#theimpossiblescheme

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

Skimblegus Family Time--Tumble takes after Asparagus more and more the older he gets, but Teazer takes after Skimble a lot more than people give her credit for. They're both these very bright, clever, and relentlessly cheerful cats who try to put a brave face on things and hide when they're not at their best. But when they crash, they crash hard; it became a bittersweet source of reconnection after she was free of Macavity, especially since Teazer didn't realize her dad ever had bad days. She can basically only stand to be around her dads, Tumble, and Mungojerrie on particularly awful days, and Skimble's learned more from Asparagus about how not to just pack those emotions away to worry about later. Plus, you know she's feeling better when she and Tumble can start picking at each other again.

I love it so much, and I love this little family <3

[pegasusdrawnchariots]

Saving @theimpossiblescheme's amazing tags for posterity!

It IS very much inherently voyeuristic, realising only at the end that you've been standing, living, before an audience of hundreds, as you say! Yet another way for an actor to play it

And you're so right abt the split between Cyrano, some guy & ✨️Iconic Figure of Legend, Swashbuckling Cyrano de Bergerac✨️! Although Cyrano cannot know it, the only reason the 2nd version exists for us nowadays is because the play allowed us to see him exist as the 1st version also, & to grow to love him through/because of that too...

Poetic cinema: when Cyrano starts hallucinating (?) in Act V & eventually faces the front of the stage & says...

"Qu'est-ce que c'est tous ceux-là ?—Vous êtes mille ?" "Who are you all? Are there a thousand of you?"

...at the audience. Staring out at the crowd as if seeing them for the first time.

On the one hand, it's always good for a nervous laugh for the audience to break up a bona fide four-hanky finale.

But on the other, in the midst of Cyrano's dazed ramblings — the chant of the Gascony cadets, Copernicus this, Molière that — blindly addressing a "vous" that no-one else can see — speaking to the Grim Reaper as if there, tangible & visible before him — in the midst of all this, this line is a piercing moment of clarity between us & him. We've been getting a very good look at him for quite a while. We see him, naturally. But now, for the first time in 3 hours, he sees us.

(& on a third hand, bring out another hanky for when this line is addressed to a packed theatre. Cyrano, who's convinced that everyone finds him repulsive, sees that a thousand people have paid & stayed to see his story. Doubly poignant that Edmond Rostand wrote this thinking that Cyrano de Bergerac the play would be a flop ;-;)

Praise upon praise to productions who cause Cyrano to stare out into the auditorium at this line & sweep his gaze over the audience members 🤍 In a witty play full of subtle asides, a play that starts in a theatre (!!), this is the only 4th-wall break we have, & even then it can be played off as solely within the storyworld if the director wishes. Cyrano has a fatal head wound. Of course he can't see us, this is just part of his hallucinations.

In either case, the next line pointed at the audience is also good for a fond chuckle for our favourite bataillard, whose self-professed pleasure is to make new enemies:

"Ah ! je vous reconnais, tous mes vieux ennemis !" "Ah, I recognise you all, my old enemies!"

It segues us gently back into his delusions as he starts slashing at phantoms.

But there was a moment of doubt before! Was that really a delusion? A theatre character with one foot in the grave (or one foot on the other side of the curtain, so to speak) starts losing his mind & catches a brief glimpse of the audience. Of course, as the monologue continues, it's revealed exactly who/what Cyrano is addressing & he is safely enclosed back in the storyworld. But that shimmering moment, that stunned "who are all these people?" compels me 💗

[dying-suffering-french-stalkers]

hello one billion new followers i gained while i was sick????

[incorrectcyranoquotes]

Christian: …Don’t do that.

Cyrano: Do what?

Christian: The look. You’re doing the look again.

Cyrano: Well I can’t see it, can I? (glances across from him at a mirror) It’s my face.

Christian: Yes, and it’s doing a thing. You’re doing a “we both really know what’s going on here” face.

Cyrano: But we do!

Christian: No, I don’t! Which is why I find the face so annoying!

[longagoitwastuesday]

I think Kline's Cyrano was often too funny in emotionally charged scenes, yes, but I adored how he was particularly vicious, rurthless and violent at times when crossed. The mix of being fun yet terrible worked so well. The way Cyrano says, smiling, the "Even if you possessed the words and wit / I'd never let you get away with it" line encompassed that perfectly.

[pegasusdrawnchariots]

I'm just happy to be here! :L And I would love to see that Venn diagram should u ever create it...

Hellooo :) I was gonna write a cheeky apology for the Cyrano de Bergerac likespam but then I properly noticed yr Don Quixote icon & username!! & Lupin III in yr featured tags!!!! I am shaking u firmly by the hand in congratulations on yr excellent taste & wonderful blog, which is now sovereign mistress (gn) of my captive heart! 😁💝 Have a sublime day & thanks for assisting in padding my queue 🎭🤍

Oh, my gosh, how kind of you! Somehow those three characters ended up in the Venn diagram of Types(TM) that are utterly irresistible to me, and I'm always so glad to find people who love these magnificent bastards as much as I do. Thank you so much for this lovely message--I hope you like what you find here!

[commander-spaceboy]

My secret santa gift for @theimpossiblescheme! thank you @bees-in-a-davidbowie-shirt for hosting again this year!!

[lightingelectratwo]

Olivia the swing cat! :)

Yes @theimpossiblescheme

[flame-x]

Attention Cats fandom!

I am thinking of running a cats event of some sort! I have a few ideas, but I want to know what people would be interested in! I’d have to know I’d have decent participation to consider running it so if you're interested, please vote!

I have four ideas:

1. A week dedicated to swing characters (not the actors themselves). I know @theimpossiblescheme broached this as a possibility for their event ages ago but since that didnt happen it’s something I’d like to do (i got permission to use the idea). It’d be either a different selection of swings for each day (or maybe just one, though I don’t think I’d do that) or a different theme-thing for each day, like day one could be “draw/write/just preach about ur fav swing!” and day two could be something else etc. Of course, it go a totally different way altogether, as I said I’m open to suggestions.

2. Favourite character week! -Day one: who’s ur favourite(s) and why? -day two: familial hcs -day 3: fave actor! -day four: general hcs I’ve yet to come up with more ideas for the other days

3. Kitten appreciation week -day 1: victoria -day 2: jemima/sillabub -day 3: pouncival/carbucketty -day 4: cettie and lettie -day 5: tumblebrutus/bill bailey -day 6: mungo and teazer -day 7: kitten swing/oc

4. This would be a fairly big one, an AUs event. Essentially I’d have a few aus (human, supernatural, angel/demon etc) and assign everyone who was interested to a different one! then there'd be a date where everyone shared what they had

AND! No worries, being an artist/writer wouldn’t be required to get involved! Hcs and just nattering on about why you like a cat are awesome too, or just sharing your favourite pics! For all of these events, anything would be accepted! Art, writing, hc posts, gifs, photos, edits, walls of text etc! I'd also love to run polls for some of the events too if I can!

If you have any suggstions whatsoever, please let me know!

[misconceivedcapricorn]

Made a bunch of Pollicle/Dogs designs based on this post by @theimpossiblescheme and took the characters from Old Toffer's Book of Consequential Dogs by Christopher Reid!

I'm not quite done with all of them yet, some of them might need another design revamp (Molly, Lepold, Rosie) and others still need designs! I'll come back to this post when I have the poems compiled somewhere for people to read + finished them all

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

Gosh, now you got me wondering--what was Tugger's relationship with Gus like, do you think?

Munkustrap was drawn to Gus because he offered an alternative outlet to the more rigid and quiet disposition he was used to - a more creative one, and one that gave him the ability to be someone else for a while, should he so choose. His relationship with Gus is based partially off of his ability to provide him with the escapism he craved, and partially his wanting to do what he did in return (also Munk just likes old people, listening to their wisdom and absorbing their teachings and being a helper; that's the way he is).

I feel like Tugger's relationship with Gus was based less so on "this is who I want to be and preserve" and more on "this is partially who I *am* already, and wow it's validating that there are other cats like me" - cats who, while serious and scolding and party poopers to their own extent (Gus has chewed him out a multitude of times), also just...prance around in the spotlight and crave attention and like showing off and can create these realities for people that makes them forget about things for a while and they do that for a *living*, isn’t that something? Tugger is a performer and a bit of a ham - of course he was drawn to the theatricality of the entirety of Gus' career, and fascinated that he got to *keep that up* instead of give it up (because I feel like...Deuteronomy may have been more like that once, or wanted to be more like that once, but eventually he had to step up....just like someone else. Gus never really stopped that.). He's also opinionated and stubborn and struggles with getting older and shirking from his responsibilities - just like Gus was and continues to be. It’s that kind of relationship between two people who are very similar and bond over that, but also there are points where that reflection is just a *touch* too strong and maybe that can cause friction from time to time. Not necessarily a relationship based on unfaltering respect and admiration, but one based in familial familiarity. This cat has been in my life for as long as I remember and this cat is very *very* similar to me. 

I feel like while Munk was up front being the one listening wide eyed and hanging off every word Gus would say and copying what he would do and be eager for his attention and approval, Tugger was also doing the exact same thing, but acting like he wasn't. As a kitten, he'd be whining how he didn't *want* to sit still and listen to another story, and wander off or muck around while the others were listening, but he also had very curated opinions about which ones of Gus' characters and plays were the best ones, and which ones weren't (which heavily contested with Munkustrap's and they would sometimes squabble over that). He would also be caught later in his play with his friends making references to those very tales that he would only know if he paid close attention, wouldn't he?

As an adult, it's the same thing: he pays very *very* close attention to Gus when he chances around, but acts flippant and casual about it, listening intently from the outskirts with his paws hooked in his belt, rolling his eyes, but then mouths the exact dialogue under his breath, and gets swept up, and startles when Gus would spook them all. Tugger would rib on Gus and, when he was still sharper, Gus would rib on him right back. Like with Deuteronomy, Tugger is very gentle with him even when he's goofing around. He's loud and boisterous and mouthy, tossing his head and bounding over, but then will curl down to just beneath Gus' height and mutter hello, ask him how he is, call him an old man(affectionate). A surefire sign that Tugger *does* love him is that he is *quiet* when he is talking, and values his opinion about as much as he’s able to value another’s opinion of himself - if Gus looks him up and down and hmphs and Tugger gets a sense that something’s wrong, he *will* think about it for the rest of the day (except no he totally won’t).

It's also...Tugger sort of understands Gus in a way that some other cats don't, due to that similarity I mentioned earlier. He remembers this larger than life personality that’s just barely a wisp now and he struggles to come to terms with the fact that it’s the same cat. When Gus looks back at their pitying faces and watery smiles, Tugger immediately looks away even though he was also staring sadly after him, allowing him his dignity. Knowing that if he were in his position, he wouldn't want that. That’s sort of his way of telling him that he respects his felinity and independence and thinks of him as an *individual* rather than a problem, and will gladly contribute to the upholding of it - he’d want him to do the same for him (and he *did* from time to time when he was a kitten).

I feel like when the two of them were informed that Gus was in the early stages of heading towards the long nap, Tugger was just as upset as Munk was, he just...hid it better? Because he’s used to coping with his abandonment issues under the surface of flippancy and casualty. He’ll be upset about another cat that was actually a constant in his life leaving him in private. I feel like he was also one of the cats who was very *side eye* at the fact that he got snubbed for the Choice (man would obviously never question his father’s decision in that - though yes maybe he would - but he doesn’t have to be happy about it). He’s still sore about that one to this day. 

In conclusion:

[pegasusdrawnchariots]

First of all, thank u!

Second of all, *ugly sobbing* ... She rlly did love him for himself!! After the duel with Valvert, Le Bret's response was to give Cyrano a dressing down (tell him that all he does is make enemies, "Mais où te mènera la façon dont tu vis ?") out of love for him & concern for his well-being.

But Roxane's response? "Mais tout d'abord merci 🥰" like come on...🥺

Cyrano: *is Cyrano*

I could fix him: orange girl, Sœur Marthe I could fix him (in the veterinary sense): Valvert I could make him worse: de Guiche There is no fixing him: Le Bret, Mère Marguerite, Lise He doesn't need fixing: Roxane, Ragueneau, Lignière, Carbon, duenna He could fix me: Christian

[dying-suffering-french-stalkers]

@old-man-ghost tagged me to describe myself using only pictures I had on my phone!

(the ones about asexuality come from a recorded show by Delaney Jordan/Infinite Snow Productions, which I watched on her Patreon)

Tagging @internal-morgan, @incestors, @tortoisesshells, @the-golden-ghost, @boltlightning, @theimpossiblescheme, @bogglebabbles, @girlfriendsofthegalaxy, @stardustandtwilight, and anyone else who wants to steal this (just say I tagged you)!

[friskafriskito]

And now for the last sketch request! Kajit (yes), a Tabaxi bard who belongs to @phoenixpinks  but was requested for them by @vanadric! Sneaky, sneaky...

Kajit is a part of the Fantasy CSI DnD campaign they, @theimpossiblescheme and @james-silenthill and I are a part of, hosted by @thekyuusanna

...we say CSI when we’re more like a bunch of Clouseaus (we are literally known as Those Fools)—

Thank you guys for the requests! I’ll post a compilation soon. c:

Kajit Byrd Song belongs to @phoenixpinks DnD created by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.

[longagoitwastuesday]

I was tagged by @wearileigh to make myself in these picrews: x x x

Thank you for tagging me!

I tag @onedivinemisfit, @theimpossiblescheme, @13eyond13, @faintingheroine, @eroshiyda, @blackwoodbanshee and @elegyofthemoon if they want to do it.

[rhymingteelookatme]

I was tagged by @rustbeltjessie for 7 comfort films + 7 tags. Hell yeah :D

No order, just the first 7 i can think of-

The Princess Bride

School of Rock

Coraline

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Corpse Bride

James and the Giant Peach

Anastasia  

Now for 7 tags (if you don’t want to play, don’t worry- but if you do and I didn’t tag you, go ahead and say I did!):

@bomberanians @eremiss @earhartsease @roughentumble @theimpossiblescheme @faerie-daze @paissa-brat