HEY LILO!! It's me again!! And here is the second instalment of this
synopsis that I kindly decided to write for you!!
As everyone gets back into the theatre after being in the toilet, having an eat or drink we here music again bring us back to the land of CATS.
ACT TWO
The first part of the second act is really a beautiful song named the Moments of Happiness. Old D. sings the first part of the song whilst the cats below 'pose' in stiff figures. Then Jemima rises up and begins to sing her VERY impressive solo.
Moonlight, turn your face to the moonlight,
Let your memory lead you,
Open up, Enter in.
If you find there the meaning of what happiness is,
Then a new life will begin.
Jellylorum (THIS IS THE BESTEST PART FOR SINGING!!!) then leads out an old cat named Gus. He sits down and she introduces him as Asparagus, however the tribe just call him Gus as Asparagus is such a fuss to pronounce, that they usually call him just Gus. Jelly has often been seen as his daughter but I prefer to think of them as mates or something along those lines as she sings the whole Griddle/Growl thing with him. She sings (In the first australian one) the most beautiful solo. He then sings about how he used to be a star of the highest degree and that he was given seven 'cat-calls' once. His ending sentence is:
And I once played Growltiger,
Could do it again,
Could do it again.
1 The last sentence is heard over and over again until it fades out.
The next scene is cut from the VHS version as Sir John Mills was blind and couldn't play a dance part like Growlie had to play. I personally think that John made the best Gus.
Growltiger's last stand is certainly my most favourite scene, next to Mungo and Rumple. It is mainly a story of how everyone was scared of Growltiger as he was a pirate. They are almost as scared of his as they are of Macavity. They tell how he hated Chinese cats – Persians and Siamese as they cut off one of his ears and gouged out one of his eyes. They (meaning the toms who are dressed up as his crew) tell us how evil he was and everything. Then the queens (Who are the Siamese and Persians.) tell us how they are coming to attack him. The music is very fierce and scary sounding up until then but then it suddenly gets slower and more (dare I sound cliché but..) 'romantic.' Out comes Griddlebone (who is realy Jellylorum dressed up) who is a beautiful white cat with feather boas and a lovely wig. There are two different 'romantic' songs that they sing together. The first one was the 'Ballad of Billy Macaw' which is a beautiful song that they sing together. The other one is an Italian opera which is the bestest song for singing. (Cori – Hey dumo.. you've already said that about a different song) (DoN'T CaLl Me DuMo!) They finish that song with a terrific high note and then
!@#$%^&*CRASH!@#$%^&*
Is heard and one of the male cats is heard saying, with complete silence behind him:
Then with a fearful burst of fireworks the chinks (Please see author's note at the end about this)
They swarmed aboard!
Abandoning their sampans their pullaways and junks….
They Griddlebone she gave a screech for she was badly skeered!
I'm sorry to admit it but she quickly disappeared.
The term 'Chinks' when these poems were written (1930's) was considered allowable. I think it is a terrible term up with things like nigger etc. Andrew Lloyd Webber must have had a VERY good reason to keep it in his musical. Personally I would have changed it but I didn't write the musical so I can't.
The ending of this wonderful song (which is a pun on Madame Butterfly) is wonderful. (Cori – That takes the cake for the worst sentence you have ever foisted upon us) Growltiger is 'forced to walk the plank'. The final words of the scene is an incredible build up towards a huge crescendo on the word 'BANKOK'. It is the best.
We then cut back to see Gus (who all this time has played the part of Growlie) singing:
These modern productions, are all very well,
But it's nothing to equal,
From what I hear tell,
That moment of mystery,
When I made History,
As Firefrorfiddle, the fiend of the fell.
THEN we get the wonderful SKIMBLESHANKS!!! YAAAAAY!! Demeter in the video starts this off terribly. I know I shouldn't be bagging her out but if you listen to all the recordings they have good STRONG beginnings. Aeva May (Demeter) has a wonderful voice for jazz but not for the beginning of Skimble (Cori – Quit while you're ahead girl). Skimble is the railway cat. He makes sure that everything is correct. It has (the song) the best harmonies in it. It's sooooo good. Skimble is dubbed in the video as they wanted an Irish accent. Which is rather sad. I think it is a crime to dub someone who can sing as if they had wanted someone with an Irish accent they (The Really Useful Group) shoul have gotten someone from Ireland. Skimble is the funniest song. Check out Rumple's cute little sneeze.
At the end of Skimble we get another Macavity scare. Demeter and Bombi are the ones left on stage with a few of the queens and toms hanging around on the edge of the stage. Demeter stays in center stage whilst Bombi retires to lay herself down on er… something. But she sits down so as she can 'show- off' every 'part' of her. Demeter stalks around the stage as if frightened of something jumping out at her and then starts singing the MACAVITY song. This is the part of the movie that she is best at, as I said before she sings this song better than any other song. She tells us how Macavity is the 'evilest' of cats and whenever a crime is commited it's always by him even though they have no evidence and he's never at the scene of crime. She sings the first verse then along comes Bombi in her sultry voice singing the second. They continue telling how no one is as bad as Macavity, even his 'henchcats' who are know as:
Mungojerrie (in the original they mentioned Rumple as well) and Griddlebone.
Then finally the rest of the queens come out and dance one of the 'we're do sexy' dances. At the end of this song we get another Macavity scare. But this time, it's for real. Macavity and his 'henchcats' (One of which happens to be our darling Jacob!!!) 'steal' Old D. Macavity then fights with Munku which is a very 'energetic' fight. (How many of you knew that Plato and Macavity are the same person.. or was that Admetus and Macavity… meh?) Macavity then uses a large pair of spark plugs to put the lights out in the junkyard. (Ever wonder where the lights came from) (Cori – Trust me, you don't want to know. Tumble and Pounce rigged it up somehow) (Tumble and Pounce are the equivalent of Fred and George Weasley from Harry Potter.)
The cats are all in despair that their leader has been 'stolen' from them. Cori and Tanti sing:
1.1 We have to find old Deuteronomy
And then comes Amy's fav cat! Rum Tum Tugger introduces him with the words:
You ought to ask Mr Mistofolees the original conjuring cat. Please, listen to me, and don't scoff! All his inventions are of his own bat. He holds all the patent monopolies for causing amazing illusions and eccentric confusions. (Someone shines a torch on him at this point so that we can see him in all his glory)
He then sings:
The greatest magicians have something to learn, from Mr Mistofolees conjuring turn! And we all say Oh well! I never was there ever! A cat so clever as Magical Mr Mistofolees!
Misto then says "PRESTO" and the lights turn on again. Amazing….
He tells us how Misto (to lazy to write the whole thing out okay!) is incredible in that he can make seven kittens appear right out of a hat.
Misto then does a little dance in which he pulls a large sheet out of a cup and a red one out of the old car. With this sheet he puts Cassie underneath it and 'transforms' her into Old D. (In true fact they have just switched places as she goes down an old pipe that he just came out of) Old D. 'thanks' him but then he just 'dissapears' in a wonderful flash of light.
Jemima then stands up and sings the second of her solos. Quite an incredible soloist is Veerle. Even though it wasn't her own voice I have been told she does have a beautiful voice. And I believe that. She sings:
Daylight,
See the dew on a sunflower,
And a rose that is fading,
Roses wither away,
Like the sunflower,
I yearn to turn my face to the dawn,
I am waiting, For the day.
Then Munku pops up from… somewhere and gives his little speech:
Now Old Deuteronomy,
Just before dawn,
Through a silence you feel you could cut with a knife,
Announces to cat,
Who can now be reborn and come back to a different Jellicle life.
We then hear the oboes playing a pitiful tune. All the cats turn away as Grizzie enters again. She walks out to center stage. She knows that she is unable of dancing so she expresses her feelings in song. She sings how she is trying not to give in, but wants to die. This song is soooo moving. (I can't believe that Barbara Streisand would dare insult Elaine Paige by trying to sing it.) She sings her last note, and collapses. Many of the cats have turned around and are watching her with a slight tinge of concern. But then we hear the sweetest of voices raising above all of them. Jemi begins to help Grizzie by singing:
Sunlight through the trees in summer,
Endless masquerading,
(Grizzie Joins in here)
Like a flower as the dawn is breaking
Then Grizzie continues:
The memory is fading!
Touch me! It's so easy to leave me,
All alone with the memory,
Of my days in the sun!
If you touch me,
You'll understand what happiness is!
Look a new day, has begun.
She stops before hobbling away and puts her hand behind her back. Victoria, with little apprehension gets up and places her paws in Grizzie's and then rubs her cheek against them. FINALLY! All the cats have accepted Grizzie. They continue 'passing' her around. Until she reaches Munkustrap who above all the others disliked her the most. He then passes her hands over to Old Deuteronomy who through a fanfare of trumpets leads her to the 'old tyre'.
The rest of the cats begin to sing the 'passing on' song.
Up, up, up past the Russel Hotel
Up, up, up, up to the Heavieside layer (Those two repeated about three times and then)
Up, up, up past the Jellicle Moon
Up, up, up, up to the Heavieside layer
(Repeat Twice)
The Mystical divinity,
Of unashamed felinity,
Round the cathedral rang
VIVAT.
Life to the everlasting cat.
The final song in this musical is one of sadness and great longing in the audience is felt that the musical is closing! NOOOOOO! The final song is the Adressing of Cats.
Mainly Old Deuteronomy sings this and yes I am a lazy writer and I refuse to type up the song. (Cori – It wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that you are typing this in English and Mrs Wade is wondering why you are typing away while nothing is being said would it?) (Well…..) The cats join in on the choruses, there is a second, and much more magnificent chorus which is:
A cat's entitled to expect,
These evidences of respect,
So this is this,
And that is that,
And that's how you address a cat.
This is sung twice. If you listen you can here a beautiful almost unsingable descant in the last line of the second time around. And so ends CATS. I have the luxury of being able to see it anytime I want with my video if it. (Which is essential to any fanatic). And yes, my popcorn is empty and much of it scattered around the room from my constant attempts at copying the dance moves.
Well Lillian? Was that thorough enough? (TEN PAGES IN WORD?!?!?!)
I hope that I have not offended anyone with my views. I didn't mean to. Please don't flame me unless you have something that is seriously worth reading.
As everyone gets back into the theatre after being in the toilet, having an eat or drink we here music again bring us back to the land of CATS.
ACT TWO
The first part of the second act is really a beautiful song named the Moments of Happiness. Old D. sings the first part of the song whilst the cats below 'pose' in stiff figures. Then Jemima rises up and begins to sing her VERY impressive solo.
Moonlight, turn your face to the moonlight,
Let your memory lead you,
Open up, Enter in.
If you find there the meaning of what happiness is,
Then a new life will begin.
Jellylorum (THIS IS THE BESTEST PART FOR SINGING!!!) then leads out an old cat named Gus. He sits down and she introduces him as Asparagus, however the tribe just call him Gus as Asparagus is such a fuss to pronounce, that they usually call him just Gus. Jelly has often been seen as his daughter but I prefer to think of them as mates or something along those lines as she sings the whole Griddle/Growl thing with him. She sings (In the first australian one) the most beautiful solo. He then sings about how he used to be a star of the highest degree and that he was given seven 'cat-calls' once. His ending sentence is:
And I once played Growltiger,
Could do it again,
Could do it again.
1 The last sentence is heard over and over again until it fades out.
The next scene is cut from the VHS version as Sir John Mills was blind and couldn't play a dance part like Growlie had to play. I personally think that John made the best Gus.
Growltiger's last stand is certainly my most favourite scene, next to Mungo and Rumple. It is mainly a story of how everyone was scared of Growltiger as he was a pirate. They are almost as scared of his as they are of Macavity. They tell how he hated Chinese cats – Persians and Siamese as they cut off one of his ears and gouged out one of his eyes. They (meaning the toms who are dressed up as his crew) tell us how evil he was and everything. Then the queens (Who are the Siamese and Persians.) tell us how they are coming to attack him. The music is very fierce and scary sounding up until then but then it suddenly gets slower and more (dare I sound cliché but..) 'romantic.' Out comes Griddlebone (who is realy Jellylorum dressed up) who is a beautiful white cat with feather boas and a lovely wig. There are two different 'romantic' songs that they sing together. The first one was the 'Ballad of Billy Macaw' which is a beautiful song that they sing together. The other one is an Italian opera which is the bestest song for singing. (Cori – Hey dumo.. you've already said that about a different song) (DoN'T CaLl Me DuMo!) They finish that song with a terrific high note and then
!@#$%^&*CRASH!@#$%^&*
Is heard and one of the male cats is heard saying, with complete silence behind him:
Then with a fearful burst of fireworks the chinks (Please see author's note at the end about this)
They swarmed aboard!
Abandoning their sampans their pullaways and junks….
They Griddlebone she gave a screech for she was badly skeered!
I'm sorry to admit it but she quickly disappeared.
The term 'Chinks' when these poems were written (1930's) was considered allowable. I think it is a terrible term up with things like nigger etc. Andrew Lloyd Webber must have had a VERY good reason to keep it in his musical. Personally I would have changed it but I didn't write the musical so I can't.
The ending of this wonderful song (which is a pun on Madame Butterfly) is wonderful. (Cori – That takes the cake for the worst sentence you have ever foisted upon us) Growltiger is 'forced to walk the plank'. The final words of the scene is an incredible build up towards a huge crescendo on the word 'BANKOK'. It is the best.
We then cut back to see Gus (who all this time has played the part of Growlie) singing:
These modern productions, are all very well,
But it's nothing to equal,
From what I hear tell,
That moment of mystery,
When I made History,
As Firefrorfiddle, the fiend of the fell.
THEN we get the wonderful SKIMBLESHANKS!!! YAAAAAY!! Demeter in the video starts this off terribly. I know I shouldn't be bagging her out but if you listen to all the recordings they have good STRONG beginnings. Aeva May (Demeter) has a wonderful voice for jazz but not for the beginning of Skimble (Cori – Quit while you're ahead girl). Skimble is the railway cat. He makes sure that everything is correct. It has (the song) the best harmonies in it. It's sooooo good. Skimble is dubbed in the video as they wanted an Irish accent. Which is rather sad. I think it is a crime to dub someone who can sing as if they had wanted someone with an Irish accent they (The Really Useful Group) shoul have gotten someone from Ireland. Skimble is the funniest song. Check out Rumple's cute little sneeze.
At the end of Skimble we get another Macavity scare. Demeter and Bombi are the ones left on stage with a few of the queens and toms hanging around on the edge of the stage. Demeter stays in center stage whilst Bombi retires to lay herself down on er… something. But she sits down so as she can 'show- off' every 'part' of her. Demeter stalks around the stage as if frightened of something jumping out at her and then starts singing the MACAVITY song. This is the part of the movie that she is best at, as I said before she sings this song better than any other song. She tells us how Macavity is the 'evilest' of cats and whenever a crime is commited it's always by him even though they have no evidence and he's never at the scene of crime. She sings the first verse then along comes Bombi in her sultry voice singing the second. They continue telling how no one is as bad as Macavity, even his 'henchcats' who are know as:
Mungojerrie (in the original they mentioned Rumple as well) and Griddlebone.
Then finally the rest of the queens come out and dance one of the 'we're do sexy' dances. At the end of this song we get another Macavity scare. But this time, it's for real. Macavity and his 'henchcats' (One of which happens to be our darling Jacob!!!) 'steal' Old D. Macavity then fights with Munku which is a very 'energetic' fight. (How many of you knew that Plato and Macavity are the same person.. or was that Admetus and Macavity… meh?) Macavity then uses a large pair of spark plugs to put the lights out in the junkyard. (Ever wonder where the lights came from) (Cori – Trust me, you don't want to know. Tumble and Pounce rigged it up somehow) (Tumble and Pounce are the equivalent of Fred and George Weasley from Harry Potter.)
The cats are all in despair that their leader has been 'stolen' from them. Cori and Tanti sing:
1.1 We have to find old Deuteronomy
And then comes Amy's fav cat! Rum Tum Tugger introduces him with the words:
You ought to ask Mr Mistofolees the original conjuring cat. Please, listen to me, and don't scoff! All his inventions are of his own bat. He holds all the patent monopolies for causing amazing illusions and eccentric confusions. (Someone shines a torch on him at this point so that we can see him in all his glory)
He then sings:
The greatest magicians have something to learn, from Mr Mistofolees conjuring turn! And we all say Oh well! I never was there ever! A cat so clever as Magical Mr Mistofolees!
Misto then says "PRESTO" and the lights turn on again. Amazing….
He tells us how Misto (to lazy to write the whole thing out okay!) is incredible in that he can make seven kittens appear right out of a hat.
Misto then does a little dance in which he pulls a large sheet out of a cup and a red one out of the old car. With this sheet he puts Cassie underneath it and 'transforms' her into Old D. (In true fact they have just switched places as she goes down an old pipe that he just came out of) Old D. 'thanks' him but then he just 'dissapears' in a wonderful flash of light.
Jemima then stands up and sings the second of her solos. Quite an incredible soloist is Veerle. Even though it wasn't her own voice I have been told she does have a beautiful voice. And I believe that. She sings:
Daylight,
See the dew on a sunflower,
And a rose that is fading,
Roses wither away,
Like the sunflower,
I yearn to turn my face to the dawn,
I am waiting, For the day.
Then Munku pops up from… somewhere and gives his little speech:
Now Old Deuteronomy,
Just before dawn,
Through a silence you feel you could cut with a knife,
Announces to cat,
Who can now be reborn and come back to a different Jellicle life.
We then hear the oboes playing a pitiful tune. All the cats turn away as Grizzie enters again. She walks out to center stage. She knows that she is unable of dancing so she expresses her feelings in song. She sings how she is trying not to give in, but wants to die. This song is soooo moving. (I can't believe that Barbara Streisand would dare insult Elaine Paige by trying to sing it.) She sings her last note, and collapses. Many of the cats have turned around and are watching her with a slight tinge of concern. But then we hear the sweetest of voices raising above all of them. Jemi begins to help Grizzie by singing:
Sunlight through the trees in summer,
Endless masquerading,
(Grizzie Joins in here)
Like a flower as the dawn is breaking
Then Grizzie continues:
The memory is fading!
Touch me! It's so easy to leave me,
All alone with the memory,
Of my days in the sun!
If you touch me,
You'll understand what happiness is!
Look a new day, has begun.
She stops before hobbling away and puts her hand behind her back. Victoria, with little apprehension gets up and places her paws in Grizzie's and then rubs her cheek against them. FINALLY! All the cats have accepted Grizzie. They continue 'passing' her around. Until she reaches Munkustrap who above all the others disliked her the most. He then passes her hands over to Old Deuteronomy who through a fanfare of trumpets leads her to the 'old tyre'.
The rest of the cats begin to sing the 'passing on' song.
Up, up, up past the Russel Hotel
Up, up, up, up to the Heavieside layer (Those two repeated about three times and then)
Up, up, up past the Jellicle Moon
Up, up, up, up to the Heavieside layer
(Repeat Twice)
The Mystical divinity,
Of unashamed felinity,
Round the cathedral rang
VIVAT.
Life to the everlasting cat.
The final song in this musical is one of sadness and great longing in the audience is felt that the musical is closing! NOOOOOO! The final song is the Adressing of Cats.
Mainly Old Deuteronomy sings this and yes I am a lazy writer and I refuse to type up the song. (Cori – It wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that you are typing this in English and Mrs Wade is wondering why you are typing away while nothing is being said would it?) (Well…..) The cats join in on the choruses, there is a second, and much more magnificent chorus which is:
A cat's entitled to expect,
These evidences of respect,
So this is this,
And that is that,
And that's how you address a cat.
This is sung twice. If you listen you can here a beautiful almost unsingable descant in the last line of the second time around. And so ends CATS. I have the luxury of being able to see it anytime I want with my video if it. (Which is essential to any fanatic). And yes, my popcorn is empty and much of it scattered around the room from my constant attempts at copying the dance moves.
Well Lillian? Was that thorough enough? (TEN PAGES IN WORD?!?!?!)
I hope that I have not offended anyone with my views. I didn't mean to. Please don't flame me unless you have something that is seriously worth reading.