touring the UK?

Having seen the West End production twice; in its specially redesigned auditorium with circular stage and rubbish dump walls, it had a difficult task to live up to. And, if I'm honest, the tour doesn't work half as well as the original. In an auditorium seating two and a half thousand people, it becomes more a stadium tour than an intimate magical event. Although the Cats run up and down the aisles, purring at the audience, nothing comes close to the intimacy of never being more than a few metres away from a 'cat' in its London setting.

In a smaller auditorium it would have lost a small proportion of its magic, but in the hangar of the Royal Concert Hall, it looks a little lost, far from the habitat the Cats had previously created. For those who are fresh to it, they'll love it (and indeed did love it from those I spoke to). For those who are repeating old 'memories', perhaps it's best to watch the video.

But, to the production itself. Recreating Trevor Nunn's original direction and Gillian Lynne's magical choreography is Chrissie Cartwright, who does this job proud. There's never a moment where the entire cast aren't entirely on top of their characters; be it old cats, scary cats, evil cats or friendly cats.

With the tap dancing getting firmly under way within minutes, Sarah Bayliss gives an enjoyable turn as Jennyanydots, often heard screeching with delight. Delight which is soon matched when the Rum Tum Tugger (Stuart Ramsey) pounds onto the stage, causing great amusement with his 'pelvic movements'..

Those without better known bigger roles have their moments in the limelight too. Karen Evans' Jellylorum acts as a nice narrator for 'Gus: the Theatre Cat'. Her innocence, and respect for the older cat, gives a refreshing moment in an otherwise energetic show.

And onto two of our most respected characters in musical theatre - Old Deuteronomy and Grizabella. Having seen Chrissie Hammond in the final cast in London, I was pleased to see her return to the role she's so good at. I mean it, quite literally, when I say - what a voice! It takes great control to pull off Memory and she can do it, night after night after night. James Paterson as Deuteronomy has his share of power in 'The Ad-dressing of Cats', the finale to a varied, exciting score.

Cats is a show everyone should see. It defined a generation. Now, with the tour, it's a show that the next generation will have the chance to experience too. Deservedly.

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