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hit musical 'Cats' has had slight makeover for its comeback performances starting in December in London. One of traditional songs will now be rap. The musical's writer, Andrew Lloyd Webber, said he felt musical needed to be updated to appeal to new generation of theatre-goers. Lloyd Webber based his musical on famous book called "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats" by famous British writer T. S. Eliot. It tells the story of group of cats called the Jellicles, who have to decide which cat gets to come back to life after death. 'Cats' first opened in London's West End in 1981 and on Broadway in New York in 1982. It won numerous awards and ran for twenty-one years in English capital.

The rap will be performed by Rum Tum Tugger character, who is rebellious street cat. Lloyd Webber said original poem that cat sings, written in 1930s, has strong rap rhythm. He joked that T.S. Eliot may have been world's first rapper, saying: "I've come to conclusion…that maybe Eliot was inventor of rap." He added: "I think Rum Tum Tugger is going to have to become street cat for today and he has to do hip-hop." The show's producer, Sir Trevor Nunn, explained the decision to include the rap. He said: "There is whole generation of kids who haven't seen 'Cats' or discovered it. And there are certainly elements of show that can be reinvigorated in very contemporary terms."