Names Of Characters In The Musical Cats

Front 1

Asparagus / Gus

Back 1

The theatre cat. On stage the same actor usually plays Asparagus as a general chorus cat, and a younger version of Gus, up to the song "Gus the Theatre Cat," in which he portrays an older Gus, and Growltiger, then afterwards continues to play younger Gus, "Asparagus." In the filmed version, Gus and Asparagus are two separate characters.

Front 2

Bombalurina

Back 2

A saucy red female. She sings a duet with Demeter.

Front 3

Bustopher Jones

Back 3

A fat cat, a "twenty-five pounder." Dresses in a snappy tuxedo and spats. Respected by all, as the upper class "St James' Street Cat." In most productions, the actor playing Gus also plays Bustopher, though in early productions the part was handled by the actor playing Old Deuteronomy.

Front 4

Coricopat

Back 4

Male twin to Tantomile. The conventional stage action suggests that Coricopat and Tantomile are psychic cats, they sense the presence of danger before it becomes apparent to the other characters.

Front 5

Demeter

Back 5

A very skittish female cat. She unmasks Macavity when he disguises as Old Deuteronomy.

Front 6

Grizabella

Back 6

The former Glamour Cat who has lost her sparkle and now only wants to be accepted. Grizabella left the tribe when she was younger to see the world for herself. In doing so she faced the harshness of the outside world.

Front 7

Griddlebone

Back 7

A fluffy white Persian cat, and Growltiger's lover in "Growltiger's Last Stand," where she sings "The Ballad of Billy M'caw" or the mock Italian aria "In Una Tepida Notte" (depending on production) with Growltiger. Almost always played by the actress playing Jellylorum. Does not appear in productions which omit "Growltiger's Last Stand," such as the video production.

Front 8

Growltiger

Back 8

A theatrical character Gus recalls playing in his youth, and who appears in Gus' memory of the production of "Growltiger's Last Stand." In some productions he is portrayed as a vicious pirate; in others he's more of a parody of a pirate. Does not appear in productions which omit "Growltiger's Last Stand."

Front 9

Jellylorum

Back 9

A female who watches out for the kittens, along with Jennyanydots. She has a close relationship with Gus. Named after T. S. Eliot's own cat. The actress who plays Jellylorum usually also plays Griddlebone in "Growltiger's Last Stand."

Front 10

Jemima

Back 10

A kitten who is also a Rum Tum Tugger fan and friends with Electra, Etcetera, and Victoria. Can be sometimes used interchangeably with Sillabub, though Jemima is used in most international productions including the video — Sillabub was a name created for the American productions. However, the Japanese and Swedish casts include both Sillabub and Jemima as different characters.

Front 11

Jennyanydots

Back 11

The old Gumbie cat. She sits all day and rules the mice and cockroaches at night.

Front 12

Macavity

Back 12

He is the show's only real villain. The character is a literary allusion to the Sherlock Holmes character Professor Moriarty. Usually played by the same actor as Plato or Admetus.

Front 13

Mr. Mistoffelees

Back 13

A young tom with magical powers. His signature dance move is "The Conjuring Turn," which is approximately twenty-five spins on one foot.[citation needed] In UK and US productions, Mistoffelees has an alter-ego named Quaxo, who appears as a general chorus cat throughout the show, and is dressed slightly differently. In other productions Quaxo is a separate character.

Front 14

Mungojerrie

Back 14

Half of a pair of notorious cat-burglars, with Rumpleteazer. Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer are most commonly remembered for their unique dance number where at the end, they both latch onto each other and do a "double windmill" across the stage.

Front 15

Munkustrap

Back 15

The show's de facto narrator. A black and silver tom who is storyteller and protector of the Jellicle tribe. He is thought to be second in command after Old Deuteronomy.

Front 16

Old Deuteronomy

Back 16

The lovable patriarch of the Jellicle Tribe. He is very old and dignified. The leader of the Jellicle Tribe.

Front 17

Rumpleteazer

Back 17

Female half of a pair of notorious cat-burglars, with Mungojerrie.

Front 18

Rum Tum Tugger

Back 18

The ladies' tom. His temperament ranges from clownish to serious, and often sexual depending on the production; however, he is always flirtatious, and usually portrayed as a feline equivalent of Mick Jagger or Elvis Presley, and recognisable by his wild mane.

Front 19

Skimbleshanks

Back 19

The railway cat. An active orange tabby cat, who lives on the trains and acts as an unofficial chaperone.

Front 20

Tantomile

Back 20

Female twin of Coricopat. The name was created by T.S. Eliot for a "Witch's Cat".

Front 21

Victoria

Back 21

A pure white kitten gifted in dancing. The "official" Jellicle Ball begins with her solo dance.

Front 22

Admetus

Back 22

A young cat, who in many productions, also doubles as Macavity. In the video, he doubles as the Rumpus Cat. Generally productions have either Admetus or Plato filling the same function.

Front 23

Alonzo

Back 23

A black and white tom in most productions; in the US and the early European productions, he is depicted as being a black and gold tabby. Sometimes considered the third in command after Munkustrap as he also fights Macavity.

Front 24

Bill Bailey

Back 24

Primarily from the London production, a young white and brown male. Sometimes interchangeable with the character of Tumblebrutus.

Front 25

Carbucketty

Back 25

The name was one of T. S. Eliot's ideas for cat names for a "knockabout cat." Sometimes interchangeable with the character of Pouncival.

Front 26

Cassandra

Back 26

A brown and cream Abyssinian queen, with a braided tail. Unique and somewhat mysterious.

Front 27

Electra

Back 27

A tabby kitten who seems to be friends with Etcetera as well as a fan of Rum Tum Tugger.

Front 28

Etcetera

Back 28

A happy, energetic kitten who is a big Rum Tum Tugger fan. She is generally a pale tabby pattern.

Front 29

Exotica

Back 29

A female character who first appeared in the filmed version, and was a role initially created specially for Femi Taylor. The character also appears in the South African and World Tour.

Front 30

George

Back 30

A young patchy male kitten. Only appeared in the London production.

Front 31

Ghengis or Gilbert

Back 31

The leader of the crew of Siamese cats who lead to Growltiger's demise. Usually played by the actor who portrays Mungojerrie, Tumblebrutus, or Coricopat. In Japan Gilbert is a separate character.

Front 32

Plato

Back 32

Teenage male cat; the actor usually doubles as Macavity. He does a pas de deux with Victoria during the Jellicle Ball.

Front 33

Pouncival

Back 33

A playful tom kitten, generally interchangeable with Carbucketty.

Front 34

Rumpus Cat

Back 34

A spiky-haired cat with glowing red eyes, as mentioned in "The Awefull Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles," seen as a sort of superhero figure among the Jellicles. Does not appear in productions which omit the song "The Awefull Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles." Usually played by Alonzo or Admetus. In some productions the actor is launched through the floor stage via a "star trap".

Front 35

Sillabub

Back 35

Broadway version of Jemima, although the Japanese and Swedish productions include both.

Front 36

Tumblebrutus

Back 36

Young brown and white male kitten. His UK counterpart is considered to be Bill Bailey.

Front 37

Victor

Back 37

Primarily a character from the London production, a young grey male.