The musical tells the story of a tribe of cats called the Jellicles and the night they make what is known as "the Jellicle choice" and decide which cat will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new life.

"Cats" had its World Premiere in the West End at the New London Theatre on May 11th 1981 under the direction of Trevor Nunn and under the auspices of Cameron Mackintosh and Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group.