{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O153992"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O153992/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2009BY0069/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2009BY0069/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2009BY0069","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O153992","accessionNumber":"S.2415-1994","objectType":"Poster","titles":[{"title":"Cats","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"This poster, advertising the opening of <i>Cats</i> by Andrew Lloyd Webber at the New London Theatre in 1981, is one of the iconic posters of the 20th century. Its deceptively simple design presents a cat's eyes with silhouettes of dancers for pupils. Instantly recognisable, it also hints at what you will experience in the theatre - the mysteriousness within the eyes peering out of the darkness, and the dancers reflected in them.\r\n\r\n<i>Cats</i> has been translated into more than 20 languages and ran for 8,949 performances in London, with its final performance on its 21st birthday. It was the world's longest running musical, until <i>Les Misérables</i> surpassed it on October 8, 2006.","physicalDescription":"Black poster with two yellow cats eyes in the top third, the pupils of which are abstract depictions of dancers. At the bottom is the title, <i>CATS</i>, in white brushstroke writing, and details of the musical's writer and opening date.","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Dewynters Ltd","id":"A1814"},"association":{"text":"designers","id":"AAT25190"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"},{"text":"ink","id":"AAT15012"}],"techniques":[{"text":"photography","id":"AAT54225"},{"text":"offset lithography","id":"AAT192900"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Offset lithography","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Posters","id":"THES252963"},{"text":"Advertising","id":"THES49001"},{"text":"Theatre","id":"THES250537"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2009BY0069"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"004","id":"THES345199"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"posters","id":"AAT27221"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x29338"},"note":""},{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"printed","id":"AAT53319"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1981","earliest":"1981-01-01","latest":"1981-12-31"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x29338"},"note":""},{"date":{"text":"1981","earliest":"1981-01-01","latest":"1981-12-31"},"association":{"text":"printed","id":"AAT53319"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"50.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"31.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"CATS","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""},{"content":"MUSIC BY ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER - BASED ON / 'OLD POSSUM'S BOOK OF PRACTICAL CATS' BY T.S. ELIOT","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""},{"content":"OPENS APRIL 30TH 1981 - BOX OFFICE 01-405-0072 / NEW LONDON THEATRE - DRURY LANE - LONDON WC2","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""},{"content":"'CATS' POSTER DESIGNED PRINTED & PRODUCED BY DEWYNTERS LTD LONDON   TM © 1981 THE REALLY USEFUL COMPANY LTD","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""},{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":" ","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Poster advertising the opening of <i>Cats</i> by Andrew Lloyd Webber at the New London Theatre, April 30th 1981","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"Mass produced","id":"THES48863"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":["T.S. Elliot's <i>Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats</i>"],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Photographic posters \r\n\r\nThis striking image advertising The Icebreak reveals little about the content of Tippett’s opera, other than that it is the world premiere.\r\n\r\nIn contrast, the Cats poster – one of the great theatre posters of the 20th century – offers an arresting yet economic glimpse of the show itself.\r\n\r\n\tThe Ice Break \r\n1977\r\nOpera by Michael Tippett, 1977\r\nRoyal Opera House, London\r\nOffset litho\r\nDesigned by Rick Wentworth\r\nPhotograph by Dawson Strange Photography Ltd\r\nMuseum no. S.816-1995 \r\n\r\nCats\r\n1981\r\nMusical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, 1981, based on poems by T.S. Eliot, 1939\r\nNew London Theatre, London\r\nOffset litho\r\nMuseum no. 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