Feature: So...What is CATS Even About? A Character Guide to CATS THE MUSICAL

Singapore — “Hal, it’s about cats.”

When Hal Prince asked about the deeper meaning of Cats The Musical, this was what Andrew Lloyd Webber replied. 

Webber's succinct answer is pretty much true. Cats has developed a bit of a reputation for having a very loose plot. It is two hours of different cats introducing themselves. This seemingly simple concept created a musical that has enraptured audiences for decades. Cats is the fifth-longest running show in Broadway history and the first Broadway show to play more than 7,000 performances. It remains the eighth-longest running show in the West End, and its run was so legendary that its theatre has since been named after its famed choreographer, Gillian Lynne. 

Cats penetrated mainstream pop culture in a way that had not been seen since the Golden Age of musical theatre. The song ‘Memory’, sung by the older, ostracised cat Grizabella, became a global sensation. The single released by Elaine Paige, the original West End Grizabella, hit the UK top 10 charts. Barbra Streisand’s cover of the song stayed on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 7 weeks. This song became the biggest hit of Webber’s career so far, and continues to be one of the defining songs of his career. 

While beloved, the show features a huge cast of cats that can be daunting to follow without guidance. Walk with us, and let's understand a brief picture of the show’s history which helps us understand how the show's plot structure came to be. Of course, we will then meet the cast of colourful characters that populate the Jellicle Ball.  

History of the musical’s development

The origins of this musical were fairly unusual. Webber was fond of the popular children’s book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats (1939) by T. S. Eliot. It was a book of poems about different cats. 

Webber thought that Eliot’s poems stylistically worked very well as lyrics. His new endeavour became setting these poems against music, turning this book into a song cycle which he called Practical Cats. Song cycles are a collection of songs that are tied together by a theme —  in this case all songs are about cats. 

He presented this song cycle in 1980 at the Sydmonton Festival, his festival located at his estate in Hampshire. This festival allowed him to debut this new piece to a small, private audience. One of the people present was T. S. Eliot’s widow and literary executor Valerie Eliot. She approved of the project and gave Webber access to T. S. Eliot’s unpublished poems and private correspondence during his writing of the book. 

Joining the project was artistic director of the Royal Shakespeare Company Trevor Nunn, choreographer Gillian Lynne, and set and Costume Designer John Napier. With the massive help of Eliot’s unpublished material, this team takes Practical Cats and transforms it into a musical with a plot through-line, and designs recognisable characters, and a grand piece of theatre now known as Cats. 

The world of Cats is almost a fantasy version of our real world. We see the world from the perspective of a cat. Set design inflates our everyday objects into humungous setpieces. The costuming and choreography create a detailed characterisation of each cat.

The core premise of Cats is fairly simple. The cat named Old Deuteronomy chooses one cat to send to the Heaviside Layer, which is paradise, or heaven, for cats, giving them the opportunity to be reincarnated. Once a year, the cats gather at the Jellicle Ball and aspire to be the chosen cat. 

This core plot of Cats, while important, should not be held on too tightly if you’re coming to the show. Some of the cats’ numbers do seem to be heartfelt pleas to be chosen, like ‘Memory’. However, many numbers are fun, mischievous songs that explore the cast of cats that fill this world, and they should be enjoyed as such. 

The characters of Cats

A large part of the beauty of this show is the way they give personalities to different cats you might see everyday. A stray cat that sits by the train station is suddenly a cat very passionate about ensuring the trains run smoothly. Your neighbourhood cat that loves to crawl into others’ houses is now actually one of two mischievous twin cats who steal from people’s homes. These personalities are accompanied by fun music and distinct costume design that matches their disposition.

Old Deuteronomy (King B) is the leader with the power to choose the cat to send to the Heaviside Layer. He is widely respected and beloved, kind, empathetic and just. He is an older, larger grey cat, an imposing but godly presence amongst the Jellicles.

Munkustrap (Ché-Jean Jupp) serves as the show’s main narrator. He welcomes us to the world of the Jellicles, and introduces some of the characters to us. This silver and black tabby cat is another leading figure of the tribe, as both a strong protector and a trusted guide through this journey.

Macavity the Mystery Cat (Stephan van der Walt) is the main antagonist to the tribe. The tall ginger tabby is a “master criminal,” “a monster of depravity” who manages to cause chaos and swiftly disappear without being found. His actual appearance in the show is brief, but his antics cast a shadow over the entire tribe. 

Jennyanydots (Zoë McLaughlin), the Old Gumbie Cat, is a white and ginger tabby who seems to laze around all day, but becomes surprisingly active at night. She takes charge and tidies up the house while everyone’s asleep. 

Rum Tum Tugger (Dylan Janse van Rensburg) is a rockstar amongst the tribe. The black and gold cat is meant to be a Mick Jagger type, a charismatic magnet to the younger cats in the tribe. As his rock song ‘The Rum Tum Tugger’ suggests, whenever you give him anything, he wants anything but that. He is naughty, mischievous, self-obsessed, but ultimately quite lovable and entrancing. 

The iconic Grizabella the Glamour Cat (Cindy-Ann Abrahams), who sings ‘Memory’, starts the show ostracised from the tribe. According to the original Broadway Grizabella, Betty Buckley, in Grizabella’s youth she was considered a great beauty, and “lived life to great excess.” The Japanese translation of the musical directly calls her an “old prostitute”, something implied in the original text. The lyrics talk of her haunting Tottenham Court Road, a place known for prostitution at the time of Eliot’s writing. Now, in her old age, she is no longer able to enjoy life with the tribe in the way she once could, and yearns to be accepted.

Bustopher Jones (Tshepo Ncokoane) is the St James’s Street cat. Pampered and rich, this black cat who wears white spats enjoys the finer things in life, like fine dining and gentleman's clubs. 

Mungojerrie (Austin Tshikosi) and Rumpleteazer (Tannah Levick) are mischievous lookalike cats up to no good. Their favourite crime is petty theft, and their similar appearances allow them to escape individual culpability. Despite their love for crime, they still come across as fun and lovable. 

Jemima (Scarlett Pay) is the youngest cat of the tribe. The reddish-brown cat is sweet, innocent, and is the most empathetic to Grizabella’s plight. She becomes a symbol of compassion that should come naturally to us. 

Gus the Theatre Cat (Tshepo Ncokoane) is one of the older members of the tribe. He rests at the theatre door, his coat is shabby and he suffers from palsy. Back in his youth however, he was once a fantastic actor of the utmost skill and success. He seems to represent a similar theme as Grizabella, older cats who were once glorious stars but are now left behind by society. 

Jellylorum (Noa Duckitt) is a gold and white cat who is nurturing and is the caretaker of Gus, and helps show us his glorious days in the theatre. She often serves to tell us more about cats like Gus and Jennyanydots. 

Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat (Logan Timbre) is one busy cat working for the Night Mail, ensuring the trains run smoothly. He supervises the train station and ensures nothing goes wrong. This diligent ginger cat sports a brown waistcoat and a pocketwatch.

Demeter and Bombalurina are extremely close friends, and are also key storytellers who tell us more about the other cats. Notably, they tell us of Macavity’s deviance, and it's implied that they have had an intimate history with him. Despite their closeness with each other, their personalities are very different. 

Demeter (Brittané van Loggerenberg) seems to be a very skittish, fearful cat. This black, white, and gold cat is extremely cautious of Macavity and seems to have a particularly traumatic and dreadful history with him. When Macavity later infiltrates the group, it’s to try and kidnap her. 

Bombalurina (Tatum Coleman) is the more flirtatious and outgoing of the pair. A confident and sensual red cat, she stands out amongst the tribe and confidently pursues the cats she finds appealing, particularly Rum Tum Tugger. 

Alonzo (Sibusiso Mxosana) is a featured dancer who is a loyal, obedient follower of Munkustrap. The black and white cat later finds his strength and bravery in the second act to fight off Macavity. 

Mr. Mistoffelees (Mukeni Nel) is a brilliant sparkly black and white cat with magical skills. The “Conjuring Cat” can produce kittens out of a hat, and can make things disappear in a blink of an eye. This amusing cat possesses powers that become important in countering Macavity’s acts. 

Victoria (Cassiel Eatock-Winnick) is a white cat that has become an iconic image for the musical. Her appearance makes her stand out from the other cats, she is a heavily featured dancer, and symbolises purity and innocence. Victoria and Jemima, the two cats that symbolise innocence, are the key sympathetic figures towards Grizabella. 

Beyond these cats, there is a large ensemble of cats that serve to fill the universe of the Jellicle Cats. This incredibly physically daunting show rests on the incredible dancers in the ensemble executing Gillian Lynne’s iconic choreography. 

When going to Cats, expect a fun night of being whisked away into a fantastical world, as you get to know all of these iconic felines.