Eliot's whimsical 1939 poetry collection Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. It features an ensemble of cats gathering for the Jellicle Ball, where one is chosen for rebirth, with episodic songs showcasing cat personalities like the shunned Grizabella, villain Macavity, and elder Old Deuteronomy. There are no progressive ideological elements embedded in the storytelling, casting, or themes—no race/gender-swapping, identity politics, DEI mandates, critiques of traditional norms, or systemic oppression narratives.

The cast includes organic diversity with performers like black actors Ken Page (Old Deuteronomy, reprising Broadway role) and Femi Taylor (Exotica), drawn from international stage productions, but this feels incidental and true to the musical's global history without clashing or driving the narrative. Themes of community, redemption (Grizabella's arc via 'Memory'), and renewal are universal and timeless, not tied to contemporary social justice activism. Creators had no stated activist intent; Webber aimed for light-hearted family entertainment from Eliot's playful poems.

Reception was positive as a high-quality stage capture, with no controversies, backlash, or 'woke' labels historically or in modern discourse specific to this version. This production exemplifies pure, apolitical musical theater focused on spectacle, dance, and song, delightfully free from ideological intrusions.