And just a few days after Starlight played it's last performance in the West End I hear on the news that cats will be closing in May.<P>I'm sure there will be some articles in tomorrow's papers.<P>A new era in West End musical theatre is dawning.

<B>Alarm as Cats heads for last miaow </B><BR>Fiachra Gibbons, arts correspondent<BR>Wednesday January 16, 2002<BR>The Guardian<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Cats, the longest running musical in theatrical history, is to close, sparking a fresh round of doom mongering in London's West End just as it had begun to pick itself up from the bombshell of the September 11 attacks. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P><A HREF="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,634152,00.html" TARGET=_blank><B>more...</B></A><P><B>A master of melody who could see creativity in a contract sub- clause </B><BR>The Independent Jan 16, 2002<BR>BY THOMAS SUTCLIFFE<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>THE BIGGEST issue - in assessing the impact of Andrew Lloyd Webber on the world of the musical - is whether the relevant word is "responsible" or "culpable".<P>For his millions of fans he's a near-infallible generator of adhesive melodies. For his detractors, numerous but outnumbered, he's responsible for a sad homogenisation of musical theatre.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P><A HREF="http://globalarchive.ft.com/globalarchive/article.html?id=020116002063&query=dance" TARGET=_blank><B>more...</B></A><BR>

<P><B>Nine lives run out for Cats</B><BR>by Luke Leitch for The Evening Standard<P><BR>It is the longest-running musical in history, but now the original production of Cats, the revolutionary British show that revitalised London's Theatreland and sparked a similar renaissance on Broadway, is to close after more than two decades. The final curtain will fall on 11 May, 21 years to the day since the show's opening night. <P>It is understood that the two men behind the show, its creator and composer Lord Lloyd-Webber and its producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh, visited the cast and crew backstage at the New London Theatre after last night's performance to break the surprise news.<P><A HREF="http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/dynamic/hottx/review.html?in_review_id=488757&in_review_text_id=446233" TARGET=_blank><B>click for more</B></A>

Test your knowledge of Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals with this quiz in The Guardian. First Prize - a pair of tickets to see Cats on May 13th.<P><A HREF="http://www.guardian.co.uk/quiz/questions/0,5961,634463,00.html" TARGET=_blank> <B> QUIZ </B> </A>

7 out of 10

Michael Billington celebrates the closure of the many long-running shows at present.<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Cats don't often survive until the age of 21. And the show of that name is finally to be put down at the New London Theatre in May. Buddy, meanwhile, closes in March after 13 years, which means that we shall no longer be delighted by the Big Bopper singing Chantilly Lace. And Starlight Express packed up its skates at the Apollo Victoria last Saturday after a run of 18 years. <BR>The idea, however, that this represents the end of West End civilisation is grotesque. Since the three shows will have clocked up 52 years between them, their departure seems healthy, and possibly overdue. All true lovers of theatre should be cheering from the rooftops rather than lamenting a crisis. <BR><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P><A HREF="http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/story/0,3604,634650,00.html" TARGET=_blank> <B> MORE </B> </A>

<B>Record-breaking 'Cats' bows out</B><BR>From BBC Arts<BR> <BR>The London production of Cats, the capital's longest-running musical, is come to an end after 21 years. More than eight million people have watched almost 9,000 performances of the West End show, which is credited with helping transform musical theatre. <P>The run will end on 11 May - exactly 21 years after it opened.<P><A HREF="http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/entertainment/showbiz/newsid_1761000/1761508.stm" TARGET=_blank><B>click for more</B></A>