Synopsis
You don't know what CATS is about?!?! Shame on you! No I'm kidding. I'll admit, it's a very vague, very confusing musical. The first time I saw it, I sat there the entire time thinking "what the hell is going on?" There really isn't much of a storyline, but I don't think that's really the point of CATS. I have written out a synopsis for you though, in case you were wondering about about it, but try to remember that CATS is all about the atmosphere of the play. The amazing costumes and sets and music, and not so much the story. So sit back, enjoy, and here's an inkling into the musical CATS.
CATS
It's the night of the Jellicle Ball. The moon has risen, and cats from all around the city gather to take part in the most prestigious of ceremonies. They creep slowly into the Jellicle clearing, waiting for the signal to begin. Munkustrap, the grey tabby and protector of the tribe steps forward and asks the question "Are you blind when you're born?"
Suddenly, the cats begin to appear from everywhere. They dart forward, singing of their tribe and the things they can do as cats. They are proud and playful, seeming somewhat egotistic at times.
Finally, they settle down and begin to reveal the true nature of their tribe. They sing The Naming Of Cats, telling of how they have three diffrent names: The name that their human families have given them, the name that only they have, and a secret name that only the cat himself knows.
As they finish with that song, most of the cats begin to drift off back into the shadows of the garbage that surrounds them. Eventually, a young, white cat by the name of Victoria is the only one left. She dances a dance that signifies her growth into adulthood, and signals the invitation to the Jellicle Ball.
Munkustrap takes the floor again, explaining to the kittens that the Jellicle Cats meet once a year to rejoice. They are waiting for their leader, the wise Old Deuteronomy, who will choose one of the Jellicles to travel to the Heaviside layer to be "reborn" into a new Jellicle life.
Jellicle Cats come out to-night,
Jellicle Cats come one, come all:
The Jellicle moon is shining bright,
Jellicles come to the Jellicle Ball...
And so the Jellicle Ball officially begins and we start our introduction to the cats. One by one, they step forward to audition for the role, to be chosen to make the special journey to be reborn.
Jennyanydots is the first one up. Munkustrap introduces her as The Old Gumbie Cat who spends her days sleeping, but when the moon rises she comes to life, organizing and taking care of the cockroaches and beetles and keeping everything in order.
They are interrupted as The Rum Tum Tugger bursts onto the scene. Every kitten and queen in the junkyard immediately swoon and gather around him. He dances around a bit, wiggling his hips and pelvic thrusting around the stage.
Yes, The Rum Tum Tugger is a curious cat,
For he will do, as he do do;
And there's no doing anything about it.
Grizabella appears, cutting the festivities off. She's an old, worn cat who abandoned the tribe years ago and is coming to seek redemption. She is shunned and hissed at by all the Jellicle cats. Demeter and Bombalurina sing about her, explaining to the younger cats what she did to the tribe. Grizabella leaves the clearing quietly as Bustopher Jones appears.
Bustopher Jones is the cat about town. He is well respected by all the cats even though he's *gasp* 25 pounds! The female cats sing about him while the males are lined up for inspection.
A crash rings through the air, fallowed by breaking glass and police sirens. Macavity is on the loose! The cats scatter off throughout the junkyard to try to escape.
Taking advantage of the absence of cats, two orange stripped ones pop out from behind the mounds of trash. They giggle as they begin to sing about the thefts and pranks they have pulled off before. They get so into their song that they don't realize that the rest of the Jellicles have returned and are slowly creeping up on them. By the time they realize, it's too late and they re cornered by the other cats who chase them out of the clearing.
Tantomile and Coricopat suddenly sit up. They can sense that Jellicle Leaders arrival is coming. Quaxo slides forward and whispers the words "Old Deuteronomy." Munkustrap sends Quaxo off to bring their leader in while he and The Rum Tum Tugger sing about him. They tell of how he's the oldest cat and has had many wives in the past. Old Deuteronomy shows up and all the Jellicles flock to him with smiles on their faces.
Munkustrap sits the old cat down and the Jellicles do a show for him. Munkustrap narrates the story of the Pekes and the Pollicles (two rivaling dog clans) and their awful battle. The story ends with The Great Rumpus Cat flying in and saving the day.
Another crash sounds and the Jellicles scatter again. Old Deuteronomy sooths them and the Jellicle Ball begins. The cats come back one by one, singing again of the Jellicles . They begin their mating dance where Victoria becomes an adult by preforming the dance with Plato, another cat in the tribe.
Grizabella is back again! The cats hiss and walk away, leaving her and Deuteronomy alone in the clearing. Grizabella (not realizing that the old cat is still there) tries to dance but her frail old body can't do it and she eventually leaves.
Old Deuteronomy sings The Moments Of Happiness as Gus is brought in to the clearing by Jellyorum. She sings for him, telling the cats about his adventures in the theater and all the amazing actors he got to work with in his day. Gus stands up and in a shaky voice tells the Jellicles about his triumps in theater and how he yearns to be back there again, but is much too old.
Skimbleshanks is then introduced. He is a cat of the railway, and like he says in his song, "Skimbleshanks wont let anything go wrong!"
The song is cut off as a third crash sounds! "Macavity!" Demeter screams as the sadistic cat appears for the first time. Macavity distracts the jellicles as two hench cats of his run in and capture Old Deuteronomy. Demeter and Bombaulrina sing about Macavity and his terrible deeds. Suddenly, Deuteronomy comes back. The jellicles flock towards him but Demeter is suspicious. She jumps on his back and it is revealed as Macavity in disguise!
A battle breaks out between Macavity and Munkustrap and only ends when Macavity blows out the light to the junkyard and escapes. The Jellicles sit together in the darkness and sing "We have to find Old Deuteronomy..."
"You ought to ask the Magical Mr. Mistoffelees." The Rum Tum Tugger's voice rings out over the crowd. All the Jellicles look to him as he explains about the magical cat that could bring back their leader. Mistoffelees appears! Shooting bolts of lightning from his hands as he shows off. Finally he pulls out his red sheet, waves his hands around, and Old Deuteronomy is back!
And so, with Old Deuteronomy back and the moon setting, it's time to make the Jellicle choice. The cats gather around him...but oh no! Grizabella is back again! The cats turn away from her as she begins to sing. She tells them how she just wants to be accepted again, and collapses to the ground. She lays there for only a second when: "Sunlight through the trees in Summer..." Jemima has stood up and is singing with her, encouraging the old cat to go on. Grizabella stands up and: "Touch me! It's so easy to leave me!" The cats come forward one by one and touch her, finally accepting her into the tribe. She reaches Old Deuteronomy who brings to to the old tire in the corner of the clearing. The tire begins to rise as the cats sing Journey To The Heaviside Layer and Grizabella ascends to the Heaviside Layer to be reborn.
Old Deuteronomy then turns around and sings The Addressing Of Cats, bringing an end to the Jellicle Ball.
So this is this, and that is that
And there's how you ad-dress a cat
A cat's entitled to expect
These evidences of respect
So this is this, and that is that
And there's how you ad-dress a cat.
