While tickets for the eagerly anticipated Beijing performance of Cats are sure to be snapped up fast, anyone who has a winning way with words has a chance to get one for free!

Organisers of the shows at The Great Hall of the People are looking for a fitting translation into Chinese, Beijing-style, of one of the musicals most famous songs, Memory.

Not only will the best effort be awarded a free ticket for the show, it will also be used in the show on electronic subtitle boards.

The relevant passage is reproduced below. Entries should be emailed to the China Performing Arts Agency: wangyan@meetinbeijing.com

JELLYLORUM:

You see the border of her coat is torn and stained with sand.

SILLABUB:

And you see the corner of her eye twist like a crooked pin.

GRIZABELLA:

Silence, not a sound from the pavement

Has the moon lost her memory? She is smiling alone

In the lamplight the withered leaves collect at my feet And the wind begins to moan.

Every street lamp seems to beat a fatalistic warning

Someone mutters and the street lamp gutters And soon it will be morning

Memory, All alone in the moonlight I can smile at the old days I was beautiful then

I remember the time I knew what happiness was

Let the memory live again.