Cats are felines. Feline means belonging to or pertaining to the cat family. Felidae, which includes, besides the domestic cat, the lions, tigers, leopards, lynxes, jaguars, etc. (Barhart, 1959). Feline also refers to catlike characteristic of animals in the cat family – sly, stealthy, treacherous.
Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats is a lovely and entertaining look at the amusing antics of cats and the foibles of people. The cat owner will recognize many instances of familiar feline behavior and the perceptive reader will see numerous parallels to human attitudes and behavior. By comparing and contrasting the musical Cats with Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats (referred to as “Possum” from hereon), we hope to discover similarities between cats and humans. Moreover, since the poems generally portray both the virtues and the failings of the cats being described, T.S. Eliot’s book of poetry should increase the reader’s tolerance, sympathy and awareness of his fellow creatures.
More than any of his contemporaries, Thomas Sterns Eliot influenced the poetry of modern times on both sides of the Atlantic. Of Puritan New England stock, he was born in St. Louis Missouri on September 26, 1888. he was educated in Harvard and concluded his studies in Sorbonne and Oxford. In 1914, he took residence in London, subsequently becoming a British subject in 1927. He taught at a boys’ school, worked in a bank and became an assistant editor. During his infrequent leisure time, he composed poetry and wrote critical essays. (Untermeyer, 1942).
“Possum” is an absolutely marvelous rendition of Eliot’s poetic classic, written for his godchildren and friends in the 1930’s which inspired the musical Cats. The tales of Mr. Mistofflelees, the Trickmaster; old Deuteronomy, a laid-back cat; Rum Tum Tugger, a contrary cat and Macavity, the famous master criminal are dramatized in Cats.” (Dudley, 1997: 115).
“Possum” covers fourteen different characters and plot lines. Each character has his/her own poem and is thoroughly discussed. There are also two poems focusing on the naming and addressing of cats. These chapters do not introduce any character but serve as introduction and conclusion, respectively, of the work, thus effectively acquainting the reader with the character of cats whose characters range from very practical to highly impractical.
“From ‘The Naming of Cats’ to ‘The Addressing of Cats’, Possum includes fourteen charming cat poems. The poems extol the characteristics of individual cats. While T.S. Eliot’s cat poems are not as well-known as his Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, the Hollow Man, etc, they should be familiar to cat enthusiasts and general readers alike. These poems are the basis for the lyrics of the 1982 Broadway musical Cats.” (Selvyn, 1983: 1245).
Cats was first shown in London’s West End at the New London Theatre on May 11, 1982. It was originally produced onstage by Cameron Mackintosh and Andrew Lloyd Webber and directed by Trevor Nunn. It played a total of 8,949 performances in London and its final performance in London’s West End was on its 20th birthday, May 11, 2002. It was broadcast on a large screen in Covent Garden, to the delight of fans who failed to purchase tickets for the final performance.
“The show (Cats) made its debut on Broadway on October 7, 1982. On June 19, 1997, Cats became the longest running musical in Broadway history with 6,138 performances. It played a total of 7,845 performances in New York, was regarded as the world’s longest running musical, surpassed only by The Phantom of the Opera, also composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber.” (Wikipedia)
In 1948, Lloyd Webber produced a video version of Cats, based on the stage performance augmented for the medium of film. It was directed for film by David Mallet and released on VHS and DVD, as well as broadcast on television worldwide.
The musical Cats consists of two acts. Act I depicts a situation wherein the cats are maddened by the Midnight Dance. After the overture, the cats gather onstage and explain to the Jellicle tribe and their purpose. The cats then give details on how the different cats of the tribe are named. The cats in the musical are not named in the order given in “Possum”, possibly in order to suit stage purposes. Munkustrap, a large grey tabby, who serves as the show’s narrator, explains that the Jellicle cats meet once a year to rejoice. He also explains that they are waiting for their leader, the wise old Deuteronomy, who will choose which one of the Jellicle Cats will, this year, journey to the Heavyside Layer to be “reborn” to a new life.
Munkustrap introduces Jennyanydots, the old Gumbie Cat, who sits all day and at night, teaches various activities to the mice and cockroaches. There are people the world over who work at night and rest (sit) during the day. This is practical for them as well as for her protégées whom she changes from “that lot of disorderly louts” to a “troops of well-disciplined helpful boy-scouts.” Jennyanydots also remind us of people with no taste when it comes to clothes since her coat is a mixture of tiger stripes and leopard spots.
The second cat we are introduced to, is the Rum Tum Tugger, who makes an entrance with a flourish. He is a playful prankster that the female cats find extremely attractive. He explains how fussy he can be; he wants what he doesn’t have, and doesn’t want what’s offered to him. The one thing that he does enjoy is being the center of attraction, which he is throughout the number. Then like Rum Tum Tugger do not make good husband material and, as a husband or even as a friend is hard to get along with, and who strives at all times to be the “life of the party.”
The evening takes a somber turn when the outcast figure, Grizabella, the Glamour Cat appears. The rest of the tribe shun her, for she left the tribe years ago to explore the outside world which has become hard on her. She who was once a beautiful and glamorous feline has lost her sparkle and is now tattered and torn. The other cats are cruel, clawing and hissing at her. In life, no one wants a loser, especially as Grizzabella left the tribe against their wishes. This, of course, is standard human behavior. She is proud, however, and vows to return. There are among us humans, faced with the same situation, who are made of sterner stuff and who, like Grizabella, know that they may be “down” but not “out”.
The next cat to join the proceedings is the hefty Bustopher Jones. A large “twenty-five pounder”, always clad in a snappy tuxedo and white spots, spends his time eating and driving in the pubs and clubs that he frequents. Jennyanydots is quite besotted with him and sings his praises. He responds, to her great delight, by kissing her hand. We recall some movie stars who, like Bustopher Jones, cater to their fans by responding similarly to their adulation.
Suddenly there is a thunderous crash, followed by the sound of police, sirens and flashing red lights. The villainous cat Macavity is on the loose. The cats scatter, leaving an empty stage. He is the show’s only villain. This character is a literary allusion to the Sherlock Holmes character – Professor Moriarty.
Two off-stage giggles signal the entrance of Mungojerie and Rumpleteaser, two black and orange Calico cats. The are a fun-loving, frolicking team of pranksters, always getting into trouble with the family with whom they live. They are very naughty and enjoy the consternation of those whom they victimize. The two are a pair of notorious cat burglars. Human counterparts of these thieves are found all over among the members of the human race.
The entire tribe reassemble to greet their benevolent and wise leader, Old Deuteronomy as he arrives. T.S. Eliot writes this about him.
“Old Deuteronomy’s lived a long time
He’s a cat who has lived many lives in succession
He was famous in proverb and famous in rhyme
A long while before Queen Victoria’s accession.”
Old Deuteronomy is the lovable patriarch of the Jellicle tribe. Since he is very old, he is usually portrayed as slow-moving. Some human families are blessed with the presence of a patriarch or a matriarch whom their progeny respect and regard with affection.
Munkustrap has prepared some entertainment for Deuteronomy. The cats perform a song for him. The lyrics are about two dog tribes fighting in the street and later being scared away by the Great Rumpus Cat, a sleek, powerful feline. A spiky-haired cat with glowing red eyes, he is seen as a sort of superhero figure among the Jellicles. Although a bonafide character in poetry, Eliot’s the Rumpus Cat joins a list of non-principal characters omitted from some productions.
The action of Rumpus Cat is intruded by yet another crash from the antagonist Macavity, which sends the cats scurrying Old Deuteronomy soothes them as they come back. He beckons to them for it is time for the main celebration, the Jellicle Ball, to begin. At the end of the Ball, Grizzabella reappears and against the wishes of the tribe sings a short version of the song “Memory”. She yearns to be accepted, but instead is rejected and she slinks off into the night.
There are many humans who lead dejected lives, banished from friends and family, for some reason or other. Grizabella is not alone among animals and among humans.
Act II of the musical has to do with the question – Why will the Summer Day Delay – When will Time Flow Away? Still another crash from the villain Macavity. Though the cats scatter as usual, Deuteronomy calms them down with the song “The Moments of Happiness.”
Gus (short for Asparagus) the theatre cat, shuffles forward. Once a famous actor, he is now old and suffers from palsy. His companion is Jellylorum (named after T.S. Eliot’s own cat), who narrates his exploits; whereupon Gus recalls how once he acted out the role of Pirate Growltiger, Terror of the Thames and the pirate’s romance with Griddlebone. There are many aging actors among us who live to reminisce over bygone glorious days when they were at the peak of their career.
Skimbleshanks, the Railway Cat, is an active orange tabby cat who lives on the trains and acts as an unofficial chaperone. He is one clever and important cat. The railway train cannot start without him. Macavity, the Mystery Cat, re-enters with a third crash and an evil laugh. He is the most wanted cat – a master criminal with a horrifying appearance. He captures Old Deuteronomy as the other cats try to follow him. Demeter and Bombalurina sing of the evil they know about him. When the song is over, Macavity returns, disguised as Old Deuteronomy. Revealed by Demeter, he fights with Munkustrap. (There are many Macavities among the members of the human race. Fortunately for us, they are behind bars.)
Rum Tum Tugger suggests that the cats look for biblical Mistoffelees. Small and black, the latter alone of all the cats can perform feats of magic. By this means, Mistoffelees brings back Old Deuteronomy. The return of Deuteronomy enables the tribe to decide the cat to be “reborn” into a new life. Grizabella appears for the last time and Old Deuteronomy allows her to make an appeal to the cats. Her appeal succeeds and she is chosen to be the one to undertake the journey to the Heavyside layer.
The show comes to an end with Old Deuteronomy giving a closing speech to the human audience He tells them that for all their unique qualities and differences, “Cats are very much like you.” (Eliot, 1939).
Works Cited
Barhart, C., The American College Encylopedic Dictionary, Vol I. Spencer Press, Inc. 1959
Dudley, J. Reviews. Mark Annichiarico Library Journal, Vol 122 Issue 11. 1997
Eliot, T.S. Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats 1939
Selvyn, L., Reviews. Library Journal, Vol 108, Issue 12, 1983.
Untermeyer, L. A Treasury of Great Poems, English and American. New York: Pocketbooks, 1942
Wikipedia, Cats. Web.