More than 30 years after it first opened in the West End, Andrew Lloyd Webber's audacious masterpiece of musical theatre is returning with a 2013 tour. Ever since that opening night on 11th May 1981, audiences have found Lloyd Webber's musical reimagining of T.S Eliot's 'Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats' completely irresistible.

The statistics speak for themselves. The original London production ran for more than 9,000 performances until 2002 and Cats also ran for 18 years on Broadway. At home and in New York, Cats has won many awards including an Olivier for Best Musical and seven Tony awards, including Best Musical and Best Director. It has been performed in more than 10 languages and seen by more than 50 million people. It is a phenomenon, second to only Phantom of the Opera on most counts.

But Cats is more than simply a ticket-selling enterprise; it is a work of bewitching magic which transports old and young deep into their imagination. Popular with schools and young theatre groups, there can be few families in the country that haven't been touched at one time or another by the tales of Grizabella, Old Deuteronomy, Rumpleteazer and Mungojerrie.

The tour premieres at the Edinburgh Playhouse on 9th February, followed by a three-week run in the Scottish capital. Cats will then criss-cross the country extensively with more dates still to be announced.

In addition to the Edinburgh run, we also have Manchester Opera House dates on sale now - for all dates tickets are priced from around £25 for midweek balcony seats rising to £40 to £50 for the best weekend stalls, dependent on venue. As always, Cats will prove very popular with audiences and the tour is expected to sell out.