Characters

Asparagus

This dude's a character who's not really a real character—well, he is, but not normally. Is that clear? What do you mean, cross-eyed confusion? Well, let's see if I can clean up that mess. You see, the character of Gus the Theatre Cat (whose full name, "as I ought to have told you before, is really Asparagus") is meant to be onstage the entire show along with all the other cats, but when Sir John Mills was cast as Gus, the plans had to change. Sir Mills was much too old to be cavorting about, dancing and carrying on during all the production numbers, so they cast a separate actor - Tony Timberlake - to perform the other demands of the strenuous role. Typically, the actor playing Gus would also play Growltiger, but that entire number was cut from the video (to our dismay).

That said, Asparagus is still an important part of the video. He runs with the Skimbleshanks-Jellylorum-Jennyanydots crowd - i.e., nagging old fogeys who "tsk, tsk" at Tugger and keep the kittens in line. Asparagus' sadly minimal solo lines include "would you sit on his throne?" and "there’s a man over there with a look of surprise, as much as to say 'well now how about that'." Despite his limited time in the spotlight, however, Asparagus' antics in the background of nearly every scene are good for a few laughs.

Exotica

Contrary to popular belief, this queen is extremely important in the world of the Jellicles. Okay, okay, so she's a glorified swing. At least she has a name!

In Exotica's defense, Femi Taylor (who played her in the video) has already been to the big time. In 1983, she portrayed Jabba the Hutt's slave dancer Oola, the Twi'lek alien in The Return of the Jedi. Now, I know not everyone is as crazy a Star Wars fanatic as I am, so for more info about Femi on the big screen, check out this interview and marvel at her diverse talents!

Victoria

The Jellicles' very own pretty little ballerina! Graceful, coy, and ladylike, Victoria is easily the Jellicles' loveliest ingenue. She's the only Jellicle to have a costume consisting entirely of only one color: white. Bright, blinding, glittering white. White, white white.

Victoria is of an age where she is no longer a kitten, but neither is she a full-grown queen. In fact, it may even be her first Jellicle ball as an eligible bachelorette, and the toms certainly do take notice. Not only does she naturally stand out in a crowd (she's the glowing young cat completely in white!) but she's also constantly being groped by one adoring tom or another. As far as I can gather, she has that Catholic schoolgirl type of appeal-- she seems pure and naive (white is the color of innocence, after all), but under that hard-to-get exterior she has a bit of a kinky streak.

The role of Victoria is the most demanding female dance part in the show. She has several dance solos, although her only singing is done with the rest of the chorus. Victoria also proves to be a pivotal part when, at the play's conclusion, she is the first Jellicle to answer Grizabella's plea for compassion and warmly accept the aging outcast back into the tribe. She is both debutante and paramour, angelic and mischievous, but most of all Victoria, named for the British Queen that T.S. Eliot himself so admired, is the play's symbol of love and acceptance for all.

Cassandra

One of the more mysterious of the Jellicles, sleek, slender Cassandra is also one of the most beautiful. The trouble is, this queen seems to know it. It seems she prefers to be the center of attention whenever possible—especially when Munkustrap is near (next time you watch the video, count the times she shows off for him. It's like... a lot.) Her nature is rather haughty (well, she IS as Siamese, after all) and she remains cool and graceful throughout the play. She makes sure everyone knows that she indeed was "there when the Pharaohs commissioned the Sphinx" and constantly shows off her "moonlit eyes."

Cassandra's moment of glory comes in act two when Mistoffelees chooses her to be his magical assistant. Together, they restore their beloved Old Deuteronomy to the Jellicle Community, and all is well with the world. Cassandra's unique costume is yet another element which distinguishes her from her fellow Jellicles. She wears neither arm nor leg warmers, and her tail is not made of fluffy yarn, but is actually a rather thick braid. Yes, some feel she's snooty; yes, some claim she's stuck-up; yes, she wears enough mascara to cause a national shortage—but her beauty cannot be denied, and all in all, Cassandra is a lovable member of the Jellicle society.

Coricopat & Tantomile

Coricopat and Tantomile are a distinguished pair of Jellicles who are also very mysterious, very aloof, and very proud of it. Together with young Mr. Mistoffelees, the three of them form the small but upstanding group of magical cats among the Jellicle community. As a full-grown tom and queen, Coricopat and Tantomile are probably much further advanced in their magical abilities than the adolescent Mistoffelees, and perhaps they even come from deeper magical roots. In fact, some believe that Coricopat and Tantomile are actually the cats of a witch or wizard of some kind.

Though their history is uncertain, it is clear throughout the play that the pair possess a certain amount to intuition stemming from their talents for all things supernatural. They hardly speak, but rather communicate with each other through meaningful looks, leading me to presume that they connect through telepathy. They are always the first to recognize impending events, whether it be the arrival of Old Deuteronomy or of the less welcome Grizabella. Coricopat and Tantomile also seem to have a rather large snobbish streak. They express great distaste for Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer and equally great respect for Old Deuteronomy. They are very secretive about their sorcery, only serving to further cement the bond they share.

Between casting each other knowing glances and peering down their magical little noses at other Jellicles, Coricopat and Tantomile have- of course- managed to stir up their own little bit of controversy: Like the case of Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer, it is unclear whether Coricopat and Tantomile are brother and sister, or mates. Their markings are identical, but I have to admit they do seem like a match made in heaven...but I'll leave it for you to decide for yourself :) Either way, the importance of their contributions to the Jellicle community cannot be denied--Coricopat and Tantomile are surely a very special pair of cats.

Bombalurina

First of all, let me just say Bombalurina is my kind of queen-she's bold, brassy, intelligent, beautiful, and ever so proud of it, too. Always a conscious role model for the impressionable kittens, Bombalurina positively exudes confidence and feminine strength. She's sensual and thick-skinned, with that smug, unattainable air the toms love. She loves to lead them on, but it seems only one tom truly has her heart-the Rum Tum Tugger (who else?) The difference is she seems to have his as well. In other words, both gregarious cats like to play, but when all is said and done, you'll find them together.

The other cat practically glued to Bombalurina's side is the understated, skittish Demeter. I estimate the two queens are approximately the same age, and some even believe them to be sisters. Together, Bombalurina and Demeter sing the song "Macavity" to educate the kittens while the toms conduct a search for Old Deuteronomy, and the duo provide backup vocals together for many other songs, including "the Gumbie Cat" and "Mistoffelees".

Ever the scene-stealer, Bombalurina adores being the center of attention. She has the 'been there, done that' kind of attitude that makes her seem very experienced. Although she acts mischievous, she is far from a kitten. She is a fully mature queen who may, in fact, be approaching feline middle-age. Whatever her age, however, deep inside Bombalurina, behind that jaded, insatiable exterior, I'm sure lurks a queen who longs for her very own knight in shining armor :).

Alonzo

Alonzo: proof that Jellicle cats are, in fact, black and white. All right, so he's somewhat more than that. Many contend that he is Munkustrap's right-hand man—the "second-in-command," so to speak. Perhaps these beliefs are fueled by Alonzo's valiant attempt to fight off Macavity once Munkustrap has been KO'ed. One thing's for sure - Alonzo loves the ladies. His mischievous tone and slick hip gyrations would make any queen swoon. He is a playful, vivacious, young adult male who seems to be caught between grown-up responsibility and the carefree freedom of kittenhood.

Either way, it seems clear that Munkustrap has faith in the fun-loving tom, and, regardless of the fact that he wears white mascara on one eye, no one can deny that Alonzo certainly is "the cock of the walk."

Munkustrap

He's the boss, the big kahuna, large and in charge…I mean this guy is IT - almost. Second only to Old Deuteronomy himself, Munkustrap calls most of the shots. He is the patriarchal leader of the Jellicles in Deuteronomy's absence, always keeping one eagle-sharp eye on the lookout for Macavity and the other on the mischievous Jellicle kittens. Firm but gentle, stern yet loving, Munkustrap is disapproving when necessary, but a certain amount of amusement is nearly always detectable on his striped face.

Munkustrap's role is a significant one - he is the first to speak (or rather, sing) in the entire play, sings many of the songs—serving as a narrator of sorts—and gallantly defends his Jellicles from the evil Macavity. His personal life, however, is less prominent. Many believe he and Demeter are mates, probably because they are often cuddling and whatnot :).

As protector of the Jellicles, Munkustrap is almost always collected. In fact, there is only one Jellicle who successfully manages to get under his skin on a regular basis: the one and only Rum Tum Tugger. Perhaps Munkustrap feels Tugger should be setting a better example for the kittens. Good luck, I say! I can't see the Tugger changing anytime soon, no matter how frustrated the silver tabby gets.