MORE than half of the tickets for Abbey Musical Society's upcoming performance of Cats have been sold - an unprecedented feat for an amateur production at The Forum.

A cast of around 60 will take to the stage at the Barrow venue for the six-night run of this world famous show.

Nick Collinge takes on the role of producer, with Russell Brown as director, Angela Guntrip as musical director and Sarah Powell as choreographer.

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s popular musical brings together a tribe of Jellicle cats on a moonlit evening, who must make the “Jellicle choice” to decide which of them will ascend to the mysterious Heaviside Layer to be reborn.

Featuring the celebrated standards Memory, Cats was an international phenomenon and its original production is still the fourth-longest-running show on Broadway.

Abbey Musical Society has also designed its own costumes to replicate the West End and Broadway productions.

Among the key cast members are: Colin Smith as Old Deuteronomy, Dave Stockton as Rum Tum Tugger, Louis Simon as Munkustrap, Neil Irving as Skimbleshanks, Simon Powell as Quaxo, Bill Calvert as Gus, Josh Matthews as Mungojerrie, Jake Grainger as Mr Mistoffelees, Ailsa McIntosh as Grizabella, Amy Hosker as Jennyanydots, Heather Collinge as Sardinia, Amey Haughin as Jellylorum, Layla Davies as Bombalurina, Chloe Flores as Demeter, Kira Hayes as Jemima, Rebekah Matthews as Rumpleteazer, Lorna Priss as Victoria, and Jo Brown as Macavity.

Cats will run at The Forum from Monday March 19 to Saturday 24, and tickets are available from the venue's box office.