#cats italy

[dealilcats]

Italian Mungo and Rumple have some of my favourite lines in both shows. Long post ahead.

The 2009 rancia production added variation to the "then the family would say" line.

First it's "la famiglia chiederà: qual è stato dei due?",

"the family'll ask, which one was it?"

Then it's "la famiglia griderà: quale gatto sarà?"

"the family'll yell out: which cat could it be?" ("Which was which cat" line)

I love that this family gets progressively more exasperated.

At the very start, they enter singing "Acrobati, clown, più svelti di Fregoli, fantasisti del Gran Varietà"

"Acrobats, clowns, swifter than Fregoli, comedians of the best Variety*"

Fregoli was a quick change comedian. Similar to the Sistina Dante line, they changed it from explicit to implicit meaning.

*Gran Varietà was a comedy radio show, which would better translate to Great Variety, but I put "best" in so the translation would flow better.

"Mangojerry e Zampalesta, ma che coppia quei due! Non sbagliano un colpo! / E a volte diresti, che fatalità!"

"Mungojerry and Rumpleteazer, what a couple they are! They make no mistakes! And some of the time you would say, what a tragedy!"

What a tragedy, indeed. I love that subtle change.

"o erano in due, quei combinaguai?"

"Or were they together, those two troublemakers?"

I have a whole rant about this, but this post is long enough. Just know that yes, they're saying troublemakers, but it has the same vibe as "whippersnappers".

Sistina stays more faithful to the poem, and translates "ognuno poi dirà, son quei gatti misa!"

"then everyone'll say, I think it was those cats!"

The reason it stands out to me is that it uses "misa". It means more or less "I think", I guess it's similar to the way Shakespeare used methinks (based on google which says it means "it seems to me").

And more!

"A noi stare in giro ci piace un bel po'!"

"Us, we do rather like roaming about"

Other people have explained this better than I ever could, and this is a post about cats, not grammar, so I'll just simplify it: "a noi ci" is a heavily used phrase that is technically grammatically incorrect, and I absolutely adore that they put it in.

"siamo proprio bravi!"

"we're so good"

Need I say more? Additionally, this is the line they sing when Rumple finds the 50 euro bill.

"non siamo fissi ma un po' precari"

"we have no regular occupation - we are somewhat precarious"

What makes this line is the delivery. Ragozzino says it with such irreverence that it sounds like he's telling a joke (as if saying "we're cats, what did you expect?" Skimble would beg to differ, but I digress)

"Sui ricchi vassoi, la grazia di Dio!"

"on those gorgeous platters, the blessings of God!"

(the lines about dinner) "La grazia di Dio" is an expression that is used, again, mostly informally, as an exclamation. One might say "c'era pure la grazia di Dio" to say there was great abundance, even more than necessary. It can imply a certain disdain, criticizing greed, though not always.

This isn't even all I have to say about these songs. Somebody help me.

[the-cat-at-the-theatre-door]

[lightingelectratwo]

Blue=siblings, red=spouse ,purple =offspring, green=adopted

[graphicgleeshop]

https://society6.com/art/rhapsody-in-fur

A woman sits with her vibrant and graceful cat, capturing a timeless moment of companionship and interaction.

[catchymemes]

[wandering-italy]

Little cat donut.

Ostuni, Italy

March 2024

[thelailasblog]

[catsofyore]

Cat meeting in Italy. 1956. Source.

[mahgnolias]

panigattidelgolfo

[dealilcats]

The Rancia Misto Post - AKA Mr.Mistofeles the necromancer cat

Hello :) Rancia Mistofeles has been plaguing my brain for the past two weeks, so here's a few gifs, a drawing, and an explanation of why it caught my attention. Tap read more to see everything!

Art, based on a pic from the website:

Scroll all the way down for the gifs.

Introduction:

First off, I'd like you to know that everyone is absolutely ecstatic when Tugger starts singing about Misto. They cheer, waving their arms and tails around, even before Misto enters. The actor plays him as an adult cat, who knows his worth and his skill. You'd never want him as your enemy - he's powerful, and confident, he's a little cheeky too - he takes his sweet time showing off and hanging out in the audience, and there's this moment before he climbs on stage where he looks back and forth between it and the spectators, as if weighing whether he's made the cats wait enough yet.

He has two main tricks: smoke out of his hand, and making Deuteronomy appear with a flourish in between the cats, both of which he executes without effort. Oh, and he's a necromancer...

Tugger is proud but unphased, he's seen it all before - this is just another Tuesday to him. They don't interact much, but Tugger clearly knows him like the back of his hand. Munkustrap, despite having been beaten into the ground by Macavity a few minutes prior, actively dances with Misto and hypes him up. Pouncival looks like he's about to lose his mind. To say they love him would be an understatement.

Lyrics

The beginning is about the same. But already in the second half of the first verse, there's a notable difference:

Indovina le carte che hai, È il terrore di tutti i croupier Ci sa fare coi dadi e ti può rovinare se si mette a giocare con te

He can guess your cards He's every croupier's worst nightmare He's skilled with dice and he will ruin you if he decides to play against you

Meet Mr Mistofeles, an active threat to every casino's fortune and to whoever has the misfortune of playing against him. The fact that this isn't connected to him being a telepath or clairvoyant makes it sound like he actually enjoys playing and learned the regular way.

I'd like to put emphasis on the expression "si mette", which means "to decide, to do something with genuine effort". Here, it functions as a warning: you'd better not challenge him, he doesn't go down easy - he's unrelenting! Once he starts, he carries through all the way - he will take everything you have. (It's almost like Tugger is speaking from experience...)

Beh! È timido e sta sulle sue, puoi pensare che sia riservato

Oh well! He's quiet and aloof, you'd think him quite shy

As far as this song goes, this is the most faithful bit. The reason I'm mentioning it is the initial "beh", which shows up in the boot but not in the cd recording. "Beh" can mean a variety of things, based on context and intonation.

This is right after Misto makes smoke burst out of (a prop) his hand. Everyone is amazed, but Tugger just says the equivalent of "oh, well! Anyways," because this is normal to him, and there is so, so much more that Misto can do.

And oh, is there more. Third verse, second half:

Riesce a leggere nei tuoi pensieri E comunica con l'aldilà Tra i suoi magici arcani poteri C'è anche il dono dell'ubiquità

He can read your thoughts, And communicate with the dead Amongst his many arcane powers There's also the gift of ubiquity

This is where things really take a turn. It seems that the authors have decided to take away the benefit of the doubt. It's not hearsay, it's not him being sneaky, it's not the humans being befuddled - he's got actual powers. Arcane powers, at that. He can talk to the dead. He is, for lack of a better term, a necromancer.

It's fair to mention that the first verse still talks about his more traditional tricks - the lace, his amazing balance, and his tendency to steal cutlery. Therefore, one could assume that this is all exaggeration, the way the poems are originally meant - Tugger is showing Misto off, and maybe he gets a little carried away.

I have a few things to say to that.

This is the only song to deviate so blatantly from the source material. Even Macavity doesn't get that - you'd think, if they took such liberties with Misto, Macavity would be the next best candidate to do the same, right?

No. His song, like most every other, is a near perfect translation of the original.

The sensible answer is that the authors were trying to hype Mistofeles up as much as possible - a few card tricks and a dubious teleporting prowess must not have been cool enough for them. But then why pick necromancy, or "arcane powers", of all things, when he's supposed to be an illusionist who uses his skills to hide knives and sleep in two places at once? On top of that, it seems like a pretty big piece of info to just drop and never use or mention again.

My theory is that this is rooted in the interpretation that has Macavity killing Old Deuteronomy. While Macavity doesn't appear again wearing Deuteronomy's pelt, his fight with Munkustrap is violent and involved enough to assume he wouldn't hold back with an older cat. But would you look at that, Mistofeles, the necromancer cat, can bring him back!

How convenient!

I have to appreciate how "he speaks with the other side" is just tossed in there after saying he's a telepath. Those things aren't really consequential or similar at all, and Tugger could've led with that to begin with, but I guess cats have different priorities.

Gifs - (Flashing warning for the very last one.)

1: Misto magics something and hands it out to an audience member. It's a business card, supposedly.

2: Watch the center. Munk and Pounce grab Misto to help him backflip. Tugger does not help (I don't think) but he's right beside them, maybe for spotting.

3: Misto is the one moving around on stage, Tugger is on top of the trash pile at the center. Munkustrap is crouched to the left of it, having a chat with Alonzo - but then Misto holds his arm out and Munk springs to action. Misto jumps Munk's back - behind them, cut off by the gif, Tugger bends at the waist, participating in the hype (or just thought it was funny)

4: Misto saying hi to Vicky (you can tell it's her because of the ribbon around her neck.) This is the moment he appears on camera, and the first thing he does is run to grab her hands. He looks back to the audience, and she nods - he then proceeds to hang out down there for a minute more.

5: the "have they waited enough yet?" gif. Misto, down in the audience, looks back and forth, shrugs as if he's just remembered that they're waiting for him, and then looks back again halfway up the stairs like "I should probably go"

6: everyone gathers to see misto do his trick. Misto is on top of the trash pile at the right, Tugger is the lonely black figure standing in the middle. He jerks his arm right on cue as the smoke comes out. He's seen this a hundred times (and it speaks volumes how he was annoyed with Gus for the same reason but isn't with Misto)

[the-cat-at-the-theatre-door]

Fabrizio Angelini and Natalia Scarpolini

[renonv]

A while ago I had major autism moment and made a whole short nekotalia comic… in which baby Sebkitty goes out w Romacat and gets lost, and then Romacat and Itabby (after beating his brother’s ass for loosing his kid) go out to find him…

Sebkitty is thankfully found by Clawtonio who will help the little guy find his way home

[tejennnn]

Couldn't stop thinking about Nekotalias every time I see silly kitty memes ;;;

Originals under cut!

((Casually drawing more Nekotalia redraws so I don't look really ded :')))

[robertocastigliaphotography]

Uno scorcio di Castelvecchio Calvisio . Abruzzo , Italy .

[wandering-italy]

Guardian of Siracusa.

Syracuse, Sicily

Feb. 2024

[thelailasblog]