This chapter describes the sad story about Judi Dench having to drop out of the original London production of CATS because of an injury. I wonder what the role of Grizabella would have been like under Judi's talents.
"The last major problem was the casting. With just two exceptions (Old Deuteronomy and Grizabella herself) they would all have to be dancers. The original cast, assembled with some difficulty over the next few weeks, was to include Judi Dench (twenty years in the RSC but also the London star of CABARET) as Grizabella. Once she had been persuaded to join by Trevor Nunn, to add some classical lustre to the company, it proved easier to convince other good actors that CATS had a chance. The heavyset character actor Brian Blessed came in as Deuteronomy. With them were Gillian Lynne's old friend, the Royal Ballet's Ken Wells, together with the original Jesus and Judas of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, Paul Nicholas and Stephen Tate. Further down the cast list were also to be found the former child star Bonnie Langford and the former Pan's People dancer Sarah Brightman with whom, during the run, Andrew fell passionately in love and for whom he left his first wife, also named Sarah.Of all the possible rehearsal nightmares, the one that happened was the one nobody expected. Judi Dench fell during one of the early rehearsals, injuring herself badly. On further examination it turned out to be a torn Achilles tendon which sent her straight to hospital. Previews, usually restricted to twelve, were extended for four weeks to give her time to recover and Judi was eager to come back until the run-through, about ten days before the first preview at Her Majesty's Theater, where she slipped again.