Cats (musical)

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Cats
MusicAndrew Lloyd Webber
LyricsT. S. Eliot
Trevor Nunn
BookAndrew Lloyd Webber
Trevor Nunn
Gillian Lynne
BasisOld Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot
Productions1980 Concert
1981 West End
1982 Broadway
1983 Budapest
1998 video version
2002 UK tour
2003 US tour
2005 Basel
2005 Russia
2007 Tokyo
2007 Budapest
2008 National Tour
2007-2008 South Korea
AwardsLaurence Olivier Award for Best Musical
Olivier Award for Choreography
Tony Award for Best Musical
Tony Award for Best Book
Tony Award for Best Original Score

Cats is an award-winning musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot. The show has been performed around the world in numerous productions and has been translated into more than 20 languages.[1] Cats has also been successfully made into a film recording (see Cats (film)).

Production history

Cats was first shown in London's West End, at the New London Theatre, on May 11 1981. It had a troubled beginning with Judi Dench cast in the role of Grizabella, which was subsequently taken over by Elaine Paige when Judi snapped a tendon during rehearsals prior to the London opening. The role was beefed up for Paige and 'Memory' (originally to be sung by Geraldine Gardner and cast in the role of the red cat Bombalurina) was given to Paige. It was originally produced onstage by Cameron Mackintosh and Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group. It was directed by Trevor Nunn, associate director and choreographer Gillian Lynne, designed by John Napier with lighting by David Hersey. It played a total of 8,949 performances in London. Its final performance in London's West End was on its 21st birthday, May 11, 2002, and broadcast on a large screen in Covent Garden to the delight of fans who could not acquire a ticket for the final performance. It held the record as London's longest running musical until October 8, 2006, when it was surpassed by Les Misérables.

The original 1981 London cast of Cats.

The show made its debut on Broadway on October 7 1982, at the Winter Garden Theatre with the same production team. On June 19 1997, Cats became the longest-running musical in Broadway history with 6,138 performances. It played a total of 7,485 performances in New York. Its New York record was surpassed on January 9 2006, by The Phantom of the Opera, which was also composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Cats' final performance on Broadway was on September 10 2000.

In 1998, Andrew Lloyd Webber produced a video version [2] of Cats, based upon the stage performance augmented for the medium of film, starring Elaine Paige, who originated the role of Grizabella in London; Ken Page, who originated Old Deuteronomy on Broadway; Sir John Mills as Gus; Michael Gruber as Munkustrap; John Partridge as The Rum Tum Tugger; and many other dancers and singers drawn largely from stage productions of the show. It was directed for film by David Mallet, with choreography and musical staging by the show's respected original creator Gillian Lynne in London's Adelphi Theatre, and was released on VHS and DVD, as well as broadcast on Television worldwide.

Detailed synopsis

Act One — When Cats are Maddened by the Midnight Dance

Cast of the filmed version of Cats.

After the overture, the cats gather on stage and explain the Jellicle tribe and their purpose (Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats). The cats then give details on how the different cats of the tribe are named (The Naming of Cats).

Munkustrap appears and introduces Jennyanydots (The Old Gumbie Cat). She "sits and sits and sits" all day, while at night she rules over the mice and cockroaches, teaching various activities to them. Jennyanydots finishes, greets the other cats, but is interrupted by the horney Patrick Sadler. The music instantly changes, and The Rum Tum Tugger makes an extravagant entrance (The Rum Tum Tugger). The Rum Tum Tugger is a tom with a wild mane and leopard spots on his chest. He is very fickle and unappeasable, "for he will do as he do do and there's no doing anything about it".

An old grey cat stumbles out and looks around. It is Grizabella. All the cats back away. The cats sing of her saddened, unfortunate state (Grizabella: The Glamour Cat). Grizabella leaves and the music becomes upbeat. Bustopher Jones, a fat cat in "a coat of fastidious black", appears (Bustopher Jones: The Cat About Town). Bustopher Jones is among the elite of the cats, and visits prestigious gentleman's clubs.

At the end of Bustopher Jones' song, we hear a crash from the evil cat Macavity, and the cats run off the stage in fright. Distant giggling signals the entrance of Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer, two black and orange calico cats. They are petty burglars, very mischievous, and enjoy causing trouble for human families (Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer).

Finally, the Jellicle patriarch, Old Deuteronomy, shows up (Old Deuteronomy). He is a large old cat that “has lived many lives” and “buried nine wives (And more--I am tempted to say, ninety-nine)”. He is the one who will choose which Jellicle cat will go to the Heaviside Layer.

In most productions, at this point, the cats perform a song (The Awefull Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles) for Old Deuteronomy. It is a story about two dog tribes clashing in the street and subsequently being scared away by the Great Rumpus Cat. After a few words from Old Deuteronomy on the destiny of Jellicle Cats and Pollicle Dogs, a second crash from Macavity sends the cats scurrying. But Old Deuteronomy calls them back and the main celebration begins (The Jellicle Ball), in which the cats sing, dance and display their "terpsichorean powers".

After the Ball, Grizabella reappears, refusing to be left out of the festivities. Once again, she is shunned by the other cats, but that does not stop her from singing a short version of Memory.

Act Two — Why Will the Summer Day Delay — When Will Time Flow Away?

After the Jellicle Ball, Old Deuteronomy sings of “what happiness is” (The Moments of Happiness). Gus — short for Asparagus — shuffles forward (Gus: The Theatre Cat). He is the cat that once was a famous actor but now he is old and “suffers from palsy which makes his paws shake”. He is accompanied by Jellylorum, who tells of his exploits. Gus then remembers how he once played the infamous Growltiger, Terror of the Thames (Growltiger's Last Stand). He tells the story about the pirate's romance with Griddlebone and how he was overtaken by the Siamese and forced to walk the plank. ('Growltiger's Last Stand' is not present in the film version, although a phantom of Firefrofiddle, only seen by the audience and Gus, is shown several times)

Skimbleshanks is sleeping in the corner (Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat), a cat who is unofficially in charge of the night train to Glasgow. He is very clever and very important because if he is gone “the train can’t start”.

With a third crash and an evil laugh, the "most wanted" cat, Macavity appears. He is a “master criminal” and never is found at the scene of the crime. He is a horrifying looking cat and a “villain” of the Jellicle Tribe. Macavity shows up and captures Old Deuteronomy. As the other cats try to follow him, Demeter and Bombalurina sing what they know about Macavity, as they have had some sort of past with him (Macavity: The Mystery Cat). When they are finished, Macavity returns disguised as Old Deuteronomy. When revealed by Demeter, he fights with Munkustrap.

The Rum Tum Tugger suggests that the cats find Mr. Mistoffelees (Magical Mr. Mistoffelees). Mr. Mistoffelees is black and small and can perform many feats of magic that no other cat can do. The magical cat succeeds in bringing back Old Deuteronomy. He is praised by all the cats. The Jellicle choice can now be made.

Old Deuteronomy sits down and Grizabella appears for the final time. Old Deuteronomy allows her to have a chance to address the cats. Her faded appearance and lonely disposition have little effect on her song (Memory). The appeal succeeds and she is chosen to be the one (Journey to the Heaviside Layer). A large tire (although it may be something else, i.e., a huge paw, a chair festooned with ivy, a literal 'stairway to heaven', etc.) rises up with Old Deuteronomy and Grizabella. Once at the top Grizabella finishes the journey herself. Old Deuteronomy gives his closing speech to the human audience (The Ad-dressing of Cats) and the show comes to a close.

Musical numbers

Characters

Principal characters

These are primary vocal leads who usually appear in most productions. These descriptions are based on more recent versions of the show as they appear in London and European tours. Costumes and characterizations vary by place and time of production.

  • Asparagus / Gus - The theatre cat. On stage the same actor usually plays Asparagus as a general chorus cat, and a younger version of Gus, up to the song "Gus the Theatre Cat," in which he portrays an older Gus, and Growltiger, then afterwards continues to play younger Gus, "Asparagus." In the filmed version, Gus and Asparagus are two separate characters.
  • Bombalurina - A saucy red female. She sings a duet with Demeter.
  • Bustopher Jones - A fat cat, a "twenty-five pounder." Dresses in a snappy tuxedo and spats. Respected by all, as the upper class "St James' Street Cat." In most productions, the actor playing Gus also plays Bustopher, though in early productions the part was handled by the actor playing Old Deuteronomy.[3]
  • Coricopat - Male twin to Tantomile. The conventional stage action suggests that Coricopat and Tantomile are psychic cats, they sense the presence of danger before it becomes apparent to the other characters.
  • Demeter - A very skittish female cat.
  • Grizabella - The former Glamour Cat who has lost her sparkle and now only wants to be accepted. Grizabella left the tribe when she was younger to see the world for herself. In doing so she faced the harshness of the outside world.
  • Griddlebone - A fluffy white Persian cat, and Growltiger's lover in "Growltiger's Last Stand," where she sings "The Ballad of Billy M'caw" or the mock Italian aria "In Una Tepida Notte" (depending on production) with Growltiger. Almost always played by the actress playing Jellylorum. Does not appear in productions which omit "Growltiger's Last Stand," such as the video production.
  • Growltiger - A theatrical character Gus recalls playing in his youth, and who appears in Gus' memory of the production of "Growltiger's Last Stand." In some productions he is portrayed as a vicious pirate; in others he's more of a parody of a pirate. Does not appear in productions which omit "Growltiger's Last Stand."
  • Jellylorum - A female who watches out for the kittens, along with Jennyanydots. She has a close relationship with Gus. Named after T. S. Eliot's own cat. The actress who plays Jellylorum usually also plays Griddlebone in "Growltiger's Last Stand."
  • Jemima - A kitten who is also a Rum Tum Tugger fan and friends with Electra, Etcetera, and Victoria. Can be sometimes used interchangeably with Sillabub, though Jemima is used in most international productions including the video — Sillabub was a name created for the American productions. However, the Japanese and Swedish casts include both Sillabub and Jemima as different characters.
  • Jennyanydots - The old Gumbie cat. She sits all day and rules the mice and cockroaches at night.
  • Macavity - He is the show's only real villain. The character is a literary allusion to the Sherlock Holmes character Professor Moriarty. Usually played by the same actor as Plato or Admetus.
  • Mr. Mistoffelees - A young tom with magical powers. His signature dance move is "The Conjuring Turn," which is approximately twenty-five spins on one foot.[citation needed] In UK and US productions, Mistoffelees has an alter-ego named Quaxo, who appears as a general chorus cat throughout the show, and is dressed slightly differently. In other productions Quaxo is a separate character.
  • Mungojerrie - Half of a pair of notorious cat-burglars, with Rumpleteazer. Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer are most commonly remembered for their unique dance number where at the end, they both latch onto each other and do a "double windmill" across the stage.
  • Munkustrap - The show's de facto narrator. A black and silver tom who is storyteller and protector of the Jellicle tribe. He is thought to be second in command after Old Deuteronomy.
  • Old Deuteronomy - The lovable patriarch of the Jellicle Tribe. He is very old and dignified. The leader of the Jellicle Tribe.
  • Rumpleteazer - Female half of a pair of notorious cat-burglars, with Mungojerrie.
  • The Rum Tum Tugger - The ladies' tom. His temperament ranges from clownish to serious, and often sexual depending on the production; however, he is always flirtatious, and usually portrayed as a feline equivalent of Mick Jagger or Elvis Presley, and recognisable by his wild mane.
  • Skimbleshanks - The railway cat. An active orange tabby cat, who lives on the trains and acts as an unofficial chaperone.
  • Tantomile - Female twin of Coricopat. The name was created by T.S. Eliot for a "Witch's Cat".[4]
  • Victoria - A pure white kitten gifted in dancing. The "official" Jellicle Ball begins with her solo dance.

Other characters

Chorus and dance roles. Many characters are production-specific versions of the same role. Often non-principal characters are omitted from smaller productions.

  • Admetus - A young cat, who in many productions, also doubles as Macavity. In the video, he doubles as the Rumpus Cat. Generally productions have either Admetus or Plato filling the same function.
  • Alonzo - A black and white tom in most productions; in the US and the early European productions, he is depicted as being a black and gold tabby. Sometimes considered the third in command after Munkustrap as he also fights Macavity.
  • Bill Bailey - Primarily from the London production, a young white, and brown male. Sometimes interchangeable with the character of Tumblebrutus.
  • Carbucketty - The name was one of T. S. Eliot's ideas for cat names for a "knockabout cat." Sometimes interchangeable with the character of Pouncival.
  • Cassandra - A brown and cream Abyssinian queen, with a braided tail. Unique and somewhat mysterious.
  • Electra - A tabby kitten who seems to be friends with Etcetera as well as a fan of Rum Tum Tugger.
  • Etcetera - A happy, energetic kitten who is a big Rum Tum Tugger fan. She is generally a pale tabby pattern.
  • Exotica - A female character who first appeared in the filmed version, and was a role initially created specially for Femi Taylor. The character also appears in the South African and World Tour.
  • George - A young patchy male kitten. Only appeared in the London production.
  • Ghengis or Gilbert - The leader of the crew of Siamese cats who lead to Growltiger's demise. Usually played by the actor who portrays Mungojerrie, Tumblebrutus, or Coricopat. In Japan Gilbert is a separate character.
  • Plato - Teenage male cat; the actor usually doubles as Macavity. He does a pas de deux with Victoria during the Jellicle Ball.
  • Pouncival - A playful tom kitten, generally interchangeable with Carbucketty.
  • Rumpus Cat - A spiky-haired cat with glowing red eyes, as mentioned in "The Awefull Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles," seen as a sort of superhero figure among the Jellicles. Does not appear in productions which omit the song "The Awefull Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles." Usually played by Alonzo or Admetus. In some productions the actor is launched through the floor stage via a "star trap".
  • Sillabub, the Broadway version of Jemima, although the Japanese and Swedish productions include both.
  • Tumblebrutus - Young brown and white male kitten. His UK counterpart is considered to be Bill Bailey.
  • Victor - Primarily a character from the London production, a young grey male.

Notable Casts

International productions

City Theatre Premiere Grizabella Old Deuteronomy Munkustrap Others
United Kingdom West End New London Theatre May 11, 1981 Elaine Paige Brian Blessed Jeff Shankley Sarah Brightman, Geraldine Gardner aka Trudi Van Doorne, Stephen Tate, Susan Jane Tanner,

Wayne Sleep, Femi Taylor

United States Broadway The Winter Garden Theatre October 7, 1982 Betty Buckley Ken Page Harry Groener Terrence Mann, Bryan Batt
Hungary Budapest Madách Theatre March 25, 1983 Ilona Bencze, Viktória Bajza Balázs Póka
Austria Vienna Theater an der Wien September 24, 1983 Angelika Milster Gordon Bovinet Steve Barton Pia Douwes, Ute Lemper, John Yost
Japan Tokyo CATS Theater November 11, 1983 Akiko Kuno Takanori Yamamoto
Australia Sydney Theatre Royale 1985 Debra Byrne John Woods
Canada Toronto Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres March 14, 1985 Kathy Michael McGlynn David Walden
Germany Hamburg Operettenhaus April 18, 1986 Andrea Bögel Walter Reynolds Fred Butter, Karin Ploog, Charlotta Thorell, Stephan Drakulich, Hartwig Rudolz, Steven Kadel, Janette Froud
Mexico Mexico City Teatro Silvia Pinal April 19, 1991 María del Sol Enrique del Olmo Manuel Landeta Susana Zabaleta, Olivia Bucio, Javier Díaz Dueñas, Maru Dueñas, Jeannette Clemenceau, Humberto Manlio, Guillermo Tellez, Ariel Lopez Padilla
Netherlands Amsterdam Koninklijk Theater Carré November 27, 1992 Ellen Evers Brian Galliford Fred Butter, Martin Michel, Suzanne Heyne, Wilma Hoornstra
Argentina Buenos Aires Teatro Lola Membrives June 1, 1993 Olivia Bucio Alfredo Alessandro Gustavo Wons, Patricia Clark, Martín O'Connor, Robertino Loras, Miguel Angel Elías, María Rojí, Sandy Brandauer, Cristina Girona, Darío Petruzio, Anahí Allué
Spain Madrid Teatro Coliseum December 17, 2003 Helen de Quiroga Pedro Ruy Blas Jack Rebaldi Enrique Sequero, Víctor Ullate Roche, Edu, Raquel Grijalba, Guadalupe Lancho, Sandra Rausell
Poland Warsaw Teatr Muzyczny ROMA January 10, 2004 Izabela Zając, Daria Druzgała, Joanna Węgrzynowska Zbigniew Macias, Robert Dymowski, Andrzej Kostrzewski Grzegorz Staniek, Natalia Wojciechowska, Ewa Lachowicz, Ewa Wlazłowska, Paweł Strymiński, Łukasz Zagrobelny, Paulina |Andrzejewska, |Wojciech Paszkowski, Michał Piróg
Czech Republic Prague Divadlo Milenium November 5, 2004 Yvetta Blanarovičová, Dita Hořínková, ZUZA Zdeněk Plech, Dalibor Tolaš, Pavel Vančura Laco Hudec Kateřina Nováková, Linda Stránská, Filip Gröger, Gabriela Jemelíková, Kateřina Šildová, Daniela Šinkorová, Roman Říčař, Josef Zíma, Zuzana Kolářová, Martina Ošlejšková, Lucie Žďárská, Zdeněk Bubák, Hynek Svrček, Kateřina Hovorková, Martin Pešek, Ilya Lobukhin, Lenka Vágnerová
Russia Moscow MDM (Moskovsky Dvorets Molodezhy) March 18, 2005 Elena Charkviani[1], Nadezhda Solovyova Oleg Fed'kushov Marat Abdrakhimov, Pavel Kotov, Igor Balalayev, Alexey Bobrov, Andrey Bogdanov, Alexandr Babenko, Maxim Ushakov, Ivan Ozhogin, Oxana Kostetskaya, Anna Bagmet, Anna Guchenkova, Viktoria Kanatkina, Maria Shorstova
Netherlands Dutch national tour Various theatres October 8, 2006 Anita Meijer, Pia Douwes, Vera Mann, Antje Monteiro, Lone van Roosendaal Marco Bakker, Jan Polak Anouk van Nes, Marleen van der Loo, Suzanne Heijne, Roberto de Groot, Mark van Beelen, Marjolein Teepen, Paul Donkers
Australia Sydney Sydney Street Theatre August 17, 2007 Angel Dormer Justin Geange Wade Colbran-Thomas, Alex Feifers, Jo Heath, David Knijnenburg, Conrad Lange, Callum Mansfield, Jared Mifsud, Amanda Richardson, Danika Saal, Danae Stewart, Sharon Stoodley, Justin Truloff
Australia Hobart Derwent Entertainment Centre October 17, 2007 Debra Byrne Alan Bacon Michelle Howell, Nicole Simms, Craig Wellington, Scott Farrow, Craig Irons, Christopher Waterhouse, Michael Lampard, Andrew Casey
2007 Asia Tour Various Theatres Taiwan, Thailand January, 2007 Francesca Arena Martin Croft
South Korea
2007
S. Korea Tour 		Daegu Opera House

National Theater of Korea

Gwangju Culture & Art Center

Daejeon Culture & Arts Center

May 31, 2007 Francesca Arena Han Lim Shaun Rennie, Ranjeet Starr Rohan Browne, Renee Burleigh, Madeline Cain, Alinta Chidzey, James Cooper, Alyse Jai Davies, Mischana Dellora Cornish,
Emma Delmenico, Nicholas Eaton, Tony Farrell, Markham Gannon,
Brian Gillespie, Cara Hamilton, Lelda Kapsis, Emily Keane, Sam Marks, Laura McCulloch, Liam McIlwain, Stephen Morgante,
John O'Hara, Monique Chanel Pitsikas,
Justine Puy, Adrian Ricks, Gareth Hewitt Williams, Stephen Tannos, Brenton Wilson
2007 China Tour Various Theatres Macau, Guangzhou, Beijing,Wuhan,Chengdu,Dongguan,Shenzhen December 24, 2007 Francesca Arena Han Lim Belinda Allchin, Rohan Browne, Renee Burleigh, Madeline Cain, James Cooper, Anthony Costanzo, Alyse Jai Davies, Mischana Dellora-Cornish, Emma Delmenico, Nicholas Eaton, Tony Farrell, Markham Gannon, Brian Gillespie, Siobhan Ginty, Emily Keane, Sam Marks, Laura McCulloch, Stephen Morgante, Monique Chanel Pitsikas, Justine Puy, Michael Ralph, Shaun Rennie, Adrian Ricks, Ranjeet Starr, Stephen Tannos, Brenton Wilson, Sharyn Winney
Israel
2007 Israel 		Beit Zvi Ramat Gan September, 2007 Hila Zitun Noam Talmon Shahar Yishai, Daniel Efrat, Or Ilan, Yulia Igelnik, Niso Shalev, Ohad Yehudai, Shahar Perez, Elinor Flaxman, Roni Merhavi, Nir Shiber
Finland Lahti Lahden Kaupunginteatteri October 17, 2007 Sinikka Sokka Matti Siitonen Tuukka Leppänen Laura Huhtamaa, Mikko Jurkka, Tero Porali, Vesa Repo, Lumikki Kouki, Mirja Räty, Anna Vihanto, Toni Wahlström
Canada Quebec City Salle Albert-Rousseau April 23, 2008 Marilou Ferland Daigle Louis-David Faucher Yannick Vezina Justine Bilodeau, Sarah Morin, Laurie Morin, Audrey Dion, Anthony Julien, Estelle Houle-Drapeau, Sabrina Boivin, Raphaël Désilets, Marie-Ève Thomassin, Sophie Gaudreault, Marie-Pier Bouret, Camille Leblanc, Heidi Grunenwald, Marie-Alexandra Matte, Enya Berthiaume, Laurie Drolet, Rachel Laperrière, Isabelle Tardif, Pierre-Marc Paré, Laurence Bélanger, Anne-Julie Langevin, Martine Chamberland, Laurie Poirier, Audrey Goulet, Valérie Goulet-Marceau, Jessica Goulet, Stéphanie Gingras, Dominique Gobeil, Andréanne Gauvin, Antoine Lachance, Laurence Gathier-Brown, Sophie Boutin, Véronique Thibault, Camille Proulx-Cormier, Sandy Carmichael, Valérie Potvin, Émilie Fortin-Gaumond, Sandy Morneau-Bourque, Maude Châteauvert, Erika Côté, Sarah-Danielle Arsenault, Mélissa Lafond, Marie-Claire Peirolo, Laura Cordiano, Catherine Pineault, Joël-Frédéric Sanfaçon-Lavoie, SJE Harmonie 2008
Australia Launceston Princess Theatre 15th August,2008 Ebony Best Angus Gibb Bart Welch Ammon Bennett, Eliot Gee, Thomas Richard, Saige Daminikaze, Lindsey Scott, Kyle Gass, Toby Dado, Jesse Higgs, Dan King Tom Flano. Morgen Myer, Kate Lewis, Katie Marshall, Ruth Chapman, Kendyl Pointing, Sophie Coulson, Anna Gangell, Allison Snare. Shannon Current, Jamie-lee, Roy ash carey, Trista Zammit, Kate Lewis, Katie Marshall, Ruth Chapman, Sophie Coulson, Anna Gangell, Emily Lovegrove, Anna Booth, Dani Button,, Dani Zodiack

Awards

Olivier Awards

Tony Awards

Revisions to the show

Andrew Lloyd Webber revised the Growltiger's Last Stand sequence for the Broadway production of Cats, incorporating a pastiche of Italian aria (reminiscent of Giacomo Puccini's Madama Butterfly) in place of the original "Ballad of Billy McCaw". This new version was subsequently incorporated into most productions of Cats worldwide (A notable exception was the Hungarian production at the Madách Színház in Budapest which opened in 1983 and is still running in repertory as of early 2008 celebrating its 25th anniversary on March 25, 2008, as the longest running musical in Hungarian theatre history. Production in Helsinki and Prague also used the original version.) The Ballad remained in the London production until some time in the early 1990s when it was replaced with the Italian aria pastiche. It was re-instated for the UK Tours, following the show's closure in London. Lloyd Webber has said that he is pleased with the reinstatement of The Ballad of Billy McCaw as he didn't care for the "Italian aria" version[5].

The song "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer" has had three different versions in the past. In the original London production, Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer sang their song in 12/8 time to a jazzy accompaniment. Andrew Lloyd Webber later re-wrote the melody for the Broadway production, in which the character, Mr. Mistoffelees, (also called Quaxo), would sing about Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer in the third person. The tempo remained upbeat (now in 2/4 time) and the mood of the song was similar to the original version. Lloyd Webber's new melody was used for all subsequent productions of Cats, although the song was eventually returned to its protagonists to sing (making the Broadway and London productions identical).

In recent times a lyric in 'Growltiger's Last Stand' was changed in order to remove any racially insensitive language. "With a frightful burst of fireworks the Chinks they swarmed aboard!" became "with a frightful burst of fireworks, the Siamese swarmed aboard!", although the lyric "Heathen Chinese" remains in the tale of the Pekes and the Pollicles.

References

  1. ^ "Cats homepage". Really Useful Website. Retrieved 2008-04-23.
  2. ^ "Cats (filmed version) at Internet Movie Database". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 2008-04-23.
  3. ^ a b "Original London Cast List". Really Useful Group site. Retrieved 2008-08-23.
  4. ^ "A Brief History of the Poems". source: Cats playbill. Retrieved 2008-08-23.
  5. ^ "Cats UK Tour". Cats UK Tour. Retrieved 2008-04-23.

External links

Wikiquote has quotations related to Cats (musical).


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