'How dare Lloyd Webber drop me at 90': Cats choreographer left 'heartbroken' after she was replaced by younger star

By Laura Lambert Showbusiness Reporter For The Daily Mail

Published: 19:56 EST, 8 June 2016 | Updated: 03:12 EST, 10 June 2016

View
comments

As the original choreographer of Cats and a key figure in the production ever since, she helped create one of the most successful musicals of all time.

Now Dame Gillian Lynne, 90, has been left ‘heartbroken’ after she was replaced by a younger star famous for a hip-hop show.

Despite the fact she was behind the recent run at the London Palladium, the upcoming revival of Cats in the US has hired Andy Blankenbuehler, 46, as choreographer.

As the original choreographer of Cats and a key figure in the production ever since, Dame Gillian Lynne, 90, helped create one of the most successful musicals of all time

According to well-placed sources, Dame Gillian is understood to have complained privately that Cats composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and producer Cameron Mackintosh had ‘behaved very badly’ when it was decided she would be axed – claims she now rejects.

However, she told the Daily Mail: ‘Everyone is upset about it. Wouldn’t you have your heart broken if you had made a world hit that has gone on since 1981 and then suddenly this happens?

'It is stupid in a way because the show has had such incredible reviews, especially for the two seasons just done at the Palladium. As we speak the latest one I did is going all over Europe and all over England so you say “what the f*** is all this about?”’

She also told The Stage: ‘It makes me feel like I’d like to murder. I have had a rotten time because of it. I did create the show, I really did.’

Despite the fact she was behind the recent run at the London Palladium, the upcoming revival of Cats in the US has hired Andy Blankenbuehler, 46, as choreographer

Last night, she added: ‘I’m not someone that sits at home crying. The show is still massively powerful all over the world.

‘It’s just this American producer who thinks you cannot take a revival to Broadway without big changes.

'Actually most of us don’t agree with it in this case because the show is so popular and all the dance world wants to be in it, and in my version. It’s a bit peculiar.’

Mr Blankenbuehler has choreographed numerous Broadway shows, including Hamilton, a new, multi-award-winning production about American founding father Alexander Hamilton which features hip-hop dancing.

Speaking about her successor, Dame Gillian said: ‘He is brilliant for Hamilton but Hamilton is a hip-hop show.’ She added that one of her main concerns is that he will not make the dancers behave in a cat-like manner.

Last night the former ballet dancer backtracked on any criticism she is said to have made about Lord Lloyd Webber and Sir Cameron, stating: ‘I don’t think this has been handled the best in the world but I wouldn’t say anything against them, I would be mad if I did.’

When the show was revived in the West End last October, it is believed she found herself embroiled in ‘artistic differences’ with other members of the team. However Dame Gillian, who is married to actor Peter Land, continues to work on several productions of the musical.