#munkustrap x demeter

[gentlemewn]

A TikTok I made last night

That I'd be funny with this audio of the different Munkustrap ships I've known (of uh- *ahem* read 👁👄👁)

Alonzo is the guilty one btw

He knows it 😏

[dididems]

if you have the time/energy please bless us with some demestrap art🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

I felt blessed while drawing this 😇

[lightingelectra]

I think I mit be the only one who ships this but coribom, bompat?

and some demestrap. sorry for the lighting.

[per-the-jellicle-magician]

If you have more thoughts about Warsaw Misto and Jellicle Demeter (or just more about your mafia AU in general) I would love to hear it, that sounds so chaotic

I do have some! Namely, the general timeline of their relationship and how it fits in the general plot

Initially this ship started cuz I wanted to somehow introduce Demeter into the story, and I figured out this would make a pretty solid bit that would work nicely with the main plot. The plot being a secret will they-won't they relationship drama between Warsaw Misto (Feliks) and Jellicle Munk who come from 2 mafia families that have a bit shaky but long-lasting truce, with a sprinkle of Macavity causing chaos. They do get together after some back and forth, but ultimately the relationship implodes, with only a few people knowing it ever was a thing, and Feliks moves to New York to get away from it all.

After some time there, he meets Demeter, freshly broke and after a messy break-up with her fiancé. They meet online and strike a deal, as she needs money and he wants to look like he's dating someone to avoid questions about his love life. Plus, he just wants someone not from his circle to spend time with and also they both can indirectly get back at their exes by showing how they supposedly moved on and are doing great.

Pretty quickly into their fake dating they actually become good friends because they genuinely like spending time together, and besides bonding over their recent bad breakups they have quite a few shared interests, the main one being their shared love for dancing. Plus, Demeter has a chance to try herself in some more or less legal business dealings, and she discovers she may be into it. They meet each other's friends and families and with this Feliks gets a little taste of a normal life, while she gets a few opportunities for a new life and career. And a few months into their "relationship" they kinda indirectly kickstart actual relationships for each other.

They get invited to tuggoffelees wedding back in UK thanks to Feliks being Misto's cousin, where Demeter meets Munk and Bomba. While they're talking in a bigger group Munk jokes Feliks is lucky to date Deme and that if he wasn't he himself would ask her out. To which Deme jokes back referencing one of the things Munk and Feliks broke up over, implying she knows what happened. This leads to Munk having a few drinks for courage and confronting Feliks later at the party, which a few weeks and one party later results in them giving their relationship another chance.

At the same time Demeter gets introduced to Bomba, and they have themselves a bit of a summer romance that turns into an actual, at first long distance relationship. It happens while Deme and Feliks still pretend date each other for a few months longer, and help each other a bit with figuring out the relationships before ultimately officially breaking up, after about a year/year and a bit of fake dating. They do continue their friendship tho and Feliks gets to be godfather of one of her kids

So yeah, this started as just as temporary, kinda fake side ship, but I actually enjoyed playing with it and got attached XD Plus I think they have a fun dynamic, two smart, bit petty people going together through a bit of a life reset, supporting each other, discovering things and having quite a bit of fun along the way. And also starting the relationship to pretend to be all good and happy with life and ultimately actually getting there with the other's help

[themagicalgaycat]

Y'all--

Give me all of your rare pairs! I don't care how weird they would be! (No MungoTeazer though, in my eyes they're twins.)

Also I am still not familiar with what's considered a 'rare pair' in the Cats fandom, I am trying my best to understand lol!

_________________________________________

My rare pair(s) is/are probably:

Bombateazer (Bombalurina x Rumpleteazer)

Victeazer (Victoria x Rumpleteazer)

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

New pairs I've learned:

Mukustoria (Munkustrap x Victoria)

Demeteazer (Demeter x Rumpleteazer)

Munkoffelees (Munkustrap x Mistoffolees)

Munkustrap x Mungojerrie

Plato x mungojerrie

Alonzo x Mungojerrie

Coricopat x Mungojerrie

Mistoffolees x Mungojerrie

[ratherchaseamouse]

Sharing my opinions on various Rum Tum Tugger ships because I have them

Tugger x Bomba: the OGs. Icons. Bi4Bi t4t annoying4annoying together4ever. Love them forever and ever. This too is yuri

Tugger x Misto: LOVE to see it! Don’t like how Some People want them to fit into the most basic boring prepackaged Netflix rom com gay “relationship dynamic”. They’re little freaks. Oh also this too is yuri

Tugger x Alonzo: I just find it kinda boring? Seems like ppl just took two of the “conventionally attractive” (in air quotes bc. They are ppl in cat makeup and spandex) male characters and put them together. No chemistry IMO

Tugger x Plato: I didn’t care for it at first but now I can see the merit (esp in the 1998 movie) . I’m a huge platoria sucker though so I like interpreting it as Plato and Victoria bonding over a massive crush on Tugger (a hc that I’ve heard from others too)

Tugger x Victoria: see above

Tugger x Demeter: I think it has interesting possibilities, story-wise, but they just don’t seem compatible at all. Anxiety personified x king of disasters seems bound to break.

Tugger x Munkustrap: I tend to see them as brothers, but sometimes I see art or smth that I enjoy. IIRC a handful of actors have played into this headcanon or referenced it. Lots of humor potential

Tugger x Grizabella: I don’t hate it but like, I don’t like to ship Grizabella with anyone bc that’s not what her story is about. That being said Tugger would 100% have a may/december romance

Tugger x Skimbleshanks: speaking of may/december, idk where I saw this but it was drawn as a crack ship by someone? And I actually love it I think the idea of these two together is hilarious but also kinda sweet :)

Tugger x Jennyanydots: similar to skimbleshanks in concept, but onstage I always feel like they have more of a familial relationship. Ik in the revival choreo Jenny has that fainting moment so I can see where it comes from

Tugger x Mungojerrie or Rumpleteazer: meh I guess I can see it but like there are so many better options?

Tugger x Etcetera: nope nope nope nope absolutely no.

I’m done bc I cannot think of any others that I’ve seen

[pinksilvace]

Fern guides their mutuals and followers through Cats 1998 as if we're all sitting on the same couch watching it and I'm shouting out stuff (2/?)

MASTERPOST

Character Wiki Pages

This time around, we're getting to some of the character songs!!! Jennyanydots and RTT ahead:

5: The Old Gumbie Cat

Okay, first off, I'm obsessed with the staging here... literally every kitten and kitten-adjacent character is paying attention (Plato and Bill Bailey are in the back upper-left of this shot) and then you've just got. Alonzo and Cassandra. Two characters that famously do not care about some other members of the cast. Why is this so funny

These faces also get me every time... the perfect image of bewilderment and regret

Anyway, this is another example of the kitten characters literally being lower than the others. Coricopat and Tantomile's ages and how they're presented tend to vary wildly from production to production (they kind of do their own thing), but aside from them, I think the only adult cats on the ground are the aforementioned Alonzo (who's there because of Munkustrap), Cassandra (who's there because of Alonzo), and Asparagus, though the camera notably never focuses on any of them. Everybody else is either standing or elevated à la Bombalurina, Demeter, Skimbleshanks, and Jellylorum.

One of my absolute favorite things about Munkustrap across productions is how he moves. He and Skimbleshanks come to mind as the cats with the most distinct affects (aside from examples like Tugger, who has clearly manufactured his mannerisms to an extent). I'm not sure what to call the aesthetic of this motion, but I'm obsessed with it.

And, gosh, Michael Gruber's voice is heavenly.

Skimble's cute little gesturing at her!!! Even when I was little, I was under the impression that these cats would get along. I don't know if it was because of the character acting, the fact they're both ginger tabbies, their similar ways of directing folks around, or what, but I've never seen a version of Skimble and Jenny that I didn't think would get along. It's no wonder they're so commonly shipped.

These are all (female) kitten characters playing the role of the mice, which brings us to one of the biggest questions anybody who gives this show too much thought will ask: what is the Jellicle Ball? Obviously, there's a number named that later on, but is it just a dance number, or is it the entire show?

I tend to see and agree with the interpretation that the Ball takes place over the course of the whole show, as Jellicle cats of every kind are invited and encouraged to attend. If not, then I think it would be a bit surprising to see so many cats with collars - and, we can infer, owners - showing up this early, even if the goal is to be there before Old Deuteronomy.

In that case, we reach the question related to this segment: what does this look like from the cats' side of things? I'd always thought of it as the classic "when there's too much [x] for words, you sing" principle of musical theater, wherein songs are used for emphasis and the things that happen during songs are either not literal or heavily exaggerated, but I know some folks also think of each number in Cats as a rehearsed piece, which is canonically the case for one of them.

Realistically - as much as any of this can be considered realistic - I imagine it as a combination of the two. Jenny and Skimble's numbers might very well be rehearsed. Tugger's probably isn't.

The fact that the mice are all portrayed by female kittens, which is a relatively specific demographic of the characters, makes me think (story-wise, not practicality-wise) they were specifically chosen for the roles of the mice.

The way Skimble copies Jenny's movements here reminds me HEAVILY of how Tugger copies Mistoffelees' movements during his number at the end of the show... alright alright I'm getting on board with this one

A few things with this bit:

1 - Pouncival is reprimanded #1

2 - I love that '98 used actors generally representative of the characters' ages. A lot of casts - post-revival US casts specifically come to mind - tend to have Jennys and Jellys that seem exponentially younger than the ones portrayed here, and with a title like "The Old Gumbie Cat," there's an expectation that Jenny, at least, should have a sense of age about her. This isn't a dig at other casts or anything - those actors still do a phenomenal job - I just really like this presentation.

3 - I've posted about this in short spurts before, but this song/poem might just be my favorite to analyze. I wrote my first-ever college essay about Jennyanydots. Part of what makes me love it so much is how much meaningful exposition it gives, but it's also one of the more prominent examples of Eliot's bigotry seeping into his poetry, and an example of how the staging of Cats actually reduces it.

I'm far from the first to point any of this out and I am far from an expert, but let's dig into some lyrics:

She is deeply concerned with the ways of the mice— Their behaviour's not good and their manners not nice; So when she has got them lined up on the matting, She teaches them music, crocheting and tatting.

To address the behavioral issues of the mice, Jenny introduces hobbies to them - namely, music, crocheting, and tatting (another sort of fiber art relating to lace creation). An argument can be made over the practical labor of crocheting and tatting, but music is often associated with leisure - time away from work, or time spent performing for the leisure of other people.

Depending on how one looks at this, this passage could point in two directions. These skills could have been used to familiarize the mice with work commonly associated with being dainty and ladylike, with the hope the mice would become much the same. They could have also been introduced as a way for the mice to perform highly detail-oriented work for somebody of higher standing: Jenny herself. Either way, this passage rings with a mildly classist tone.

As she finds that the mice will not ever keep quiet, She is sure it is due to irregular diet; And believing that nothing is done without trying, She sets right to work with her baking and frying.

This one is a bit more straightforward. The wording "irregular diet" implies, to me, that access to food (and/or "good" food) is the problem here, i.e. lack of access to food prevents the mice from holding a sense of propriety about them. While these lyrics do not make a judgement about that, they do potentially make an association between food insecurity and unruliness, which, again, rings with classism.

She thinks that the cockroaches just need employment To prevent them from idle and wanton destroyment. So she's formed, from that lot of disorderly louts, A troop of well-disciplined helpful boy-scouts, With a purpose in life and a good deed to do— And she's even created a Beetles' Tattoo.

The first two lines from this verse are extraordinarily direct; I don't think I have to explain how the idea of "going to work and getting a job will prevent unruly tendencies" is rooted in bigotry. What makes this bit even more specific is the last line about the Beetles' Tattoo. For those unfamiliar, I'm fairly certain this is the kind of tattoo this line references:

So, not only does the Jennyanydots of the poem seek out employment opportunities for the cockroaches; she does so with what can be interpreted as militaristic intent, thinking it will give them "a purpose in life."

I don't really feel like going into how all of this connects to ideas irl, but you get the gist. So, how does Cats make all of this better?

It plays everything completely straight.

No, seriously.

The troubling bits of Eliot's original poetry come through, in large part, the use of metaphor; in Cats, the cats are actually cats, the mice are actually mice, and the cockroaches are actually cockroaches. All of these characters are literally different species at different spots on the food chain, but that's not the best part.

The best part is that the mice are portrayed by the female kittens and the cockroaches are represented, principally, by the male kittens. Rather than mice or cockroaches, this performance can be used to represent how Jennyanydots corrects the behavior of unruly little girls and unruly little boys. Combined with other lines from the poems and alternate productions, such as those about her cooking for the mice, she becomes much more of a maternal figure.

What about the Beetles' tattoo?

That's the name of the tap number. That's all.

Yes, many of these implications remain in the lyrics, but it just goes to show how important careful staging is and what a difference it can make. Isn't it just so cool?

First-time viewers may be thrown off by the cuts in this number. The original VHS release couldn't handle a very long runtime, so this is the compromise :(.

I've always loved this little lean Cassandra does.

Pouncival is reprimanded #2

6: The Rum Tum Tugger

YOU NEED TO KNOW THAT THIS MAN IS JOHN PARTRIDGE. YOU NEED TO SEE HOW GREAT HE IS. I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT HE PERFORMED IN CATS FROM 1989 TO 2005. AT AGE 18 HE EARNED THE ROLE OF ALONZO, THE DANCE CAPTAIN, IN THE ORIGINAL UK TOUR.

I've never seen another Tugger move quite like him.

I'm pretty sure Pouncival is the one doing the backflip here

AGAIN. I LOVE THAT THIS JENNY HAS SOME AGE TO HER. I LIKE THAT SHE WALKS HUNCHED. I LIKE THAT MUNKUSTRAP IS HELPING HER UP.

For fic reasons, I've previously had to keep track of Pouncival during this song, and if I have to know that he disappears between these shots, so do you.

Also, I'm not adding images for it because I'm running out, but the amount of wingmanning Plato does in this number is unreal.

This is the part where, were I actually sitting on a couch with my non-Cats mutuals watching this, I would look over at all of your faces to see your reactions to somebody treating the Rum Tum Tugger like this. Usually, nobody cares :(

^^^This is my second-favorite bit of choreography in the number. The idea of Tugger intentionally tripping up Pouncival and Tumblebrutus just to mess with them is really funny to me. He's literally playing around with the kids. Why do I never see anybody talk about this

^ This is my favorite bit of choreography in this number because nobody I show this to, whether they enjoy the experience or not, ever forgets it.

They

And the little sequence of looks they do...

Welcome to my favorite character detail in this number. "Is it-" yeah it's alonzo catsthemusical. We're talking about him again. My friends are tired of hearing me point this out every single time but I LOVEEEE that the characters rubbed the wrong way by Tugger are the older cats, who are sitting at the back of the stage, Munkustrap, who is standing in the back because Tugger is his cringe middle schooler brother, and Alonzo, who is as far away from and above the front of the stage as possible without physically falling off the set.

I love when Tugger hates him back. I love when Tugger doesn't acknowledge him whatsoever because he doesn't think about him whatsoever. Bonus points for monochromatic siblings enjoyers, since Alonzo here then gets to take on the perspective of "my bestie's cringe middle schooler brother is dating my middle schooler brother and it sucks." There's no losing here.

These two are literally me. Ignore the crotch. Sometimes I think about getting a cat and then I remember "I'll leap on your lap in the middle of your sewing" and I'm like haha yeah no... no can do sir...

THE THOUGHTFULNESS THIS SHOT GIVES TUGGER!!! I know he'd normally be going through the audience but the fact the director said "hey what if Demeter is having a Moment and this curious cat snaps her out of it" is mwah. Chef's kiss

yeah.

Literally, how did I ever watch this number without paying attention to Pouncival

I no longer have picture privileges but there's also a little detail near the end here where Tumblebrutus nudges Skimble and Asparagus to make sure they're paying attention. These two kittens <3 <3 <3

[toki-toro]

if your still doing ship asks, Skimble x asparagus and uhmm demeter x munkustrap :D

SORRY I forgot about this ask until just now ahhdrbvd

The old guys first ! :)

Btw when I say ‘Asparagus’ I’m specifically referring to the ensemble kitty. Not Gus the theatre cat, don’t get it twisted lol.

I don’t read fanfiction very often, but when I do it’s typically fluff involving these doofuses. I BELIEVE the user that writes the most about them is @ the-cat-at-the-theatre-door. And anything that author writes I will eat up for breakfast, luncheon and dinner. It’s so good.

Personally for me, I see Asparagus being in kind of a polyamory love triangle thing involving Skimble and Jennyany (and Bomba too but whatever this isn’t about her). Asparagus doesn’t have any strong relations with Jenny, but has always been very close to Skimble. Stuck together like flex glue or whatever that brand is called idk. The two will always be head over heels for one another no matter how long they’re separated for when Skrimble is on his train duties.

The two old guys share some moments that are equivalent of an old married couple that are still very much in love after all these years and hardships. And grgrgah. I love that. I love them. I need to come up with and write down more hcs about them. Mayybe they are the funnest to ramble on about imo ❤️

Demeter and Munk! I haven’t really obsessed over Demeter ever, so I don’t think about these two very often ;(

But they are genuinely cute.. I like how Munk has the natural urge to protect anyone and everyone in the tribe, and Demeter is completely smitten by it. Hey I would be too if I was in her cat shoes.

[junkyard-gifs]

Demeter does some sensual (and blurry) Enticing while most of the cats are in the audience after Mistoffelees brings Deuteronomy back. Munkustrap can't wait to get his paws all over her.

(Meanwhile Tugger: Just another day in the Junkyard, oh look, Misto can do flippies!)

Olga Belyayeva as Demeter, Ivan Ozhogin as Munkustrap, Alexey Bobrov as Tugger, and Alexander Babenko as Mistoffelees; Moscow 2005 (X).

[lightingelectratwo]

Most of my Canon x Canon cats ships!

Bombaulurina x coricopat (Bompat)

Demeter x Munkustrap (demstrap)

Mr Mistoffelees x Rum Tum Tugger (tuggrstofelees)

Exotica x Tantomile (Exoticmile)

Electra x Etcetera (Electracetra)

Victoria x Rumpltezaer (vicltezaer)

Cassandra x Alonzo (casslonzo)

Jennyanydots x Jellylorum (jellydots)

Mungojerrie x Plato (Platojerrie)

Tabby girl x skimbleshanks (Tabbyshanks)

[afairytalestray]

Day 16 of Cats-pril, @storyweaverofgondor‘s April baby! Today’s prompt is rehearsal, and I tried my hand at writing a chat fic! Also on Ao3 here.

..

HarvestGoddess: Since my darling Munkustrap refuses to interact with the digital world, this is a formal request from the friend group mum for everyone to turn up to Pekes and Pols rehearsal tonight please. If Munk loses any more fur from the stress he’ll be a sphinx cat! x

Rumpled_cheese: im gonna be there now i really wanna see that sedhfwiuh

QueenVic: me and Plato will be present and accounted for! @MagicalMisto, are you needing a lift? x

etc.: BALD MUNK BALD MUNK BALD MUNK

Lettie: …I’ll make sure Etcetera comes, Dem

HarvestGoddess: thanks Lettie!

MagicalMisto: thnx Vic, Tugger has his bike so he’ll bring us. @HarvestGoddess I can confirm that Tugger will be there, regardless of whichever way he is currently contributing to Munk’s hair loss

QueenVic: np!

HarvestGoddess: Thank you Misto! I can tell you that Tug is currently convincing Munk that he’s signed up for a Japanese ikebana class under the guise of impressing you, and that Munk can’t possibly expect him to miss it. Of course, this class runs on the exact same times and dates as Pekes & Pols rehearsals x

MagicalMisto: of course it would lmao

MangoJelly: what is an iceban class

MangoJelly: wait nvm Cori knows thats hilarious

lonz: you lot are mean

lonz: I’ll be there, @HarvestGoddess, and I’ll try and talk Cass into it as well

etc.: it’s called being funny lonzy, LOOK IT UP

Georgeofthejunkyard: pick me! :D :D :D 

HarvestGoddess: @MangoJelly, will you be at rehearsal? Also, is it safe to assume that @C-oracle-pat is with you, and that his poor phone is dead or abandoned somewhere? x

Tantomile: It is always a safe assumption that wherever my brother is, Mungojerrie will be nearby. Coricopat has left his phone on the coffee table, as per. I’ll plug it in and bring it to rehearsal tonight.

Rumpled_cheese: Tantomile - hero of the people!

MangoJelly: oshit sorry Demeter yeah ill be there! 

MangoJelly: OWIEUFOI yeah Corks is with me the now, he says hell be there too, and thanks Tanto!

QueenVic: … :o

MagicalMisto: oooooooooohhhh

Tantomile: What.

HarvestGoddess: no murders until after the show please and thank you!

Lettie: RIP Jerrie

MangoJelly: nOoOOOOOOO

MangoJelly: it was a quote TANTOMILE I prommy!

MangoJelly: Cori said: “oh, thank you, Tanto”

MangoJelly: I wouldnt dream of giving you a nickname id never do anything that might make you revoke your blessing!!!!!!

Tantomile: See that you do not, Mungojerrie.

Cassss: 6 at the Egyptian, yes?

Cassss: I’ll be there for you, Dem, and NOT because Alonzo is badgering me

HarvestGoddess: That’s right! Love ya, Cass! x

QueenVic: lol get rekt Lonz

lonz: :’( 

MagicalMisto: I would advise everyone to bring earplugs, Tugger has decided to treat you all to a bagpipe solo

etc.: yeeeessssssssss i love the bagpipes!!!!

Rumpled_cheese: lol it was nice knowing ya @RumTugTummer Munk is gonna kill u

RumTugTummer: RUDE Cats today just don’t appreciate classical pibroch

lonz: I can confirm this to be true.

RumTugTummer: aweoiufaAMNWIUFC see y’all later bye

lonz: @MagicalMisto please do something about this

MagicalMisto: nah it’ll be funny

Lettie: YES MISTO

lonz: why hast thou forsaken me, brother?

etc.: YES MISTOOOOOO!

RumTugTummer: YES BABE

HarvestGoddess: I don’t care what you bring as long as you all show up!

MagicalMisto: o7

RumTugTummer: o7

Rumpled_cheese: o7

Lettie: o7

etc.: o7

MangoJelly: o7

[musicalmystery]

My Ships(even if I don’t ship it I will write/draw it as long as it’s under my conditions which is in my fandoms post):

Super Mario Bros Movie:

Peach x Mario

Bowsette x Luigi

Luisa x Bowser

Alice in Wonderland (2010)

Alice Keingsleigh x Tarrant Heightopp

Wednesday:

Wednesday x Tyler

Ajax x Enid

Be More Chill:

Jeremey x Christine

Michael x Jenna

Dear Evan Hansen:

Evan x Zoe

Jared x Alana

Cats (stage):

Plato x Victoria

Pouncival x Rumpleteazer

Pouncival x Jemima

Pouncival x Etcetera

Munkustrap x Demeter

Bombalurina x Rum Tum Tugger

Mistoffelees x Jemima

Mistoffelees x Cassandra

Old Deuteronomy x Grizabella

Demeter x Macavity

Cats (movie):

Munkustrap x Victoria

Mistoffelees x Victoria

Munkustrap x Jennyanydots

Bombalurina x Macavity

Old Deuteronomy x Gus

Cassandra x Mistoffelees

Cassandra x Rum Tum Tugger

Demeter x Tugger

Heathers:

J.D. x Veronica

Heartless:

Jest x Catherine

Raven x Mary Ann

Mean Girls:

Caddy x Aaron

Wizard of Oz:

Dorothy x Scarecrow/Hunk

Where the Crawdads Sing:

Kya x Tate

[jellicle-shifters-au]

Cats characters as horses (1/?)

bombalurina: blood bay thoroughbred x draft cross

alonzo: vanner

munkustrap: gray brindle lusitano

demeter: dunskin quarter horse

cassandra: seal bay akhal teke

jerrie and teazer: buckskin paint

macavity: chestnut mustang

victoria: white thoroughbred

[conjuringturns]

rosemarie ford as bombalurina, michael gruber as munkustrap, and aeva may as demeter behind the scenes of cats (1998) (x)

[etcetra-etcetra]

I posted 33 times in 2022

That's 4 more posts than 2021!

4 posts created (12%)

29 posts reblogged (88%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@the-metaphorical-jellicle-cat

@munku-collar

@statisticalcats

@junkyard-gifs

@oggysonart

I tagged 33 of my posts in 2022

#cats 1998 - 26 posts

#cats the musical - 25 posts

#demeter - 11 posts

#munkustrap - 9 posts

#demestrap - 5 posts

#bombalurina - 4 posts

#skimbleshanks - 4 posts

#jemima - 4 posts

#the rum tum tugger - 3 posts

#munkustrap x demeter - 3 posts

Longest Tag: 47 characters

#the only number that *maybe* got an improvement

My Top Posts in 2022:

#4

I watched CATS 1998 today for the first time in a while, and Heavyside Layer has been stuck in my head ever since 2:30

1 note - Posted December 3, 2022

#3

Old Duet is boring, but The Moments of Happiness is coma inducing

2 notes - Posted December 3, 2022

#2

They’re so dedicated to their roles 😍😍😍😍😍

2 notes - Posted December 3, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Old Deuteronomy is a boring number, but Tugger and Munk have beautiful harmonies

10 notes - Posted December 3, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[absolutehumandisaster]

Cats propaganda! (Please read, I’ve had to rewrite this two times because it didn’t save, I’ve spent too much time on this for you not to read it, please)

I love this show! It means a lot to me, and is probably the media that has impacted my life the most through it’s incredible community

One contradictory thing I love about Cats is both the plot and lack there of. “What? Cats has plot?” I hear you ask and yes, it does! Though it’s vague on some details, the core of the show is rather simple

A group of cats called the Jellicles are having a ball to choose who gets a new life. Grizabella, an outcast who is shunned by the Jellicles, comes along and tries to connect with the Jellicles but is chased away. In the end, she sings out her pain and sorrow in an incredibly beautiful song, and the Jellicles choose her to get a new life.

There are also two side plots: 1. Victoria the White Cat is coming of age through dance. Near the beginning she dances a slow and expressive solo and during the Jellcile Ball she dances a pas de deux. In the end, she is the first to welcome Grizabella after she sings Memory. 2. Macavity the Mystery Cat, a dangerous criminal, is constantly disrupting the show and putting Demeter, who has a history with him, on edge. Near the end he kidnaps Old Deuteronomy, the Jellicle Leader, and tries to kidnap Demeter too but is fought off. Mr. Mistoffelees, the original Conjuring Cat, brings Old Deuteronomy back through his magic.

But there are quite a few questions left unanswered, like what is Grizabella’s history with the Jellicles? Did she wrong them in some way or is their disdain completely unfounded? What is Demeter’s history with Macavity, and how does Bombalurina fit into it? Was Macavity’s motive to kidnap Old Deuteronomy all along, or was it a ploy to get to Demeter? Who knows! There’s enough of a base in the show to follow a story, but so much wiggle room that you can create your whole own interpretation! There’s also the famous question of “are the Jellicles a cult and is everyone singing “auditioning” to be the Jellicle Choice?” While the 2019 movie might have gone somewhere in that direction, most fans don’t subscribe to that interpretation. The stage show also has a more simple explanation: in the first song it’s established that there’s a human watching the cats, and they’re so appalled by the fact that he’s never heard of a Jellicle cat that they’re introducing him to the different members!

Speaking of the members, there are so many interesting characters that don’t get songs too! I’ve already mentioned Demeter, a skittish yet determined cat who faces her fear to try to protect the Jellicles, and Bombalurina, her confident and bombastic companion who supports Demeter despite their apparently differing opinions on Grizabella. There’s also Munkustrap, who narrates basically the entire show and, depending on production, sometimes puts on a play about dogs that goes horribly wrong! There’s also Victoria who I mentioned earlier, and Jemima who is integral to Grizabella’s story by being one of the first to show sympathy and understanding for her. (Side note, there are a lot of female characters in Cats who are all unique and interesting, a vote for Cats is a vote for feminism lol) There are also a bunch of background characters with fun names like Tumblebrutus, Etcetera and Asparagus

Another thing I love is what goes on in the background, because while everyone of course have instructions on where they’re supposed to be on stage, when someone isn’t singing or dancing they’re free to interact with the cats around them! If two performers are good friends they can work that into the show without disrupting it! If two performers want to make their OTP canon, they can! For example, Tuggoffelees (the Rum Tum Tugger x Mr. Mistoffelees), the most popular ship in the fandom, has been canon in several productions! It makes it so that there’s always new fun details to notice in the background, and if a specific production doesn’t line up with your headcanons, there’s probably one that does!

Then there’s also the costumes and choreography that really gives the appearance of felinity. I know watching humans pretend to be cats isn’t everyone’s thing, but Gillian Lynne’s choreography creates cat-like movements while still making it impressive and beautiful, and the costumes just look awesome. And just like with the background interactions, there’s a lot of variety. Maybe you prefer the more scruffy and creepy look of the original Broadway designs, or the bold and unique designs of Shiki. Or maybe your favorite is the more muted and soft look of the lastest international tour

It might be weird to talk about the music of a musical so late in the propaganda, but the music is just amazing. The Rum Tum Tugger and Skimbleshanks are high energy numbers that make it clear what a close and loving community the Jellicles are. The old Gumbie Cat and Bustopher Jones are fun filled introductions to respected members of the community. Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer is a wondeful and hilarious representation of how mischievous cats can be. Gus the Theatre Cat and Memory pull at your heart stings through reminiscence. And that’s not even mentioning how the Overture and the Jellicle Ball transport you into a different world where magic is real, cats have terpsichorean powers and they really do have nine lives.

I love this show so much, and it hurts to see how much hate it gets from people who haven’t even watched it. I know it’s not everyone’s thing, but please at least give it a chance, the entire 1998 film is uploaded in parts on youtube!