Cats/Trivia

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• Acting for Two: Standard practice in all productions, although which cats the actors double for tend to vary (Bustopher Jones and Old Deuteronomy are almost always the same actor). In all productions with "Growltiger's Last Stand", Asparagus and Jellyorum double as Growltiger and Griddlebone.
  • Except for in the video production; the late Sir John Mills was too ill to perform the necessary choreography.
  • Plato is also often double cast for Macavity as well as Alonzo or Admetus being double cast as The Rumpus Cat... Except in the Japanese productions.
    • Well, in the Japanese productions, they just sorta replace the names. Leading to chorus cats being called Rumpus and Macavity. Genghis even has his own character even.
    • As well as them having both Jemima and Sillabub.
  • In some productions, the same actor portrays Bustopher Jones, The Rumpus Cat, and Asparagus (who goes on to play Growltiger).
• All-Star Cast: Invoked in the video version, which cast notable cast members throughout the show's history in both Broadway and West End (And John Mills).
• Cut Song: Depending on the production, either "The Awefull Battle of The Pekes and the Pollicles" or "Growltiger's Last Stand" is left out. The 1998 production, for example, cut the latter song out, but a few productions do put in both.
  • Most recent tours cut out "The Pekes and the Pollicles", but strangely enough, there is still usually an entry in the cast list for the Great Rumpus Cat.
  • Additionally, most productions cut a verse out of "Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer", though there's not really a consistency on which verse.
  • Much of Mistoffelees' dance solo from his title song was cut in the video production.
  • There was a bit called "The Ballad of Billy McCaw", that was supposed to be Growltiger & Griddlebone's "last duet", and took place in the middle of "Growltiger's Last Stand". The bit was replaced by the "In Una Tepida Notte", for reasons this troper still hasn't learned.
• Hey, It's That Guy!: Look up a list of cast members, and you'll find some for sure. Perhaps the best known is Ken Page as Old Deuteronomy in the Original Broadway Cast.
  • Not to mention The Mayor as Munkustrap, also in the OBC.
  • Brian Blessed opened with the West-End Cast as both Bustopher Jones and Old Deuteronomy.
  • Oolaa plays Exotica in the home video recording.
  • Eva Peron played Grizabella in both the original West End and movie casts.
  • Christian Clarke plays Rum Tum Rugger in the home video recording.
    • And the same role is played by Bob in the OBC.
• Long Runners: Both Broadway and West End! In fact, the Broadway production was the longest running musical there until another Lloyd-Webber standard caught up.
• Non-Singing Voice: In the video version, Veerle Casteleyn as Jemima was dubbed by Helen Massey, while Geoffrey Garratt as Skimbleshanks was dubbed by David Arneill. Of course, given the nature of the show, they pretty much have no voice.
• The Other Marty: Happened in both the original London and Broadway productions:
  • In London, Judi Dench, the original Grizabella, suffered a hamstring injury, then compounded it by falling off the stage. At that point, Elaine Paige stepped in.
  • In New York, Don Correia was cast as Skimbleshanks. He left almost immediately, so Willie Rosario, who was understudying the role, took over. Rosario was badly injured during rehearsals, so his understudy, Reed Jones, replaced him and opened the show. Things ended well for Rosario: after recovering, he was given the role in the first national tour.
• The Pete Best: Judi Dench was supposed to play both Grizabella and Jennyanydots on the West End, but ruptured her Achilles tendon during rehearsals. Her roles were split between two other actresses... and Elaine Paige, who took over Grizabella, became an even-bigger star as a result.
• What Could Have Been: Femi Taylor, who plays Exotica in the film, once played as Bombalurina during a variety show, singing "Macavity". Unfortunately, she is completely missing from the song in the video.
• Written-In Infirmity: Averted; Sir John Mills, who played Gus in the video version, was blind during filming, but his condition was in no ways hinted at in the film.