Andrew is far from the first LSC grad to feature in Cats throughout its 40-plus year history in the UK and abroad. To celebrate this latest grand opening of the Jellicle Ball, we wanted to share our memories of the other LSC alumni who have padded, prowled and pounced across the stage (and behind the scenes) in this iconic musical.
Please note that some of the programmes mentioned below are no longer offered at London Studio Centre. Our full list of programmes can be found here.
Andrew Parfitt (standing, right) performs with the company of Cats at Regents’ Park Open Air Theatre, 2026. Photography: Mark Senior
West End & UK
Jacqui Harman as Victoria in Cats at the New London Theatre, 1985
Jacqui Harman, 1983 graduate and founder of the Jacqueline Harman School of Ballet, was the second performer to play the role of Victoria in the original West End production. She played the role from 1982-85. She then played Demeter in 1986, and moved to a Swing role from 1988-90.
Acclaimed UK Choreographer and 1985 LSC Diploma graduate, Stephen Mear, began his career in the West End production. He joined the London cast in 1987, performing as a swing and covering roles including Admetus, Macavity, and Bill Bailey, before later playing Mephistopheles.
Sharon Benson, who graduated in 1985, played Grizabella in the West End production from 1987-88.
Amanda Courtney-Davies, joined the West End production in 1988 as a Swing (cover Victoria) and Dance Captain. Later that year, she took on the role of Tantomile, then from 1989-90 she played Victoria (cover Jennyanydots).
Adrian Edmeades, who graduated in 1989, had a long history with Cats. He first played Bill Bailey in the West End production from 1988-89, while he was still studying part-time at LSC. He then played Mungojerrie on the UK Tour in 1989. From 1990-91 and played the role in the West End. In 2001, he returned to the West End as Mungojerrie and continued the role until 2002. In 2003, he joined the UK Tour as a Swing with various cover roles.
1985 graduate, Samantha Biddulph, played Tantomile (cover Demeter) in the first UK Tour in 1989, before joining the West End cast in 1990 and playing Tantomile (cover Demeter and Gumbie) and swing.
Siobhan Coebly, who graduated in 1989, made her West End debut playing Jemima in the West End production during her final term at LSC. She played the role until 1990.
Wendy Kitching as Demeter.
1988 grad, Wendy Kitching was a regular feature in the West End and UK Tour for eleven years! Starting as a Swing in the UK Tour in 1989, she joined the West End cast as Electra and cover Demeter and Rumpleteazer, then played Demeter on UK Tour 1993-94. She returned to the West End production as Demeter (cover Grizabella) in 1999 and played the role again in 2000.
Drew Varley, who graduated in 1991, featured in multiple productions of Cats. The year he graduated, he played Bill Bailey (cover Mungojerrie) in the West End. He played Bill Bailey again 1992, then played Mungojerrie in the Australia & Asia Tour in 1995. He returned to the West End as Mungojerrie from 1996-97. He also featured as Mungojerrie in the 1998 film version.
Bryn Walters, who graduated from LSC in 1991, played Admetus/Macavity in the West End from 1992-93, as well as Plato/Macavity in the 1998 film version.
Lindsey Dawson, 1991 grad, featured in the West End production between 1992-93, playing Jennyanydot.
Kimberly Partridge, who graduated in 1991 on the Dance Performers Course, played Jemima in the West End production from 1993-95.
The current Artistic Director of LSC’s own Jazz Co, Robbie O’Reilly, played Cassandra (cover Bomballurina and Jennyanydot) in the UK Tour 1994-95.
Matthew Gould as Skimbleshanks
Matthew Gould, who graduated in 1989, has a 14-year history with Cats. He first played Victor in the West End production in 1994. He returned to the West End production to play Skimbleshanks in 1999-2000. He continued playing Skimbleshanks on the UK Tour from 2003-08.
1988 grad John Stacey includes the role of Victor in the West End production (1995) in his extensive list of stage credits.
Paul Cleveland, who graduated from LSC in 1992, played Carbucketty (cover Mungojerrie) in the UK Tour in 1995.
Performer, choreographer and regular LSC teacher, Richard Roe graduated in 1996. The same year, he played Carbucketty (cover Mungojerry and Skimbleshanks) in the West End. He continued playing the role until 1997.
Louie Spence, one of British television’s favourite dance and choreography personalities and 1989 LSC grad, played Mistoffelees from 1998-99.
Australian-born Jye Frasca moved to the UK to study at London Studio Centre with a full scholarship. He graduated in 1998 and immediately started a varied career on the London stage, including the role of Carbucketty (cover Mistoffelees) in the West End production of Cats from 2001-02.
Adelle Young, 2004 BA (Hons) Theatre Dance graduate and former poster-girl for Chicago on the West End, played Jemima (cover Rumpleteazer) in the UK Tour, and in Portugal, the same year she graduated.
2004 graduate and regular LSC teacher, Matt Krzan, has such an extensive history with Cats, the easiest way to jot it down is with the full list below:
Swing: UK Tour & Lisbon, 2004
Swing: UK Tour, 2007
Admetus/Macavity: Italian Tour, 2007
Munkustrap: Blackpool, 2015
Munkustrap: London Palladium, 2015
Munkustrap/DC: UK Tour, 2016
Munkustrap/DC: International Tour 2017
Munkustrap/Resident: Director South Korea 2022
Munkustrap/ Resident Director: Taiwan 2023
Assistant Director: South African tour 2025
Matt is currently Resident Director on the International tour 2026/27 Mumbai, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea.
2003 graduate, Lauren Brooke, played Cassandra on UK Tour from 2006-08.
Sophia Ragavelas, who graduated from the BA (Hons) Theatre Dance in 1999 and went on to a flourishing career in the West End, played Grizabella in the UK and International Tour 2014, for which she was also Nicole Scherzinger’s body double! She also performed in the New Zealand and Australia tour in 2015.
2009 BA (Hons) Theatre Dance (Top Up) graduate, Cameron Ball, played Admetus / Macavity in from 2013-14 UK Tour and repeated the role in the London Revival at the Palladium from 2014-15.
Anna Woodside, 1999 LSC Diploma graduate, played Demeter at the Blackpool Opera House and London Palladium in 2015.
Anna Woodside as Demeter in 2015
International Productions, Tours & Cruises
Suvi Eloranta, who graduated from LSC in 1991, played Sillabub (cover Mistoffelees) in the Amsterdam production in 1992.
Christopher Klein played Coricopat at the Vienna Operettenhaus from 1992-93.
Hanny Aden studied at LSC with a scholarship. She played Tantomile in the Hamburg production from 1992-93, before taking a Swing role in the same production. In 2004 she was Swing (cover Cassandra, Bombalurina, Demeter & Jennyanydots) in Düsseldorf.
1991 Diploma graduate, Jessíca Sanchez-Palencia, played Rumpleteazer in the 1995 Euro Tour, then Swing (cover Sillabub) in the Hamburg production in 1996.
Jeehyun Noh came over to London from Korea to study at LSC. She played Jemima in the South Korea Tent Tour of Cats in 2003. She later returned to LSC to study the PGCert Professional Dance Teaching in 2023.
2008 graduate, Vicky Riddoch, played Electra, Rumpleteazer and Jemima in Vienna Revival production at the Ronacher Theatre from 2019-22.
Natalie Bennyworth is a 2011 BA (Hons) Theatre Dance graduate and still a regular face at LSC as a guest teacher and choreographer. She also has an extensive history with the role of Cassandra in Cats. She played the role on Royal Caribbean Cruise in 2015, UK & International Tour in 2017 and Asia Tour from 2020-21. She was also cover Bombalurina and Demeter during this time. In 2023 she was Assistant Choreographer for Cats on Royal Caribbean cruise.
Gavin Eden (right) as Skimbleshanks
Gavin Eden completed his Dip HE at LSC in 2004. His impressive performer’s CV includes multiple runs in Cats, starting with the 2011 German Tent Tour, in which he played Mungojerrie (cover Mistoffelees) from 2011-13. In 2014 he took a role behind-the-scenes, as Assistant to the Director and Choreographer for the Royal Caribbean Cruise production. He then played Skimbleshanks (cover Asparagus, Bustopher Jones & Rumpus Cat) in the UK & International Tour 2019-20. He repeated the role in the Asia tour in 2022 and then again in the UK & International tour from 2024-25.
Gabrielle Parker graduated from LSC in 2017 and soon after played Victoria in the 2018 UK & International Tour. She then played Jemima (cover Rumpleteazer, Victoria) in the 2022 Asia Tour, and then the same role in the UK & International Tour from 2024-25.
Gabrielle Parker as Jemima
2008 graduate Robert Wilkes appeared in the Royal Caribbean cruise production from 2018-2023, first playing Skimbleshanks (cover Asparagus, Bustopher Jones and Growltiger) and then Asparagus (cover Old Deuteronomy).
Peter Cork graduated from LSC in 2006. His varied stage credits include Swing and a wide range of Understudy roles in the UK & International Tour of Cats in 2018.
Olivia Davidson is a 2025 graduate who was cast as Cassandra in the Royal Caribbean Cruise production before she had graduated from LSC. She played the role again in 2026.
2019 Film
West End superstar and 2008 LSC Diploma graduate, Zizi Strallen, featured in the 2019 film as Tantomile. She had previously played Demeter on the UK Tour and at the London Palladium in 2014.
Zizi was joined in the film by graduates Clemme Sveas (2003) and Nicole Bondzie (2008), who were members of the chorus.
Other LSC graduates appeared as Cockroaches in the film; Abigayle Honeywill (2014), Selina Hamilton (2005 grad and current LSC teacher & choreographer) and Jazz Peters (2013).
Olivier and Tony Award nominated Choreographer and 1996 LSC Diploma grad, Ellen Kane, was Dance & Movement Supervisor on the film.
If you are, or know, a London Studio Centre graduate that we missed, please get in touch! Email info@londonstudiocentre.ac.uk to let us know.
