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miasiegert · 8 months

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Hi Cats Tumblr People,

So I heard you like pics.

Please bear with me (AND TEACH ME) how Tumblr works/if I'm doing it wrong! I'm literally the "How do you do, fellow young people?" meme. Our Etsy is linked (unless I messed that up!) Right now it's bare (LOT of work and VERY old photos in the banner) but we'll be posting some cossies soon that are ready to retire. Some of our prices sadly will have to rise (we undercharge honestly for the amount of time put into them... we just LOVE making them). Anyway...

These are our original designs. We have taken inspiration from different productions, from the US tour to Gothenburg to Australia to Japan, less UK because it gets the most attention and we like COLOR! but this is all us. Our goal is to a) have characters be recognizable and b) make swing unitards in palates that could pass as at least 3 characters for emergency. When our rentals go out, swing unitards go with them, and ultimately it's the director who decides what makes the final cut (so a less yellow Demeter for example--but we LOVE that one).

If we ever do a production of Cats with Chaz, you'll notice one in Red, White, and some Black (but mostly Red and White, with fan ears, that is a design David created and is Chaz's FAVORITE design of all time. Any time he does a show, if we're hired, that costume goes. Usually Electra, but any ensemble/swing kitty and can cover for Sillabub or in a pinch Bombalurina. Yuka wore it at Interlakes before she did Victoria on the last US Tour! You might notice an Admetus in tans and GREEN undertones--that was my design he loved. We also did the purple twins (which was vetoed and I said, "Okay" then did it anyway because I knew he'd love it, which he did!), and REBA Gumbie Tap Suit was completely mine (everyone thought I was out of my MIND when I started making it! Even David! Then the shoulder pads came, and the belt, and tail, and BEDAZZLING!!! SO MANY RHINESTONES!!!!) Our Misto coat lights up but we still have a lot to learn about arduino since we'd eventually like to make it blink to music. The Misto coat is also created to fit a multitude of sizes, basically the theatre using their department for alterations since we make use of stretch fabric. I've known Bronson for almost as long as Chaz (he even designed my author website!!!) so when I saw him cast, I showed him his costume (a much, much browner/redder Gus than most see--I was serious about liking color) and let him choose between two coats. He said he wanted pants and we went, "NO! PANTLESS PRODUCTION!" because we thought he was joking! We didn't realize... HE REALLY WANTED PANTS!!!! SORRY BRONSON! So shout out to Wichita for making him pants! LOL!

There is a HUGE joke about Tumble thirsting for Tugger more than the girls so you'll notice that with the Tugger ABOUUUOUOUOUOUOUOUUUUUUUUUT THAT.

Hope that's of interest! And no, I'm not procrastinating on edits when my agent deadline is Sunday. Haha... ha... ha... ha... ha... Sera, if you're reading this I PROMISE I'M WORKING OKAY??? I DIDN'T KNOW WE GOT ON BROADWAYWORLD!!!

We also saw some comments about casting in general and some confusion/questions about different dancers doing different parts (Alonzo vs Plato). Would anyone be interested in learning more about the casting process in general and things that directors/choreographers need to take into consideration? Please note, I will not discuss ANY performers we work with. Ever. All are extraordinary and these are tough calls that aren't easy to make and based on other factors, including the ensemble at large, and sometimes huge changes are made.

#cats the musical #cats musical #cats musical cosplay #cats cosplay #cats musical wichita

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shepherds-of-haven · 5 months

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“I always forget Halek is pretty strong physically. To me he's always like gumby or something strength wise lol”

How would Halek and the others react to hearing MC say this?

Blade wouldn't comment on it out loud, but inwardly he'd be like 'what a tactical error. he's sol of the reach for a reason--a title which must be earned and defended through combat. it'd be foolish to underestimate him'

Trouble: "lol oh yeah, I guess I think the same! I never even realized that lmao 🤣"

Tallys: she's seen Halek in berserker mode so she'd definitely disagree with MC, she never forgets how strong he actually is lol

Shery: she'd try to politely change MC's mind, like "oh, really? i tend to think he's quite strong, the other day he helped me carry five boxes and he did it all by himself..." (her gauge of the shepherds' strength is quite innocent because she rarely sees them in combat lol)

Riel: "hm. yes, but i suspect he does that on purpose to avoid drawing attention to himself. it's probably rooted in his resentment towards his position as a prophesied messiah" (takes all the fun and humor out of a casual comment)

Chase: "yeah, it's like, is he a giant or a beanpole? i think it depends on what he's standing next to. ......hey, when i'm standing next to him, do i look short or normal-sized or tall. be honest"

Red: (was too distracted thinking about where the word 'gumby' came from and why everyone seems to know what it is to take heed of the comment)

Ayla: "lol yeah it's because he exudes the pathetic energy of a wet cat"

Briony: "whattttt no way, to me it's the opposite, it's like his big giant strong arms could just pick us all up and keep us safe forever! 🥺"

Lavinet: "i could see it, darling. he's so, ahem, work-adverse that he almost seems boneless at times. sometimes i'm surprised he doesn't melt into a puddle on the floor"

Halek: he'd be mildly offended by this... he's plenty strong in his opinion lol...! but he probably wouldn't dwell on it enough to do more than make a sarcastic retort, like "gee, thanks..."

#Shepherds of Haven #Halek #Halek Prince #all characters #gumby

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realreulbbrband · 4 months

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Guys, Bustopher deserves better, so here's what I'd imagine he'd do in the rest of the show if he didn't disappear from existence after his song. (hypothetically)

(Reul totally doesn't have a white rose and mole Bustopher bias.....)

quick clarifications before we start!

Bustopher won't be in his song costume when "old Deuteronomy" happens or for the rest of the show. So, imagine him in a sort of chorus costume in this, like Jennyanydots after the Gumbie Cat number. (like the image below but with more white areas)

But because he's fancy, he would be dressed this way if it were entirely up to me, and I could choose. It would also somewhat lessen the shock factor (at least for me) associated with Grizabella wearing clothing when nearly everyone else is completely naked. Instead of dressing like a huge, stuffy coat with a giant tail, he wears suspenders in my imagination, and the look is still suitable for the remainder of the performance.

Also note that Asparagus and Gus are different characters to me, and that applies here. Sorry if that's bothersome.

ACT 1

"Mungojerrie & Rumpleteazer"

He shows back up at the end of Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer after the two are caught and everyone's surrounding them; he's still quite shaken, thinking they are Macavity, and so he hides behind Asparagus, who's walking towards the crowd, clearly annoyed at the two. When he does get close enough, Bustopher peeks at the action before stepping away from his fellow tom and huffing, crossing his arms. He collects the "swag bags" (seriously, why are they called that?) off Munkustrap and Alonzo and waddles off stage. Where the actor would then change into the chorus costume.

"Old Deuteronomy"

The Jellicles sing old Deuteronomy, and around midway, Bustopher shows up again, leaning by the oven. He smiles at how enthusiastic everyone is over the arrival of the jellicle leader but isn't too pushy to greet old Deuteronomy himself.

(In my headcanon, the two run into each other outside of the junkyard, often due to Bustopher being "the cat about town" and Old Deuteronomy being known in his poem for sitting in the street on market day.) Bustopher simply greets him with an acknowledging nod and smile as he arrives.

"The Awefull battle of the Pekes & the Pollicles"

He sits at Deuteronomy's side, just behind where Victoria does during the number. Despite being close by, Bustopher isn't as generous as old Deuteronomy is when it comes to the Pekes & Pollicles performance. Not in a cruel sense, but more like he can't help but raise a brow and laugh as everyone keeps messing around. Maybe even sparing old Deuteronomy some telling glances when the Rumpus cat shows up late.

(I skipped the Jellicle Ball because I honestly don't think he'd do anything noteworthy if he were to be one of the dancers or realistically off stage like Old D and Gus.)

ACT 2

"The Moment of happiness"

If we're doing a transitional thing, I think he'd purposefully sit next to Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer just to make sure they don't start giggling during the song or messing around with everyone else. He'd probably shush them, though, and gesture for them to sit. Other than that, he'd listen and repeat like everyone else.

"Gus the theatre cat"

I think it would be funny if Bustopher sat next to Skimbleshanks on top of the car boot. Probably to catch up and enjoy the song, but when Skimble inevitably starts falling asleep, Bustopher feels offended on behalf of Gus and Jellylorum and tries to wake him by bapping Skimble's paw or tail. Skimble still falls asleep, however, and Bustopher simply rolls his eyes and enjoys the rest of the song. It's bittersweet at the end of the day, but enjoyable none the less.

"Skimbleshanks the railway cat"

Bustopher's a little cross with Skimble after what happened before but gets over it quite quickly and joins the other elder cats watching on the tire. I think it would be kind of funny if Bustopher wasn't aware they were going to be building a train (because his visits are occasional) and sort of got roped in to holding the umbrella, or better yet, one of the pipes. He's confused and keeps turning to the cat beside him for guidance, but comes to enjoy it. Even when the train breaks down.

"Macavity's appearance"

Macavity appears. Bustopher out. I want him to be the first one to run off too. It could be a nice running joke. But yeah, I think he'd leave before old Deuteronomy even gets kidnapped; he's that scared of the red bastard.

"Magical Mr. Mistoffelees"

Going from Mistoffelees being an eager fan and respecting Bustopher so much as if he were family, I think it would definitely encourage him more if Bustopher was cheering him on along with everyone else. I think it would be nice if he stood next to Jenny here, after she's disappointed about not being selected, Mistoffelees's assistant Bustopher gives her a pat on the paw, and they sit and enjoy the magic and celebrate with everyone once Deut's back.

"Memory"

I think this is the first time Bustopher's seen Grizabella? So you bet he's taking longer to turn around and look her in the eyes. Other than that, that pretty much had the same reaction as every other cat in that scene. Anyway, when Grizabella is welcomed back, I think it would be nice if Bustopher shook her paw instead of just brushing against it. "But Reul, they're cats!! Tugger does hip thrusts and fist pumps. Bustopher can shake paws."

Anyhow, that's all I got for him, but I think with different actors, this process and how he interacts with the jellicles could be very diverse and interesting. I'm all for reimagings, and this post was kind of an excuse to do that or a "what if," especially with a cat as underappreciated as Bustopher, which is no doubt because of his lack of stage time. I think a few more moments with him could really make him more memorable and justify him having a song rather than cutting him and his song completely.

for you: @kirbyssketchbook

#bustopher jones #cats the musical #Long post #This is mainly my own interpretation of Bustopher so maybe my details are a little off but I thought doing a post like this would be fun #Also If I didn’t include a song it’s mostly because I don’t think bustopher would do anything interesting there / his song hasn’t happened #yet

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ambyandony · 6 months

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i also love the Rum Tum Tugger - Mr Mistoffelees dynamic yes i do ship them they have a good dynamic and good chemistry

"jellicle cats come out tonight" u first mistoffelees

one of my favourite parts is how in the last bit of The Rum Tum Tugger when the girls are squealing over tugger, if you look in the background u can see Mistoffelees on the pipe on the left side and if you watch his reactions it's just so KLNCFLNVNS there's so much tension at first he's shaking his head disapprovingly but then if you look at the second bit he's making little hand-wavy motions (kinda like how the girls are) like he's trying so hard to control himself. and then at the last note tugger holds you can see him sort of take a deep breath and look bewildered

hes like "tch.." and then he's like "oh..." and then he's like: Oh.

(THE ITALICISED OH)

and then you get this

its giving "…am i interruptin somethin 🤨 " "UHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"

literally the funniest screencap of the whole musical i think especially bc not only does mistoff make this startled expression as if he's been caught doing something he's not supposed to be doing (despite literally just vibing (he has anxiety)) he also completely freezes up and the other cat (not sure who) just lets go of his hand and continues on like nothing happened KLDVNFKLDNVDKLNVKLSFNL

ALSO SOMETHING THAT MAKES THE MISTOFFELEES TUGGER DYNAMIC SO SO GOOD TO ME IS HOW MISTOFFELEES LIKE. he embarrasses himself at the start of the old gumbie cat and is visibly distressed and the kittens make fun of him for it. but he opens the trunk with his magic anyways and then like hides behind it

and hes directly said to at least appear shy and i definitely get a meek read on him. this boy is the shyest drama queen this side of the heaviside layer. he loves to perform and then any time he's not performing he's self-conscious and nervous,,,

and rum tum tugger sings an ENTIRE HYPE SONG FOR HIM

the "please listen to me... and dont scoff" at the start i might mention, 'dont scoff at my boyfriend he is very sensitive and i will kill you dead'

also in Magical Mr. Mistoffelees, rum tum tugger says "i've known the family to call him in from the garden for hours / when he was asleep in the hall " so like are they living in the same house with the same family or does tugger just frequently break in because the latter is my personal belief and way funnier

he makes this motion like cmon baby during the line and mistoffelees is like . hang on why were you at my house for hours ?

(mistoffelees vc) "why, just the other day, i had to help rum tum tugger out of a bedroom drawer, but im not terribly sure why he was in the house to begin with" rum tum tugger (famously prone to getting stuck in drawers): 😎

tugger is basically flirting with mistoffelees the entire song NEVERMIND the lyrics but the way he moves towards him and the way he articulates when interacting with mistoff,,,

gives him a little look like 'are you sure you're confident in my abilities' 'OBVIOUSLY????'

look dad thats my boyfriend. yeah he appearified you out of nowhere. yeah he does that a lot.

also on the subject of Magical Mr Mistoffelees its SO funny the way Mistoff acts he seems very surprised by his own capabilities / unsure of his own power so of course he just starts blowing shit up

Rum Tum Tugger: hey everyone have you heard of Mister Mistoffelees. hes fucking incredible. super talented. smart. bit cute Mr. Mistoffelees: so anyways, i started blasting

i also love Tugger getting really close to Misto and then backing off, I imagine because he snaps out of it last second and remembers that misto has been going around blowing shit up for the past 3 minutes so maybe he should give him a little space "i know he can do incredible shit. im not really sure what all he could do, however i am aware that he could set me on fire or blow my dick off, which is something id like to avoid, yknow i kinda value having that so ill just uh, stand over here for a bit"

anyways, i think theyre very cute

#ALSO MISTOFFELEES LITTLE “PRESTO” GETS ME EVERY SINGLE TIME HES SO CUTE?#cats the musical #cats the musical posting #mr mistoffelees #rum tum tugger #tuggoffelees #im completely normal about this musical #amby yells

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yoa-artblog · 11 months

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The Shiki Cats Post TM

28.05.23 Show

I had the chance to see Cats in Nagoya last month and I still can´t believe it! I was also able to meet an internet friend who also loves the show and it was overall such a nice experience <3

Some pics are blurry but I was shaking haha, shiki was one of my most wanted to see shows, the photos I had seen were always so colorful and looked like so much fun! It did not dissapoint, tough it was very different to the 98 movie (the version I'm the most familiar with) and the past Intl. Tour (The only other version I've seen live) so I was furiously writting notes on things that stood out to me soon after the show.

• Tantomile (she looks like Cassandra) is the first cat you see on stage.

• They do the trapeze bit for jellicle songs for jellicle cats!!!!

• Munk was 😳😳😳 very good voice, super cute with the babies.

• They have both Syllabub and Jemima, Silly is the kitten, the one that helps Griz out, Jemima is a young adult cat.

• The gumbie trio were Tantomile, Jellylorum and Jemima.

• The beetles had wings they could move around as part of the choreo.

• Tugger has one yellow, spotted leg and it makes him look like he's wearing those pants with only one leg??? Very slutty, we love that for him.

• Munk sings the terrible bore line.

• Jellylorum sings the curious beast line.

• Grizabella still has the old cat design, we love to see it.

• Jerrie and Teazer don't do the cartwheels 💔💔💔💔💔

• Teazer is the cutest thing ever though, she was so fun!! I couldn't stop looking at her the whole time, she's already one of my faves but she is PERFECT in shiki.

• There was a little bit where Teazer and Tanto were cuddling behind Old Deut and Teazer kept pawing at her for attention and I melted.

• Pekes and Pollicles is still Munk's number through and thorough. The dog costumes were very cute and there were many different versions and "materials".

• The Rumpus Cat suit has muscle padding?????

• Shiki said Bombastrap rights and I owe them my life. You could see them cuddling on the bg at various points through the show.

• Pass de deux is performed by Tumblebrutus and Cassandra. (Cori and Tanto designs).

• No orgy???? They do dance in pairs but there's no """cuddle""" pile.

• Overall less horny and more playful.

• Tuxedo Mask Macavity my beloved!!!!! I think that's a very fun design for Mac asldjclsjfjskd but the threatening factor is negative, he just looks very fluffy and cute.

• Mac's fur texture and length is very similar to Old Deut's so that's nice!! Loving the family resemblance.

• They do Growltiger!!! I loved seeing the boys in their little pirate costumes 🥺💖🥺💖🥺

• They choreographed the sword fight so the clanks would match the music and it was SO COOL.

• Jelly had such a nice voice.

• SKIMBLESHANKS THE RAILWAY CAT THE CAT OF THE RAILWAY TRAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

• Skimble has a little hat and my friend was telling me they change it for every city to match the uniform of the train conductors in that city. HOW CUTE IS THAT!!!!! 🥺🥺🥺🥺

• The girls are the passengers while the boys are the seats during the play pretend bit asdfkgjslnf

• The fake train has a window so you can see Munk is playing the conductor 🥺🥺🥺

• They also used a teapot as the chimney and it makes teapot sounds, I just loved everything about this number okay!!!!!

• The Macavity fight is a little weird because he doesn't take Munk 1v1 but rather is everyone against Mac from the beginning.

• I really wanted to see this specific Munk fight because of... reasons, so that's a bummer 😞

• Demeter has a deeper voice than what I usually hear for her, I really liked it.

• They let toms join the Macavity number!!!!!!! I was tunnel visioning into Munk but I'm pretty sure Alonzo and Tumble were there too.

• Misto comes down the rope!!!!!!!

• He does a lot more magic tricks, including making things and other cats fly.

• You can hear thunder crackling when he manipulates light, that was a very cool detail.

• Misto and Tugger have a lot of shared choreography, they do several different BFF handshakes 🥺

• Victoria is Misto's assistant for the big trick.

• Sillabub is the one who touches Grizabella first.

• UFO Griz

• They did this very cute thing after final bows where they kept coming to the stage as long as people were still clapping. They went and came back to the stage again at least 7 times until the theater turned up the lights 😹

#cats #cats the musical #cats 1998 #cats the movie #shiki cats

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fipindustries · 5 months

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my own take on the doctor

of course i toyed with very many different iterations on how i would like to write my own regeneration of the doctor, i have done everything from the manic to the somber, from the affable to the stern, from the artist to the scientist.

the most recent one that i actually got really invested in would be this: Jennyanydots the gumby cat, mixed with Minerva Mcgonogall and Mary Poppins, but the one from the books. The Mary that was a lot more serious and maybe even a bit menacing while still being a whimsical magical nanny.

we've had our fair share of manic, energetic, wacky doctors. and we've had our fair share of bombastic, larger than life passionate doctors giving these big poetic speeches about how heroic they are and what is the meaning of kindness and how much of a big damn hero they are.

here i would aim for a more pragmatical, phlegmatic doctor. one who lets the impact of her actions speak far louder than words. she would walk in, back straight, face calm into any battlefield and with devastating brilliance stop the entire conflict without so far as getting a spot on her clothes. this would be a doctor of precise, clear words. one who doesnt break frame and who is tightly in control of herself at all moments, who always knows how to follow protocol, wether it be the proper manners for drinking tea amongst airborn psychic cephalopods, how to properly land a ship careening into a colission course with the rings of a planet orbiting a neutron star or how to tie your shoelaces.

of course there would be place for fun and whimsy. She would be the kind of teacher who chides her students from misbehaving or pulling a prank but then couldnt help but let a cheeky vulpine grin slip into her face at the end because, fair enough, the prank was rather clever.

she would affect this really prim and proper attitude and yet an unexpected cuss or a completly deranged statement would come out of her, said with the most serious face ever. her humor would be as dry as paper, with which she would make a paper plane to fly over the enormous heads of those she is mocking.

she would show the wonders of the universe to her companions with the genuine love and passion for knowledge and learning as miss frizz or jane godall, if there is a moment where she has no compunction in getting her hands dirty it is when it comes to getting on her knees in the mud to enthusiastically teach someone about a really weird 4th dimensional fungus that only grows on the aurora borealis of planets.

of course her attitude doesnt stop her from being cosmopolitan and affable, she would have a kind genuine smile for every single person she meets wether they be a drunken brigand in the 16th century with a heart of gold or a creature made entirely out of slime, no person would be ever beneath her no matter their class, station, biology, identity or species. and she would try to instill this same attitude to her companions, for example

-please, do not stare dear, it is rather rude -but doctor! they have seven eyes! -well, dont let that make you self concious about your conspicious lack of eyes then

Her design

for the sake of diversity points, and also because i think it would look genuenly cool, i would go with a middle eastern woman in her 50's, with an air of math teacher, but also emphasizing her adventurous side.

couldnt decide between these two. maybe the fist but make her a bit less balenciaga hot, a little older, probably a little less "ethnically ambiguous" (thanks dalle-3). or the second with the hat of the first one and no hijab (it feels weird for the doctor to have like explicit religious attire, imagine seeing them with a crucifix)

if she wasnt french i would choose Laetittia Eido

sadly she's french so we would have to go with the closest birtish equivalent.

Her regeneration In

i would try to break tradition so that she regenerates before the third act of the current story. usually regenerations happen AFTER the mayor conflict has been dealt with and the bad guys defeated, in here i would have it so that she regenerates and then goes on to defeat the bad guys, with the previous doctor deliberatly pulling it as an ace up his sleeve, last ditch attempt or a last minute power up.

the way to make it clear who she is would be that, whilst the previous person regenerated spread eagle, arms in the air, she would immediatly snap into a more tight pose, then do a series of checks for eye sight, hearing, pulse, and hand eye coordination. (she is taking her sweet time to do this while explosions are going all around her) afterwards she shakes off the dust of her shoulders and says something along the lines of "well! now that that is quite done... back to bussines" and she goes on as if nothing happened.

if there is a companion nearby kicking up a fuss about how how strange this all is have her patiently but firmly explain this is all perfectly normal and no reason to make a big deal out of. if the companion or whoever insists that she used to be a man and now is a woman have her do some pithy comment like "i am a gallifrean, dear" or maybe "is not that much difference between one or the other, is it? although i suppose for you humans there is"

her overall arc

I like to think of each regeneration as saying something about the doctor as an overall character, each one's overall personality being an evolution or a response to what he did before. 9 as the weary, ptsd ridden man trying to process the recent war crimes in the time war, 10 as the man in the process of falling into denial and megalomania to cope with the guilt, 11 as the manchild who regressed in emotional maturity to be fully compartimentalized away from it all. then comes a break after going back to fix the time war and once he got rid of the guilt and the horror of having killed his entire race he is left confused, not knowing who he is any more, 12 is a way to take one final look back at who he used to be (the fact the he is back to a classic who look, a cranky old man with a stern look) whilst figuring out who he wants to be moving forward. and then 13 was her exploring new ground, reinventing herself, starting fresh. (although ill admit, i am not really familiar with jodie wittaker's tenure as a doctor of if this holds any water through out her series).

in an individual sense, her arc would be about going from a hypercompetent hardass, who uses her expertise and intelect to be a bit aloof and keep people at arms length because deep down she is afraid that if she is not perfect and in control at all times then the horrors happen, companions are left to die or worse and civilizations fall. and turning into someone who can relax a bit, who can trust others to handle things on their own, who can relax and not have to be in perfect form at all times.

within the larger context of the series i would like her to be in some sense a return to basics, her going back to the original formula, to what has proven to work in the past. is in many ways the doctor struggling to find comfort in old habits but eventually learning that she can move past them. i will leave it open to whoever comes next to decide what they want to do with the doctor afterwards.

her bowing out

i would have her regeneration being finally the one moment of big sentimentality in her series.

she is with her companions, in fact i would have her be surrounded by a multitude of people she just sacrificed for, many of them the friends and allies she made through the series.

i would have her try to keep her cool at first, put on a brave face for her friends but then deciding that its ok, for once to be vulnerable and allowing herself to break into tears ("i must confess... i am rather afraid of this whole process, i always am, and i always try to face it with a brave face but... maybe for once...i just wish it werent so") and the multitude of people she saved console her and reassure her that she did great and that she will be fine. for extra schmaltz i would have an orchestral rendition of "for she's a darling good fellow" play in the background. one final teary smile from her by seeing all this support, maybe even an actual bow or a curtsy and then finally letting go by saying "thank you my dears"(*), cue regeneration.

(*) yes, this is in fact a reference to the musical cats, fucking sue me.

#doctor who #dr who #the doctor #fan fic

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pinksilvace · 4 months

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Fern guides their mutuals and followers through Cats 1998 as if we're all sitting on the same couch watching it and I'm shouting out stuff (2/?)

MASTERPOST

Character Wiki Pages

This time around, we're getting to some of the character songs!!! Jennyanydots and RTT ahead:

5: The Old Gumbie Cat

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Okay, first off, I'm obsessed with the staging here... literally every kitten and kitten-adjacent character is paying attention (Plato and Bill Bailey are in the back upper-left of this shot) and then you've just got. Alonzo and Cassandra. Two characters that famously do not care about some other members of the cast. Why is this so funny

These faces also get me every time... the perfect image of bewilderment and regret

Anyway, this is another example of the kitten characters literally being lower than the others. Coricopat and Tantomile's ages and how they're presented tend to vary wildly from production to production (they kind of do their own thing), but aside from them, I think the only adult cats on the ground are the aforementioned Alonzo (who's there because of Munkustrap), Cassandra (who's there because of Alonzo), and Asparagus, though the camera notably never focuses on any of them. Everybody else is either standing or elevated à la Bombalurina, Demeter, Skimbleshanks, and Jellylorum.

One of my absolute favorite things about Munkustrap across productions is how he moves. He and Skimbleshanks come to mind as the cats with the most distinct affects (aside from examples like Tugger, who has clearly manufactured his mannerisms to an extent). I'm not sure what to call the aesthetic of this motion, but I'm obsessed with it.

And, gosh, Michael Gruber's voice is heavenly.

Skimble's cute little gesturing at her!!! Even when I was little, I was under the impression that these cats would get along. I don't know if it was because of the character acting, the fact they're both ginger tabbies, their similar ways of directing folks around, or what, but I've never seen a version of Skimble and Jenny that I didn't think would get along. It's no wonder they're so commonly shipped.

These are all (female) kitten characters playing the role of the mice, which brings us to one of the biggest questions anybody who gives this show too much thought will ask: what is the Jellicle Ball? Obviously, there's a number named that later on, but is it just a dance number, or is it the entire show?

I tend to see and agree with the interpretation that the Ball takes place over the course of the whole show, as Jellicle cats of every kind are invited and encouraged to attend. If not, then I think it would be a bit surprising to see so many cats with collars - and, we can infer, owners - showing up this early, even if the goal is to be there before Old Deuteronomy.

In that case, we reach the question related to this segment: what does this look like from the cats' side of things? I'd always thought of it as the classic "when there's too much [x] for words, you sing" principle of musical theater, wherein songs are used for emphasis and the things that happen during songs are either not literal or heavily exaggerated, but I know some folks also think of each number in Cats as a rehearsed piece, which is canonically the case for one of them.

Realistically - as much as any of this can be considered realistic - I imagine it as a combination of the two. Jenny and Skimble's numbers might very well be rehearsed. Tugger's probably isn't.

The fact that the mice are all portrayed by female kittens, which is a relatively specific demographic of the characters, makes me think (story-wise, not practicality-wise) they were specifically chosen for the roles of the mice.

The way Skimble copies Jenny's movements here reminds me HEAVILY of how Tugger copies Mistoffelees' movements during his number at the end of the show... alright alright I'm getting on board with this one

A few things with this bit:

1 - Pouncival is reprimanded #1

2 - I love that '98 used actors generally representative of the characters' ages. A lot of casts - post-revival US casts specifically come to mind - tend to have Jennys and Jellys that seem exponentially younger than the ones portrayed here, and with a title like "The Old Gumbie Cat," there's an expectation that Jenny, at least, should have a sense of age about her. This isn't a dig at other casts or anything - those actors still do a phenomenal job - I just really like this presentation.

3 - I've posted about this in short spurts before, but this song/poem might just be my favorite to analyze. I wrote my first-ever college essay about Jennyanydots. Part of what makes me love it so much is how much meaningful exposition it gives, but it's also one of the more prominent examples of Eliot's bigotry seeping into his poetry, and an example of how the staging of Cats actually reduces it.

I'm far from the first to point any of this out and I am far from an expert, but let's dig into some lyrics:

She is deeply concerned with the ways of the mice— Their behaviour's not good and their manners not nice; So when she has got them lined up on the matting, She teaches them music, crocheting and tatting.

To address the behavioral issues of the mice, Jenny introduces hobbies to them - namely, music, crocheting, and tatting (another sort of fiber art relating to lace creation). An argument can be made over the practical labor of crocheting and tatting, but music is often associated with leisure - time away from work, or time spent performing for the leisure of other people.

Depending on how one looks at this, this passage could point in two directions. These skills could have been used to familiarize the mice with work commonly associated with being dainty and ladylike, with the hope the mice would become much the same. They could have also been introduced as a way for the mice to perform highly detail-oriented work for somebody of higher standing: Jenny herself. Either way, this passage rings with a mildly classist tone.

As she finds that the mice will not ever keep quiet, She is sure it is due to irregular diet; And believing that nothing is done without trying, She sets right to work with her baking and frying.

This one is a bit more straightforward. The wording "irregular diet" implies, to me, that access to food (and/or "good" food) is the problem here, i.e. lack of access to food prevents the mice from holding a sense of propriety about them. While these lyrics do not make a judgement about that, they do potentially make an association between food insecurity and unruliness, which, again, rings with classism.

She thinks that the cockroaches just need employment To prevent them from idle and wanton destroyment. So she's formed, from that lot of disorderly louts, A troop of well-disciplined helpful boy-scouts, With a purpose in life and a good deed to do— And she's even created a Beetles' Tattoo.

The first two lines from this verse are extraordinarily direct; I don't think I have to explain how the idea of "going to work and getting a job will prevent unruly tendencies" is rooted in bigotry. What makes this bit even more specific is the last line about the Beetles' Tattoo. For those unfamiliar, I'm fairly certain this is the kind of tattoo this line references:

So, not only does the Jennyanydots of the poem seek out employment opportunities for the cockroaches; she does so with what can be interpreted as militaristic intent, thinking it will give them "a purpose in life."

I don't really feel like going into how all of this connects to ideas irl, but you get the gist. So, how does Cats make all of this better?

It plays everything completely straight.

No, seriously.

The troubling bits of Eliot's original poetry come through, in large part, the use of metaphor; in Cats, the cats are actually cats, the mice are actually mice, and the cockroaches are actually cockroaches. All of these characters are literally different species at different spots on the food chain, but that's not the best part.

The best part is that the mice are portrayed by the female kittens and the cockroaches are represented, principally, by the male kittens. Rather than mice or cockroaches, this performance can be used to represent how Jennyanydots corrects the behavior of unruly little girls and unruly little boys. Combined with other lines from the poems and alternate productions, such as those about her cooking for the mice, she becomes much more of a maternal figure.

What about the Beetles' tattoo?

That's the name of the tap number. That's all.

Yes, many of these implications remain in the lyrics, but it just goes to show how important careful staging is and what a difference it can make. Isn't it just so cool?

First-time viewers may be thrown off by the cuts in this number. The original VHS release couldn't handle a very long runtime, so this is the compromise :(.

I've always loved this little lean Cassandra does.

Pouncival is reprimanded #2

6: The Rum Tum Tugger

youtube

YOU NEED TO KNOW THAT THIS MAN IS JOHN PARTRIDGE. YOU NEED TO SEE HOW GREAT HE IS. I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT HE PERFORMED IN CATS FROM 1989 TO 2005. AT AGE 18 HE EARNED THE ROLE OF ALONZO, THE DANCE CAPTAIN, IN THE ORIGINAL UK TOUR.

I've never seen another Tugger move quite like him.

I'm pretty sure Pouncival is the one doing the backflip here

AGAIN. I LOVE THAT THIS JENNY HAS SOME AGE TO HER. I LIKE THAT SHE WALKS HUNCHED. I LIKE THAT MUNKUSTRAP IS HELPING HER UP.

For fic reasons, I've previously had to keep track of Pouncival during this song, and if I have to know that he disappears between these shots, so do you.

Also, I'm not adding images for it because I'm running out, but the amount of wingmanning Plato does in this number is unreal.

This is the part where, were I actually sitting on a couch with my non-Cats mutuals watching this, I would look over at all of your faces to see your reactions to somebody treating the Rum Tum Tugger like this. Usually, nobody cares :(

^^^This is my second-favorite bit of choreography in the number. The idea of Tugger intentionally tripping up Pouncival and Tumblebrutus just to mess with them is really funny to me. He's literally playing around with the kids. Why do I never see anybody talk about this

^ This is my favorite bit of choreography in this number because nobody I show this to, whether they enjoy the experience or not, ever forgets it.

They

And the little sequence of looks they do...

Welcome to my favorite character detail in this number. "Is it-" yeah it's alonzo catsthemusical. We're talking about him again. My friends are tired of hearing me point this out every single time but I LOVEEEE that the characters rubbed the wrong way by Tugger are the older cats, who are sitting at the back of the stage, Munkustrap, who is standing in the back because Tugger is his cringe middle schooler brother, and Alonzo, who is as far away from and above the front of the stage as possible without physically falling off the set.

I love when Tugger hates him back. I love when Tugger doesn't acknowledge him whatsoever because he doesn't think about him whatsoever. Bonus points for monochromatic siblings enjoyers, since Alonzo here then gets to take on the perspective of "my bestie's cringe middle schooler brother is dating my middle schooler brother and it sucks." There's no losing here.

These two are literally me. Ignore the crotch. Sometimes I think about getting a cat and then I remember "I'll leap on your lap in the middle of your sewing" and I'm like haha yeah no... no can do sir...

THE THOUGHTFULNESS THIS SHOT GIVES TUGGER!!! I know he'd normally be going through the audience but the fact the director said "hey what if Demeter is having a Moment and this curious cat snaps her out of it" is mwah. Chef's kiss

yeah.

Literally, how did I ever watch this number without paying attention to Pouncival

I no longer have picture privileges but there's also a little detail near the end here where Tumblebrutus nudges Skimble and Asparagus to make sure they're paying attention. These two kittens <3 <3 <3

#fern muses #fern's 1998

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hockeynoses · 2 years

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Obsessed with your writing!! Could we possibly get more of allergic Steve? I don’t have a certain prompt in mind but the way you’ve written him in the past is very chefs kiss

I didn't expect to churn this one out so fast, but I liked that it was vague and then my imagination took over!

Summary: Steve, Eddie, and Robin all live together. Robin is cat-sitting for Vickie, and Steve is allergic. 💖 1.3k

Rating: 18+ This is pretty tame, but it includes kinky!Eddie and there's one mention of his man-parts. 👌

~*~

“We’re back!” Steve announces to the apartment as Eddie follows him in, arms full of grocery bags.

“Okay!” he hears Robin respond from her room down the hall. The two boys set the bags down on the kitchen counter and start to put the groceries away. Eddie pulls out a box of cookies and smiles at Steve, waggling his eyebrows exaggeratedly.

“Those are for later,” Steve says, snatching them away and placing them in the cupboard.

“Aww, you’re no fun,” Eddie pouts.

“We gotta make dinner fi-hir- ha-ehXXT!” he sniffs, “First.”

“Bless you,” says Eddie, giving him a teasing wink.

“Thanks. So, for dinner, did you want to do the pasta or the burg-heh- J-Jesus – hih-EKSSH!” He finishes, stifling the sneeze into his fist. Eddie just raises his eyebrows at him, watching. Steve rubs at the tip of his nose with the back of his hand, trying to quell the growing itch there. “I don’t know where these are com’bing frob,” he says, congestion creeping its way into his words.

“It’s a little late for hayfever…” Eddie says, glancing at Robin’s closed bedroom door. Steve is aware of his predilections, but he tries to keep everything under wraps around other people. There was only so much he could get away with when Robin was home.

As if summoned by his thoughts, he hears the creak of her bedroom door and her soft footsteps padding down the hallway.

“Hey guys! What’s for dinner?” Eddie’s eyebrows just about reach his hairline when he sees her holding a small orange tabby cat in her arms.

“Whadt is that?” Steve asks, hand still pressed to his nose.

“This is Jennyanydots.” Robin says, holding her up and smiling proudly. Seeing her statement met with blank stares, she continues, “The Gumbie Cat…? From CATS? … Andrew Lloyd Webber?”

“Band nerd,” Eddie teases, glancing from Robin to Steve, whose face is starting to contort in preparation for another fit.

“heh’RRSH! iihh-TISHH! kx’GSHT!” He bends forward with the force of them, catching them in his cupped hands. “Whad the fugk is it doing here?”

Robin rolls her eyes. “It’s Vickie’s cat, and I’m watching her for a week while her family is on vacation. Their regular cat-sitter had to cancel at the last minute.”

“Robidn, I’m ah- allergic to caaa- ha-TSCHH!”

“To cats,” Eddie finishes for him, eyeing Steve with amusement and barely concealed interest.

“You can’dt have a cadt in h-here for a w-week! Hih-knxxt!”

“I’ll keep her out of your room!” Robin says.

“Thad’s nodt… ha-GKSHU!” He scrubs his nose angrily. “I cadn’t just stay in mby roob for a week!”

“I can think of-” Eddie starts to joke, and decides it’s probably for the best when he’s cut off by-

“iihh-KSHH! Heh-tssh! …IITCHuh!” Steve grips the counter for support, coming up dizzy in the aftermath.

“Nevermind,” says Eddie, a faint blush dusting his cheeks.

“Keep her in your own roob!” Steve argues.

“No! She has to have space to roam free! If I keep her locked up in my room, she’ll hate me and I can’t have Vickie’s cat hating me, Steve.”

“Whadt about mbe?” Steve asks, gesturing to the mess his face is starting to become. Eddie thinks he should probably grab him a tissue or twenty.

“You said your allergies weren’t that bad!” says Robin.

Having had enough of the yelling, Jennyanydots jumps from her arms to the floor, leaving a cloud of fur in her wake.

“I… hih’KXXT! Okay, bmaybe I was downplaying themb a bidt.” Steve punctuates his words with a thick sniff. Eddie looks back and forth between them, entertained but also wishing he could get Steve alone.

“I mean…” Robin looks at Steve with worried eyes. “You’re not going to die, right? Like your throat won’t close up or anything? I cannot have your death on my hands! The kids would kill me.”

“Ndo, I’b dnot going to die. I’ll ju-huh-st ha-ESSH! Heh…eh-KIIISH! I’ll just wish I was dead,” Steve says, swiping a knuckle under his nose.

“You’re being dramatic,” a hopeful accusation from Robin.

“ihh-ISShoo! Really?!” At this point, Eddie finally decides to run off in search of tissues for his boyfriend, jogging toward the bathroom.

“Don’t you have medicine you can take for it?” Robin says, eyeing the tabby who has sauntered her way over to wind between Steve’s legs.

“Yeah, but- H-hey, gedt-hih gedt thad thigg away frob mbe- hah-ghXXTch!”

“Aww, she likes you!”

“I’b serious, Robidn! EXXTCHH!” He sneezes into his hands, glaring at her from above his fingers.

“Alright, alright, I’m getting her!” Robin grabs the cat and steps several feet away from Steve, but the damage has already been done. Eddie returns from the bathroom clutching the box of tissues, and the first thing he sees is Steve’s face, eyes closed, nostrils pink and irritated. His breath is hitching desperately, mouth open, and he knows the next fit is going to be a big one.

He shimmies up to Steve’s side, plucking three tissues from the box and setting it on the counter. He slaps them into Steve’s open palm and watches as the other man steeples them over his nose. Moving to stand behind Steve, he snakes his hand from Steve’s lower-back around his middle, fingers sneaking under the hem of his shirt.

“I’ll save you if you get dizzy,” he says, trying to keep his voice light. He glances at Robin, hoping she won’t think anything of it beyond Eddie being his usual weird self. She takes that as her cue and realizes she should take the cat back to her room for a bit so Steve can collect himself.

She turns and heads down the hallway with an earnest, “Sorry Steve! Take your meds and we’ll continue this discussion later! Good luck!”

The only response is an echoing, “ha-RSSSH! ESSHHH! ih-hih…gshHOO! Fugk.” A brief respite allows him to catch his breath, but not for long. With him plastered to Eddie’s front like this, Eddie can feel every hitch, every desperate inhale. He strokes his thumbs against Steve’s stomach, feeling the soft hair there and the defined muscles that contract with every sneeze.

His voice is low and muffled against Steve’s shoulder when he asks, “You got more in there for me?” He feels Steve’s breath hitch as he presses a kiss to the back of his neck. Knows the other man can feel his semi-hard cock digging into the top of his ass.

“heh…ihh-Ha’AETCHHoo! Ah…heh’RRSSShh! IIXXSH! Kk’SHU! Ughh,” he groans, gasping for breath, bent over from the force of them and dizzy with it. Eddie’s arms are firm around his waist.

“You’re doing so good, baby. Get it all out,” Eddie says, running his hands along his sides. Steve’s skin is warm with exertion. “Do you need-”

“HA-ESSSHHuh! F-fugk, I- hah…ihh’ESSSHHOO! I cadn’t- hih’RESSSHH!” Curled forward, panting, Steve uses the temporary lull to blow his nose, the crackle of it echoing in the kitchen.

Seeing that the clump of tissues in Steve’s hand is pretty much decimated, Eddie frees one of his hands and leans over to snag a few more from the box. He holds them out in front of Steve who blinks the tears from his eyes and swaps them for the soaked bundle which Eddie sets on the counter. He’ll clean it later, he thinks.

“Guh…dnot ah-agaidn… ESSSH! Hih…hah-ATTSCCHoo! Fugking ca-hah-ATTSSHH!” Eddie holds him steady, hands skirting the tops of his hips. “Why did idt have to be a cadt?” He leans his head back to rest on Eddie’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry, baby,” says Eddie, pressing a kiss to his temple. “We should probably head to our room and get you some meds.”

Steve gives a careful sniff, checking that the fit is mostly over. “Yeah,” he says as Eddie disentangles himself and leads him down the hallway.

“ha-eh’XXSH! We should’ve got mbore Claritin at the grocery store,” he says, holding the crumpled tissues under his leaking nose. “Hih-IISHH! kk’ISSHT!”

“We’ll get more tomorrow,” Eddie says, closing the door to their room and finally pressing Steve up against it. It’s going to be a good week.

#ste/ddie #snzfic #snz fic #snzblr #yes I WAS obsessed with CATS the musical on VHS when I was 10 why do you ask?#anyway yummm I love exploring the different spellings for Steve's allergic snzs specifically #I almost wrote a different fic where they were in a dusty library but this came out instead #I would actually commit murder if it allowed me to be eddie in this situation #snzfics #snz fics

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