This month the Manchester Opera House produced the Puliter Prize winning masterpiece 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof'.  A brutal dramatic comedy by legendary playright Tenesse Williams (the Glass Menagerie) and directed by Roy Alexander Weisse (the Mountain Top), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof did not dissappoint.

Everyone knows Big Daddy (Patrick Robinson) is dying: everyone except for Big Daddy. Eldest son Gooper and his wife Mae (Danielle Ward and Danielle Henry) are poised to win, boasting five children and a stable job: but Maggie is not to be underestimated. Ambitious and desperate, Maggie shows her claws determined to win, while her husband Brick relies as much on his liquor as he does on his crutch. Full of lies and secrets, the succesion battle commences, but who will be victorious?

The performance was amazing, from the acting, to the set design, to the lights the production was so detailed and well-thought out. The cast as a whole was spectacular, however a stand out performer for me was the cat herself, Ntombizodwa Ndlovu as Maggie. I cannot say enough really, her movement, her voice, her reactions to her fellow actors were simply flawless. I thought the round set complimented the performance also, forcing the characters together, and allowing evesdroppers to be seen by all. Performing arts director at our school J.Dickson commented 'It's refreshing to see a modern classic like Cat on a Hot Tin Roof in Manchester with diverse representation in the casting.' The play tackles serious issues including bereivement, alcoholism and themes of sexuality and infidelity, and while I think it did so well, I would recommend it for ages 14 and over. I have yet to see a bad production at the Royal Exchange, and look forward to seeing 'No Pay? No Way!', showing from the twelfth of May to the tenth of June.