Are you 'feline' good, Dubai? Cats is here!

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Are you feline good, Dubai? Cats is here!
Joanna Ampil plays Grizabella

Published: Sun 15 Jan 2017, 4:29 PM

Last updated: Mon 16 Jan 2017, 6:35 PM

IF YOU'RE LOOKING for a 'purrrfect' night out, 'paws' for thought, then head to Dubai Opera right 'meow': Cats opens tonight. 'Fur' real, the date is finally upon us where this West End and Broadway favourite makes its Dubai debut (whereas these puns shall thankfully make a swift exit).
Catch the whole cast, handpicked from the touring company, as they enthral you with songs and stories based on T.S. Eliott's poems, composed by the legendary Andrew Lloyd Webber.
To get a better idea of what to expect, we spoke with Filipino actress Joanna Ampil who will be playing the role of Grizabella - you know, the one who sings Memory - during the run.
   
Where were you born and where did you grow up?
I was born in the Philippines, but left the country at 17 for London to do Miss Saigon.
My first flat was located on Robert Street off The Strand with a gorgeous rooftop view of the Thames and Big Ben. I instantly fell in love with London.

Where do you consider home?
Home is usually where my family is present. Apart from the UK, I also have family in the USA, Canada and Philippines and I consider all those countries my home. I am really like Charlie Chaplin who considered himself a citizen of the world.

Where did you attend college drama school?
I've never had any formal training from drama schools but I've had private tuition from some amazing teachers and mentors.

What and where was your first professional stage role?
It was the role of Kim in Miss Saigon (Theatre Royal Drury Lane) in the West End of London.

Have you had any other careers other than acting / performing?
When I was playing the role of Eponine in Les Miserables, I decided to go to college and study PR and Marketing as a sort of fall back. I finished the course but fortunately, I never had to practice it. I've been working in this industry for 23 years now.

Have you done any TV, radio or film work prior to Cats?
I have done a bit of TV and radio, released a few albums and filmed a movie which will come out in the summer of 2017. It's a movie musical in my native language but released internationally. The story is taken from a very important literary piece written by a Filipino national artist, Nick Joaquin. The movie is called Ang Larawan which means The Portrait.

Who or what inspired you to go into acting?
I got into it by pure accident. I actually started off as a singer. Singing was a hobby of mine. Miss Saigon was a major thing in my country and when the creative team came back to the Philippines to look for new cast members for their London production, I tried my luck and auditioned for a whole week complete with dancing, singing and acting.
A couple of months later, they told me I was successful in my audition, then flew to London with my mum who accompanied me. The rest is history.

What does your family think of your career path?
Our family is pretty musical. They sing and play instruments, some professionally too. I'm the only one who purely did singing and acting the longest and made a living out of it.

What prompted you to audition for Cats?
Upon hearing Jellicle Ball played at a concert once, I just had to find out which show it came from. I watched Cats and fell in love with the show and the songs.
I was a teenager when I saw it and I knew I'd be too young to play Grizabella then, but I always had my eye on that part. After having played the part, it still remains a favourite of mine. Being part of the show made me fall in love with it much more.

Do you have any hobbies or other interests?
Doing theatre work is something I'm really passionate about and I'm very fortunate to be here. I try to keep learning and challenging myself hence getting into movies or doing recordings which is another passion of mine.
I love watching other shows too and I enjoy seeing magic onstage. It inspires me to see other artists in their element and makes me realise how lucky I am to be doing the same.

What are you looking forward to most about being in Cats?
Getting to know the new cast, visiting some of the most amazing cities, my friends who are coming to see the show.
I cannot wait for them to see this wonderful version. Another bonus is having enough time to learn and get to know each city and its culture.
History of Cats
One of the longest-running shows in West End and on Broadway, Cats, received its world premiere at the New London Theatre in 1981 where it played for 21 record-breaking years and almost 9,000 performances. The production was the winner of the Olivier and Evening Standard Awards for Best Musical. In 1983 the Broadway production became the recipient of seven Tony awards including Best Musical, and ran for eighteen years.  Since its world premiere, Cats has been presented in over 30 countries, has been translated into 10 languages and has been seen by over 50 million people world-wide. Both the original London and Broadway cast recordings won Grammy Awards for Best Cast Album. The classic Lloyd Webber score includes Memory which has been recorded by over 150 artists from Barbara Streisand and Johnny Mathis to Liberace and Barry Manilow.
Cats takes place at Dubai Opera from January 16 until January 25.  Tickets start from  Dhs275.

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Joanna out of costume
Joanna out of costume

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