CATS

Download a free hit counter here.

Years ago, when I was a small child, I was rifling though a bookcase of works collected by my parents, when I happened upon something truly marvelous...

The small book was not impressive to behold. A tiny and tattered little black paperback, about 3 inches by 6 inches in dimension, and a mere 1/4 inch thick. The cover of the book proudly proclaimed in bold, bright letters: Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T.S. Elliot. This particular book was published in 1967, though it's contents were originally copyrighted in 1939.

Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats is a collection of poems about...well, cats. The poems are humorous and entertaining, and Elliot shows a deep understanding of the ways of the feline race in his verse. He is clearly a "cat person"....my kind of guy. Following are two selections that serve to exemplify his understanding of the joys of knowing a cat.

The Rum Tum Tugger
"...The Rum Tum Tugger is a terrible bore:
When you let him in, then he wants to be out;
He's always on the wrong side of every door,
And as soon as he's at home, then he'd like to get about.
He likes to lie in the bureau drawer,
But he makes such a fuss if he can't get out.
Yes the Rum Tum Tugger is a Curious Cat-
And it isn't any use for you to doubt it:
For he will do
As he do do
And there's no doing anything about it! ..."

Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer
"...If the area window was found ajar

And the basement looked like a field of war,

If a tile or two cane loose on the roof,

Which presently ceased to be waterproof,

If the drawers were pulled out from the bedroom chests,

And you couldn't find one of your winter vests,

Or after supper one of the girls

Suddenly missed her Woolworth pearls:

Then the family would say: 'It's that horrible cat!

It was Mungojerrie -- or Rumpelteazer!'

And most of the time they left it at that...."

That little book became a favorite of mine, I still have it to this day, and I still pick it up and read a few verses now and again.

It was several years after my discovery of this book that I became aware that there was a Broadway musical named CATS. I didn't think much of it, until at some point I ran across the information that the production was actually based off of Old Possum's Book. And of course, after that discovery, I just had to see it! Finally, many many years later, I was given the long awaited opportunity. CATS was coming to town!

Andrew Lloyd Webber adapted T.S. Elliot's works into the stage musical. It premiered in London's West End theatre in 1981, and then on Broadway in '82. It ran for 21 years in London, and for 18 years in Broadway, winning both a Tony, and a Laurence Olivier Award.

The production is comprised mostly of poem's out of Old Possum's Book set to music, with the exception of Grizzabella's song Memory, which was based on Elliot's Rhapsody on A Windy Night, and the song performed by Old Duteronomy, The Moments of Happiness, was taken from another of Elliot's works, Four Quartets.

CATS is one of the world's longest running, and most successful musicals. It is still performed to this day, and has opened in 26 countries, and has been translated into 20 different languages.

My mother bought a pair of tickets to see CATS at the Phillups Center For The Performing Arts at the University of Florida in Gainesville as a Christmas gift.

I can't describe how excited I was to finally see it, and I was not disappointed. It was a wonderful production.

One of the things I found most interesting is how Webber adapted the poems from The Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats for the stage. There is no plot or storyline in the book; it is simply a book of poems, in no particular order. However, Webber ingeniously, and without compromising the integrity of Elliot's poetry, turned the book of poems into a marvelous story.

The setting for CATS is a junkyard, where the feline characters gather for an annual meeting called The Jellicle Ball (The Jellicle Ball). Munkastrap explains about how cats are named (The Naming of Cats) and that the highlight of the event is when the Jellicle leader, Old Deuteronomy, chooses which cat will ascend to The Heavyside Layer, and be born again into a new life.

The Jellicle Ball begins with a dance by Victoria, after which Munkastrap introduces Jennyanydots ( The Old Gumbie Cat). When she finishes, the flamboyant Rum Tum Tugger makes his entrance and tells us about himself (The Rum Tum Tugger).

An old, disheveled grey cat enters the stage. She walks furtively, glancing around her. The other cats hiss, and scatter before her. Some curious individuals approach her tentatively, and she gently reaches out to them. But they pull away, or are dragged away by others. One strikes out at her. The cats gossip about her story (Grizzabella: The Glamour Cat).

After Grizzabella exits, Bustopher Jones makes his appearance. Jones is a fat, black and white tom. He is an upper class gentleman (Bustopher Jones: The Cat About Town), and has come to the Ball for only a brief visit.

Suddenly there is a huge crash, and all the cats scatter. Some yell "Macavity!" as they run to hide. All is quiet...and then whispers are heard. Two cats sneak onto the scene and tell their tales of sneak thievery, cat burglary, and general light hearted mischief (Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer).

The other cats come out of hiding, and announce that their leader, (Old Deuteronomy) has arrived. There is another crash, and the cats again scatter in fear of Macavity, but Dueteronomy calls them back, and and the ball continues with all the cats dancing, showing off their "Terpsichorean powers", and performing a battle reenactment (The Pekes and The Pollicles) to entertain Dueteronomy.

Grizzabella again attempts to include herself in the festivities, but she is again shunned by the others. She sings Memory in her sadness. (This is a particularly touching scene, a bit of a tear jerker).

As Grizzabella again leaves the ball, Jellylorum helps an ancient Gus to the center floor, and together they tell his story of his life as a stage performer in his younger years (Gus: The Theatre Cat). Gus gets worked up in his storytelling, and the the scene changes to show us when Gus played Growltiger (Growltiger's Last Stand) in a theatrical production.

Next we see a cat asleep on some boxes. He awakens to tell us how he is in charge of the night train to Glasgow, and how the train couldn't leave the station without him (Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat).

Yet another crash, and an evil laugh coincide with the entrance of the villain, Macavity (Macavity: The Mystery Cat). Macavity and two cohorts kidnap Old Dueteronomy, and carry him away. Munkustrap attempts to give chase, while Bombalurina and Demeter tell us about the villain. Old Dueteronomy comes back on stage, but Demeter reveals that it is actually Macavity in disguise. A fight ensues between Macavity, Munkustrap, and Alonzo. The cats rise up, and drive Macavity out, but his cohorts have gotten away with the real Old Dueteronomy.

As the cats worry about how to get their leader back, Rum Tum Tugger suggests that they ask the magical Mr. Mistoffelees (Mr. Mistoffelees), and tells of his magical feats. Mr. Mistoffelees succeeds in magically bringing Old Deuteronomy back to the Ball, and is praised by everyone in attendance.

It is near dawn, and time for the Jellicle Choice to be made. Grizzabella appears again, and Dueteronomy allows her a chance to address the cats. Her age and infirmity make it impossible to dance, and give her difficulty in making her musical appeal. Exhausted, she collapses to the stage, and appears to be dying.

The other cats, now moved by her appeal, go to her. They comfort her, and choose her to be the one to go to The Heavyside Layer. As she ascends, the cats rejoice.

After Grizzabella's ascension, Old Dueteronomy turns to the audience in the final scene, and tells us how to properly address a cat (The Ad-dressing of Cats).

This truly was a wonderful production. The music and story range from tear-jerking, to comic, and the dancing is vibrant. I thoroughly enjoyed this, and will go back to see it again whenever it comes back to town. I highly recommend it to any one that enjoys the theatre, poetry, or cats.

Note: The italicised words in parenthesis that appear in the plot descriptions are the actual names of the poems from which the scenes were adapted.