#this was my first time drawing Skimble i think

[jellicle-shifters-au]

all aboard

a little au i’ve had knocking around my head: what if demeter, after escaping macavity, hid away on skimble’s train?

---

“Tickets please! Yes, yes, thank you very much! Have a wonderful trip!” Up and down the aisle, Skimbleshanks punches tickets one by one and hands them back to the passengers. He punches each one and hands it back in record time, moving easily down the line. An empty booth here and there makes it a little easier, but then—

The next booth he comes to is empty…except for the young woman he finds tucked away under the table, in a stained threadbare white t-shirt and fraying gray sweatpants. She stares up at him from the shadows with wide green eyes, somehow tucked so far underneath in just the right way that passenger after passenger had walked right by her without seeing her. But he’s seen her, and he sees the fear in the woman’s eyes, the desperation.

She doesn’t move a muscle, doesn’t breathe, doesn’t blink, the entire time Skimbleshanks stands there, ticket puncher in hand, as still as the woman under the table. And all he can do is stare at her.

Where did she come from? When did she get on the train? How long has she been there? Skimbleshanks knows everything that happens on his train, sees everything, but somehow he’d missed this young woman sneaking aboard and hiding herself under the table. 

Who was she? Why is she on the train? He stares at her, his shock morphing into curiosity, because she looks vaguely familiar. Her face is gaunt, her black hair mussed and tangled and on the brink of greasy, dirt and tear stains across her face, but something does indeed look familiar about her? Where had he seen her before?

It hits him all at once. Seven months ago, a young woman had gone missing in the dead of night on her way home from work. Her case had been on every news station in the area, her face flashed up on screen with a number to call if anyone had any information.

Demeter Mayweather.

Wherever she’d been, she found her way out, and she’d found her way to Skimble’s train. 

And still, all he can do is stare at her.

He doesn’t know what to say to her without drawing attention. Passengers are already settled into their seats, ready and waiting, and pointing out a stowaway on board is only going to bring Demeter more anxiety. And with the way she’s tucked under the table, with the way she stares up at him with tears welling in her eyes, begging him not to say anything, begging him not to throw her off the train, attention is the last thing she wants. 

So Skimble says nothing.

Instead, he blinks for the first time in what feels like hours, while Demeter's eyes never leave him, never blinking, never letting him out of her sight for more than a moment, and looks over at the booth next to her. Another woman is sitting there with her sleeping infant, and above them, the window in the stowaway’s booth is opened. 

Hm.

That could cause a breeze, couldn’t it? It could wake the baby.

Skimble tucks his hole puncher into his belt and slides into the seat. “Excuse me, miss,” he says, more to Demeter than to the woman in the seat on the other side. But, of course, he doesn’t want to accidentally hit any passenger in the head with his elbow. He shoves the window up until he hears it click into place. These windows can be such pesky things, not wanting to close and all. “I don’t want the baby to get cold.”

“Oh!” the mother says, looking over her shoulder as he does. “Thank you.”

“Of course!” Skimble slides out of the booth. He gives the hidden woman a little nod as he steps back into the aisle. You’re safe.

She gives him the tiniest nod, so tiny he thinks he might imagine it. But she blinks finally, and settles herself into the wall for the long ride ahead.

#hoping for a brighter day: demeter #demeter cats #skimbleshanks #cats the musical #cats 1998 #shapeshifter au #skimbleshanks is a good egg #idk if i'll continue this #but it was fun! #i do have an idea of what would happen next

[skimblyshanks]

Ok so @thunderwhenhepurrs asked me to explain Macavigus and seeing as it's a house I built myself on solely headcanons this is only fair 😂

But this is me so it's a very long story

It's built on 3 main things, 2.75/3 of which being pure personal interpretation

1. Macavity is Old. but also not. but. ok, so aliudshf. One of my headcanons since I got into the show in 2016 was that Macavity is in the same Age Group as Gus, Old!Griz, and Deut (My thoughts and age hcs for Grizabella fluctuate wildly nowadays).

2. Macavity is the true identity of Rumpus Cat. I made A Whole Series of posts breaking this down. Certain backstory specifics have changed but the general outline is still something i adhere to.

3. Rumpus Cat was Always Gus' Show First. Based, of course, on the US revival+UK-International Tour, where he plays the Rumpus Cat. The show is always, of course, somewhat associated with Old D, since pre-2016 stagings were directed toward him in-universe and led by Munkustrap, all during Act I, but when Gus and Deut are usually understood as very close...

So. aksudhf.

I tend to hc, When Gus, Deut, Macavity, and sometimes Griz were all in their younger days, that Gus and Macavity were a Thing. And like. Macavity wasn't a great dude but like. Most of the messy stuff happened behind the Rumpus Cat persona. basically OG Jekyll-and-Hyde style, letting out repressed urges under another name, this time just also under the guise of a vigilante. (There's nothing explicitly heroic abt Rumpus Cat in the lines themselves, it's all in the staging and the cats relating to cats)

BUT, and here's where things get REALLY Pepe Silvia. And also just go full in on Magic Macavity. So like I mention in my previous 3-post series, I think Macavity is. Literally undead asufhlasdiu. He's old, he's smelly, he's losing his fur, he's emaciated. How does he maintain an appeal? Well, we do know he's literally hypnotic, and along with that all the cats give off enough fae vibes that like. Glamour. BUT ALSO the force that's keeping him alive draws on resentment and hate so he just becomes a more vile little goblin every day.

So Anyway. Back long enough that Deut was young. And Macavity gets fatally wounded while out Rumpus-ing. And Gus is devastated, obviously, but like. you don't stop living. So he moved on. WHAT HE DIDN'T KNOW was that The Power Of Hate had revived Macavity bc he "died" under the Jellicle Moon, Unchosen, full of Betrayal and hate, and also a living vessel of intense magic that still cannot be truly matched bc Misto, Jemibub, Psychic Twins, etc., all have either different types of magic, or different levels of manifestation and i'm getting sidetracked asudiyh. Anyway he died but came back but at this point, no one knows that. And Gus is moving on with his life and finds new love and somewhere in there we get an Asparagus Jr and a Skimble! And Macavity is in the shadows watching like

I introduce 2 more ideas here.

1.Rumpus Cat's being Gus' Show means, not only did he take on the role but he also effectively wrote the show. It's a memorial piece. He and Deut would have the cat equivalent of parlour readings a lot to get through the first year or so they presumed Mac was dead.

2. Even into the present, Macavity is an Urban Legend. No firm basis for this just the vibe i picked up coming back to the show 2019-2020.

So. Eventually Mac's gotta stop laying low. And would you look at that Gus' replacement goldfish just died how sad. So he starts popping up like. Right after she's put to rest and Gus is like "???? You died????" and Macavity, who is so jealous and bitter but putting on his best charm is all "!!! I got better!!!!" And Gus is very sad and he JUST lost his second love and also he has small children he will not turn this down ok he is not ruining this for himself. And Macavity gets this seed planeted as he like. barely exists around the kids that. tiny minds are malleable. And he starts triangulating them a bit to see if he can pull it off and Gus kinda notices so he's like "hey stop it." and Mac's like "ok -crosses fingers behind his back-" And. Keeps doing it obviously just encourages them not to physically go at each other aliudhflisadf. It ends up endangering one of them (probably skimble bc he's the smaller/younger one aliusdhf) through negligence bc dad wasn't home and he and his brother were perpetually mad at each other now. Probably wasn't anything super duper serious but. still rattling for Gus, Jr, and Skimble; still v easily avoidable; and are we sure Macavity had no hand in it?...

And at that point Gus is like "get the fuck away from me and my kids you demon" and--he does, And he goes to build his own evil cat crime kingdom. But key notes, you know, is that he could indeed manipulate kids. Tugger, Platometus, Bomba, and Demeter, along with Jerrie and Teazer, were all born after his reach was established like they grew up in his territory. But those are all their own stories and what's important to this one is that Eventually he sees Tugger and is like "hm. this child is malnourished and still stocky. I like the potential here." and """offers""" to take him on as protege. But Tugger is harder to break than skimble and jr were, or maybe Mac just wasn't good with someone who pushed back, especially if he had no grudge with them or their father. Either way; Tugger likes practicing fighting and brawling and stuff, but the kids got such a stupid little moral core. Buzzkill. So eventually Mac is like. Done with him. But he's not letting him go back home, oh no. He wants leverage against Demeter and he can't have that if she knows where her brother is.

-Oh yeah somewhere in here, too, is the Ball where he kills Victor in front of little Munk. And Gus. Was p certain Munk wasn't making things up from his emotions when he described his brother's killer.-

So he brings him to Gus. And Gus is like "how tf are you still alive not only did i watch you die but like. you looked like death the last time i saw you and my sons were tiny now they're grown and you barely look worse." and Mac is like "yeah funny that here have a preteen." And then nopes out again maybe or maybe not after a night together once more. And Gus is like "I'm not Deut having all these babies I don't want to deal with this kid 24/7 so Tugger basically spends his time between Gus and the Deutfam.

And after all of this Gus looks at the old play he wrote and is like. "I can't believe I ever mourned you" and it ends up hidden away for a while until eventually like. older teen-young adult Munk is sniffing around and he finds it and he is a theatre kid and Uncle Gus how come you never showed me this one before oh my god can I adapt it no no no need to thank me I promise I'll do it justice" before Gus can be like "so Munk I think we should have a talk about The Rumpus Cat and some puzzle pieces your old man does not have like at all like I really think you don't want to do this."

Which is why, along with offstage reality reasons of course, he isn't there for Act I versions of it. In the US Revival it is explicitly suggested by Deut. And Deut, if he's put together all the pieces, hasn't shown it. And Gus is like. My bro wants to see the show, I'll do it and I'll do it for him and myself. Fuck Macavity man anyone can be Rumpus Cat now. and surprise surprise Deut and Munk actually set the whole thing up as a surprise for Gus bc again. They don't have the pieces, they don't know RC=Mac. Not until later that night aslduhfsldf

AND SO, WHERE THE SERIOUS/RIDICULOUS DICHOTOMY COMES IN IS HERE LISADUHFALISDUHF

Because when Macavity gets scared off and electrocutes himself/disappears like. He's still out there. He just did a batman villain escape and they're always back at it by the next week. So after that there's 2 main ways I see them.

One, Serious: Perhaps redemption arc? Very very gradual, longer than it sounds writing it down, but Gus has no real other reason to hang on from his own perspective, and Macavity just looks so fucking pathetic. So he starts hiding out in the theatre and slowly just. cooling his ember of hatred. But that ember is what's keeping him alive. They die together 🥺😌

Two, Joking. this part of worthikid's Palpatine video

and they just have this kind of dynamic bc Gus has to wait in a really long queue to get reincarnated once he dies bc he doesn't die The Choice so he's bumming around and Macavity can see him bc Undead, but also Macavity just. Spites the world by living. Will he ever die? Who fuckin knows man, but he's a lot less dangerous after getting his ass handed to him by a whole group of cats at once. Kids cartoon show villain.

#Macavigus #jkhgfdgh #this is a default macavity for me but not a set in stone one #for stuff like actually shipping demecavity #or munkcavity #or both at once aiusilfsdf #or pouncicavity for the moots asudhfl #those are not with this macavity #this macavity has part of his character written around macavigus aisduilf

[itsmyregularcat]

Influenced by @white-cat-of-doom, and his Cats dream cast (please check it out), I have made my own.

This is going to be a tough one to figure out, but here is my Cats dream team, as of today.

I wish to see more productions to be better informed in my choices, so I need to get on some bootlegs I guess! (Some choices are actually going to be based off of assumptions of how the actors portray them).

I already know a bunch of my choices are going to be from the Broadway Revival (because I really like that production), and almost all are going to be from newer productions because I am way more familiar with them.

In alphabetical order:

Admetus / Macavity: Thomas Inge (Asia Tour 2017/2020 and UK International Tour 2018/9)

I quite like the Macavity redesign for Vienna 2019 and Asia 2020, so he gets the nod just for this. Otherwise, he is an established Admetus and seems to have fun with it.

Alonzo / Rumpus Cat: Fletcher Dobinson (Asia Tour 2020)

I have never seen him perform as Alonzo, but he has this energy about him I cannot really describe. From short videos I have seen, he seems to have a 'snarky' side, and just has a hell of a time flirting about with everyone during curtain calls. He has the moves.

Bill Bailey / Tumblebrutus: Kolton Krouse (Broadway Revival 2016 / Cats 2019)

They can fly with the best of them. Their flip in with the ball during the end of the Old Gumbie Cat is a cool addition. No strong feelings for this character though.

Bombalurina: Rosemarie Ford (Cats 1998)

If anyone exemplifies what it means to be Bombalurina, I think Rosemarie wins. The duality of caring attitude and scornful nature, combined with her moves and her voice all make her a top pick. Also, slightly older Bombas I feel are better?

Honourable mentions: Christine Cornish Smith (Broadway Revival 2016) for sure, Suzie Melloy (Asia 2017/2020), and Tanya Valenzuela (Mexico 2018).

Carbucketty / Pouncival: Joel Morris (South Africa 2008 / UK Tour 2013 / Palladium 2014 / International Tour 2016)

He does a relatively good job being juvenile, but not annoying in his role. Him screwing around during Tugger's song, Moments Of Happiness, and Skimbleshanks is actually endearing to a point. No strong feelings for this character though.

Cassandra: Mariah Reives (US Tour 6)

Another pick I have never seen during performances, but she looks like a good Cassandra. She is really pretty and appropriately tall, so ¯\_( ツ)_/¯. Bonus points for her lighting up during Misto's song.

Honourable mentions: Jessica Buckby (2013 UK Tour), Danielle Cato (International Tour 2019), and Emily Pynenberg (2016 Broadway Revival)

Coricopat: Corey John Snide (2016 Broadway Revival)

He pairs up very well with my top Tantomile pick, and cannot realistically be separated. This legend was also a dance captain, involved with Cats 2019, and did a split track cover of Coricopat and Jennyanydots during his run.

Demeter: Zizi Strallen (London Revival / Palladium 2014)

Real talk, I love her as Tantomile in Cats 2019, and her singing voice is beautiful and distinct. Her as Demeter is a good bet, and she gives off a happy vibe during less serious points of the show. That happiness she puts in 2019 Tanto is what she did with 2014 Demeter.

Honourable mention: Lisette Pagler (Gothenburg 2006 / Stockholm 2009). The OG grey Demeter. She is absolutely beautiful, and her non-rep portrayal design is neat. She is also an actual singer in Sweden, so her voice is top notch. I really like her as Demeter. Also, Ella Nonini (International Tour / Asia 2020).

Electra: Leah Sue Morland (Cats 1998) or Lili Froehlich (2016 Broadway Revival)

I cannot reasonably pick one over the other, I have disproportionately strong feelings for both. Lili made me fall in love with Electra as a character (and I mean, look who my icon is!), and Leah cemented it before and after me seeing the Broadway Revival. They both make a modest ensemble cat seem so much more important. One of my favourite Cats across any production.

Etcetera: Jo Bingham (Cats 1998)

Boundless energy and happiness rolled into one bouncy cat. No one had a better time during Cats 1998, and for a cat that does not appear in many production afterwards, Jo just said f*ck it and did whatever seemingly came to mind to forge a legacy. Biting Coricopat’s ass remains a landmark moment in cinema. One of my favourite cats in the film without a doubt.

George: Frank Thompson (Cats 1998)

He is sort of always there, enjoying himself. If I would cut a cast member, George would be it. Sorry George.

Gus / Bustopher Jones / Growltiger: Rory Campbell (UK Tour / Zurich / London)

Dignified Busto. A good Gus that does not play off too much about being old and decrepit. If done properly, Growltiger (for the sake of Griddlebone) should make a return to more productions. Remove the total racism and the open misogyny inherent to many portrayals of Growltiger, and make it strictly about the lovers.

Grizabella: Jennifer Hudson (for real) (Cats 2019)

I know this one will ruffle feathers, but her sad sap performance is quite unrivaled in Cats. She brought the gloom and the dejection of being casted out to life. Her singing Memory is powerful as all hell, and filled with emotion. She wins the screaming match.

Jellylorum / Griddlebone: Freya Rowley (Cats 2019)

At this point you are probably thinking, ‘my lord, what the hell is this person on about?’. Freya does not sing in the movie, and is just a background cat, but my god is she the best cat there! During her time with actual stage productions, she was a principle Tantomile, and covered Demeter, Jelly, Jenny, and Cassandra as swing. I know she can sing (even though I have never heard it), and I want to hear / see her as the most novel Griddlebone around. Big orange energy - get with it.

Honourable mention: Sarah Jean Ford (2016 Broadway Revival)

Jemima: Veerle Casteleyn (Cats 1998 / London / Dutch Tour)

The most vanilla choice, but she was the face of Jemima / Sillabub and the Cats ‘franchise’ when the 98 film first came out, and rocketed her character to great importance and notoriety. They used her for promo shots after the movie came out realizing how popular her character had become. Veerle is the innocence of youth personified. By the way, I am taking her without the overdub.

Honourable mention: Arianna Rosario (2016 Broadway Revival / US Tour 6) and Dawn Williams (UK Tour 2013)

Jennyanydots: Eloise Kropp (2016 Broadway Revival)

A younger Jenny still as wild as any other. Her greater involvement during the show is also cool to see. The changes they made to the Broadway Revival may irk some, but the Gumbie Cat scene with the choreography change is my favourite I have seen so far. Eloise does a really good job, and has a chaotic energy that draws me to her.

Mistoffelees: Laurie Davidson (Cats 2019)

On my pursuit of pissing off the purists, here is another controversial choice. He provides a character development that I think would work out well on stage. Imagine it for a second, with Tugger or Munk hyping him up. No Mistoria though.

Honourable mention: Joseph Poulton (UK Tour 2013 / Palladium 2014)

Munkustrap: Jack Rebaldi (London / Madrid / Paris / Dusseldorf / German Tours)

The man is a serious Munk, who is versatile with his portrayals. He gets so into playing the character, and seems to be having a great time doing it. Plus, how the hell can someone do Munk in English, Spanish, French, and German in the course of three years? Madness.

Honourable mentions: Robbie Fairchild (Cats 2019) and friend-shaped Michael Gruber (Broadway / Cats 1998)

Mungojerrie: Drew Varley (Australia 1993 / London / Cats 1998)

One half of the chaotic duo present in Cats 1998, with an oustanding level of dumbassery and foolishness that encompasses Jerrie. He encapsulates that attitude very well, and pairs perfectly with my top Rumpleteazer.

Honourable mention: Dante Hernandez (Mexico 2013 / 2018)

Old Deuteronomy: Nicholas Pound (London / UK Tours / Palladium 2014 / International Tour)

A bit of a different choice, considering most people would likely pick Ken Page (and for good reason). Mr. Pound has a great voice, and welcoming vibe. Behind the scenes, he is a chaotic Old D. Plus, his name is Dick Pound.

Rum Tum Tugger: John Partridge (UK Tour / London / Cats 1998 / Berlin / Dusseldorf)

Velvety smooth voice, swagger coming out the hip thrust, and a playfulness suitable for the rockstar cat. No contest with this choice. He also does not play of RTT as being childish or over the top (*cough 2016 Broadway Revival / US Tour 6*), which is appreciated. Sorry Tyler Hanes, your vlogs were delightful, but your Tugger was a bit too much.

Rumpleteazer: Jo Gibb (London / Cats 1998)

Jo Gibb is the reason I became super obsessed with Cats, and probably why my favourite character is Rumple. Having initially seen the 2019 movie before the 1998 film, seeing her smiling face and adorable portrayal made me sort of fall in love with her. She is a perfectly mischievous Rumple, and I feel is the benchmark for most others. Her engagements with other characters is awesome, and she is just the ideal actor. Also, Cockney accent Rumple is best Rumple I do not make the rules.

Honourable mentions: Every other Teazer. All of them. There is no bad one. They all have my heart.

Skimbleshanks: Steven McCrae (Cats 2019)

Big daddy Skimble, with the red pants and the moustache. Tap dancing and ballet powerhouse. WOO WOO. Enough said.

Tantomile: Emily Tate (2016 Broadway Revival)

Given all Tantos do not really have an opportunity to set themselves apart because they are more of an ensemble Cat, I liked Emily from the beginning I saw her, and I think she is really cute. Her, paired with CJS, make a pretty ideal Cori and Tanto. Maybe I am swayed by the amount of lifts and spins they do together during the show? They have a beautiful synchronization and grace with their movements. 

Weaponize your Tantomiles, helicopter her above your Coricopats and take over. Kill Macavity. Become the Everlasting Cat.

Honourable mention: Kaye Brown (London / UK Tour / Cats 1998), Melody Rose (US Tour 6), Helen Gulston (RCCL Cruise). Realistically, all Tantos are good. I like Tantomile.

Victoria: Georgina Pazcogiun (2016 Broadway Revival)

A prominent soloist with the New York ballet, renowned for her distinctive style, and you can appreciate that if you watched a 2016 bootleg show. She has also pushed out against ballet norms by being "The Rogue Ballerina" as a means of embracing the qualities that make her unique as a dancer, such as her 'bigger' (in terms of ballet) body type. Her unique style as Victoria makes her my choice. Plus, she be sneaky.

Honourable mentions: Hannah Kenna Thomas (UK Tour 2013 / Palladium 2014 / International Tour / Vienna Revival), Tyler Lotzof (Asia Tour 2020), Alicia Beck (UK Tour 2013), Phyllida Crowley Smith (London / Cats 1998). Realistically, all Vics are good.

Any way, there is my shitshow of a production.

#cats musical #cats the musical #cats movie #cats 1998 #cats film #admetus #macavity #bill bailey #tumblebrutus #bombalurina #demeter #skimbleshanks #mungojerrie and rumpleteazer #mungojerrie #rumpleteazer #victoria the white cat #tantomile #coricopat #coricopat and tantomile #rum tum tugger #old deuteronomy #munkustrap #mistoffelees #jennyanydots #jellylorum #jemima #sillabub #electra cats #etcetera cats #grizabella

[the-cat-at-the-theatre-door]

💛🐀

💛  (Demeter)

1. How much I like this character

I like Demeter a lot and I’d say she’s probably my favourite of the “adult” queens (aside from Tantomile); however, like with Bomba, I feel she can vary as a character depending on who’s playing her and how.  I’ll be honest and say that some fandom interpretations of her kinda turn me off a bit (she turns into a bit of a flanderization imo), but like that has nothing to do with her. 

2. Who I ship this character with

...

If you have been on my blog for a couple minutes, you know who it is. 

I will die alone on this hill but it’s fine I take comfort in the fact that they were “canon” for a very long time

I also like London based Demelurina occasionally and have also been known to dabble in Exotica/Demeter from time to time

3. My favorite AU for them

I really like her in my masquerade AU! I figure she was a lady in waiting for Deuteronomy’s last wife, and she minds his youngest daughter Jemima. 

4. A random headcanon I have for them

-Demeter likes shiny things, like pieces of glass or marbles and she stores them away in a secret spot inside her owner’s apartment (she’s one of those cats on Instagram or Twitter where the owner found her stash and displayed it for everyone. She was not pleased)

-She absolutely hated dance class as a kid. Absolutely loathed it. She would get frustrated all the time and was never good at remembering the names of moves or positions

-She likes doing needlepoint because it really draws her focus front and centre, which helps with her anxiety

-The day she discovered you could shape your hair into different things was one of the best days of her life

🐀 (Jennyanydots)

1. How much I like this character

Jenny is my mom! Or at least I wish she was my mom. Or like my cool aunt. Idk I just love Jenny a lot. She’s the classic, like, fire and ice personality and probably owned a motorcycle as a young adult while also teaching piano on the side.

2. Who I ship this character with

I said before with Jellylorum, but Jelly! I think they compliment each other well, and Jenny is the very wink wink nudge nudge kind of girlfriend who is also a terrible gossip but you love her anyway. 

I can also be persuaded into liking Jenny and Skimble together, but it has to be in a very specific circumstance because I honestly think their personalities are a little too similar for them to mesh well romantically. 

3. My favorite AU for them

I honestly can’t think of one that is jumping out at me for Jenny!

4. A random headcanon I have for them

-She’s a soccer mom and gets WAY TOO INVOLVED with her kids' matches, but doesn’t care if they win or lose because they always go out for pizza afterwards

-She takes very good care of her hands and neck because they don’t lie! (She also encourages everyone, no matter how busy you are- and she is so she knows it - to take some time out of the day to take care of your body and skin/fur. You only have one!)

- She doesn’t like watching movies because a. she has no time and b. she either never understands what’s going on or is able to predict how it will end within the first ten minutes, there is no in-between.

-She makes the fanciest and most extra snack plates you have ever seen in your life, where does she find the time??

-Jenny actually does not have the patience for knitting but she keeps it up because it was a tradition in her family, and passes it along to other people to keep it alive. 

-The other day @theimpossiblescheme inspired me to think that Jenny (and Jelly by extension) always makes a little stuffed animal for every new kitten in the tribe when they’re born. If they are brought in later and/or older, she still makes them a stuffed animal and gives it to them as a welcome to our family present.

#jellicles ask because jellicles dare #anonymous #Demeter #Jennyanydots #my headcanons

[itskateak]

(Preface: this is a really long post as I typed it as I was watching the movie so this is unedited, pure thoughts as I was watching this movie.)

I just started watching the new Cats movie and I’m already having issues with what’s going on

Why did Munk spider man his way down a wall

What’s wrong with Misto

Why don’t they just crawl on their knees Jesus Christ if they weren’t on their toes it would be better

“Are you mean like a minx” that’s not in pitch

ThatS NOT HOW JUMPING WORKS

The choreography is going good though- I knew it would. I’ve worked with that choreographer before.

WHY IS THIS NOW A POP REMIX

I have so many questions

Music is too fast. Tempos are everywhere.

Singing isn’t too bad. I can understand the words better.

Munk is a little too feminine for my taste at the moment but I like his design.

ROMANTICAL CATS (heart hands) IS THE MOST ON BRAND MISTO THING YET

Macavity speaking and singing his own song is disgusting

WHY DO THEY HAVE HUMAN TOES AND FINGERS

Why is everyone bullying Misto

AND HUMAN NOSES

Munk there’s a rhythm to the Naming of Cats. You can’t go off it whole everyone else is on it.

You guys can’t keep a tempo can you

HIS name. HIS.

Munk that’s a little sexual. NO YOU ARE WITH DEMETER STOP

stop cutting the scene up. Just let them dance.

AH REFERENCE TO ORIGINAL CHOREO. I SAW THAT

Misto is on brand except he’s not Misto yet storytellers

Also I’m liking the idea that Victoria is new to everything and the plot is they’re introducing her to the wild and the whole heaviside layer thing

THATS NOT THE MELODY MUNK STOP

they have human eyebrows too what

Munk that note is too high for you

Is Jenny twerking excuse me

JennY IS SUPPOSED TO BE MOTHERLY STOP THAT

that’s also not the melody

The human mice are going to cause nightmares

Wait is Jenny lusting after Munk

Why does he actually look interested

Munk do you have an English accent or American. Please decide.

Jenny that’s not the right notes

HUMAN ROACHES NO

WHY DO THEH HAVE HUMAN FACES

The skiN UNZIPPED OH NO

no one needed that undershot of cockroach crotches

Mm meow

huh what Tugger what was that

Okay Derulo is not bad at all

I’m missing the Tugoffolees banter though

This Tugger is a little gayer than the original

THE NEUTER JOKE OH MY GOD

Tugger is reminding me of Dr. Frank N Furter from Rocky Horror Picture Show

Why does he have an English accent though

VictoriaaaaAAAAA? (The TOES)

Jenny’s humor is eh. Don’t see the reason of putting that in.

The ending is pure Tugger though

Not a bad rendition

Grizz isn’t as rough as I imagined her looking

Oh her VOICE

HER VOICE HITS HARD

Who is this cat singing about Grizz (the first) her voice was nice

NO. WHY THE SHORTNESS ON “that”

Munk why did you grab that queen’s head

Edward Hyde is that you?

Jenny stop trying to be the comedy relief you’re too awful at it

Bustopher please STOP singing your own song

PLEASE KIDNAP HER IDRIS ELBA

THANK YOU

I wish they spent more time dancing since that’s really the point of the show and the draw to it.

Bustopher wearing heels? I’m for it. Gay legend.

“Thanks Tugger” stop this whole sequence please

Bustopher is supposed to be a very prim and proper cat. What happened to him

Still can’t get over Idris Elba being in this

THATS NOT THE MELODY OF MUNGOJERRIE AND RUMPLETEAZER

What have thEY DONE TO THE MELODY GOOD GOD

AND THE RHYTHM THEY DESTROYED THE SONG

Oh. Hey that’s pretty neat choreo though

“I bought that for her myself” “hey” “what?”

My brain is rebelling because it’s not right at all in anything I remember

Did Misto just pull a whole femur from his hat

STOP THAT. MISTO LOOKS LIKE A CLOSETED TWINK STUCK IN A STRAIGHT RELATIONSHIP

is he wearing eyeliner

GROWLTIGER IS BACK

I don’t actually know his song so this is new to me

Jenny and Bustopher being comedic relief hurts because they’re not funny

Munk “where have you been?!” Is there a love triangle happening. What happened to Demeter

Also his voice in Deuteronomy is actually really nice

“Sits in the suuun” that was beautiful oh god

Deut looks more like how I imagined Grizz would look

IS THAT DAME JUDI DENCH

I bet she regrets ever saying yes after this.

What cat is randomly wearing a crow skull around their neck. Is that a witch’s cat

JUDI DENCH CAN’T YOU ACTUALLY SING? WHY ARE YOU STRUGGLING

Why are you singing Munk’s line

Oh the Jellicle ball is next let’s go Andy show me that awesome choreo

Asparagus are you okay

Tempo doesn’t exist in this movie does it

Neither does rhythm or time keeping

IS THAT MY BOY SKIMBLESHANKS

Twirly boy Munk

Munk really just wants to be topped doesn’t he

WhAT WAS THAT TWITCHING AND THE PANTING

Andy I love you man but the traditional and classic choreo would’ve worked just as fine

Skimble and Munk being gay

what happened to Plato and why is there something going on with Misto

TUGGER YOU HAD A MOMENT YOU COULD HAVE INTERRUPTED

Ah okay I understand why that happened. No mating dance or slumber party

Cats wearing shoes disgusts me more than the toes

POINTE WITHOUT POINTE SHOESSSS GROSS

honestly? Jellicle ball is disappointing. They just cut the ten minutes of amazing dancing down to like four.

I don’t like the heavy breathing. That’s not something that was ever necessary.

Okay, the end worked okay with the big synchronized dances.

I’m ready for this Memory rendition. Already getting chills.

Those are very human hands

Oh keep with the rhythm I beg of you

Ooh altered verse

Wait that’s jennifer Hudson???

Oh we just removed a whole verse, bridge, and chorus didn’t we.

Sweet moment? See I like Vic reaching for Grizz

Vic gets a song??? Ooh intrigued

I like her voice

I’m going to cry this song is sad and I’m glad she gets a story

Though it’s kind of “you think your life is hard? Mine’s worse” feeling after Memory

Awww I’m gonna cry what a sweetheart what a lovely dear protect her

Ugh meaning of happiness. I hate this song no matter who sings it.

Wait what happened to Rumpus Cat song :( the battle of the pekes and the pollicles

What do you mean you’re about to make the choice

We still have Gus’s song, Misto’s song, and Skimble’s song.

They got Ian McKellen to do this?? How much was he paid

“Cross paws” no stop

Why is Gus singing his own song please don’t

Munk’s face bugs me for some reason

His song always makes me cry for some reason but this is kind of goofy and cute and I love it

Misto in the background is just strange for me

Is he forgetting the words sometimes and mumbling to fill in because goodness

Misto’s so eager to please what a bottom

“Macavityyy” I hate it

Munk starting Skimble’s song has the same energy as Tugger doing Misto’s songs

I’m glad they’ve kept this song the same as it was

Skimble is SO gay oh my god what a classic twink

Oooh I like this addition of the train getting started via tap

I’m actually really liking this rendition and the tap dancing on the the rails

Though the tap continuing when no one is tapping or the rhythm being wrong is uh not good

Such an iconic song and I love the changes in scene

Oh skimble that note was not good

WAIT OKAY THAT WAS MACAVITY’S DOING WITH THE LEVITATION

Oh hi Taylor Swift

Use more breath. Stop doing the pop voice thing. Stop it.

Is Bombi a drug dealer

MISTO BEING TWEAKED ON DRUGS IS THE FUNNIEST GODDAMN THING IVE EVER SEEN IN THIS LIFE

I can say though that what they’ve done to the song is exactly the vibes it needed. Sultry and pushing the boundaries.

Sad there’s not a Demeter.

SORRY MUNK WHAT WAS THAT

I actually rewinded to see what happened there with the martini glass

OKAY MAN NEEDS TO BE TOPPED OH MY GOD

“Green house glass is broken” was changed and that makes me sad

This was a good song for Taylor to show off her vocal prowess but she just didn’t

Why is Macavity naked

Why is he singing his own damn song

PUT YOUR CLOTHES BACK ON

Munk you’re still tweaking out a little

Oh here’s the sleeping orgy

What’s with this drama now with the choice thing

We don’t have Munk’s fight with Macavity. Robbed

VICTORIA YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THE ONE TO GET MISTO OUT THERE. IT HAS TO BE TUGGER

If there are no 23 spins, I’ll throw my phone

Munk that’s gay and I’m here for it. Encourage your twink Misto

“Please don’t make me do this” has phantom vibes

Munk that was a lusty look

Where’s the “ooh ahs”

This is weird without Tugger singing it and being an ego for Misto

Tugger come on. Please save this number.

Victoria I swear to god I will beat you

Why do they have one person on the melody in this. And Derulo going through the stratosphere

WHERE IS THE DANCING >:(

That trombone is playing absolutely nothing in the music at all

DON’T YOU DARE KISS HER

oh here’s the fight music

WHY DID WE UNZIP SKIN AGAIN

oh they used the fight music for the escaping of cats

How much longer is there

Oh there’s the daylight reprise thing

I want to die

To the sun, Vic. To the sun.

Munk, Tugger, be respectful. That’s your mother.

Wait that doesn’t work in this universe because Deut is female.

Oh they gave the Asian cat patterns that resemble tiger stripes hmmmm

Why couldn’t they have just filmed an actual stage version and turned that out

Oh that “smile at the old days” was god awful

How much longer oh god

I’m tired man. I wasted 6 bucks on this

Victoria just stealing Jemima’s parts

“Like a flowER as the dawn is breaking”

Okay here it is

OH COME THROUGH QUEEN. WHOLE FILM IS WORTH THIS CLIMAX

Okay so there are some cats wearing clothes and others not. What are the rules for this universe. Are they naked or are they not.

I have not shed a single tear. Usually I have by now from this show. Not a single tear.

Deut X Grizz is still my favorite ship

Is that the intro to Til I Hear You Sing that I hear. Those F to Gm chords Lloyd Webber loves.

Judi Dench stop trying to sing for the love of god.

Ah yes show off that beautiful ballet dancer that plays Vic

Aww Munk bowing to Grizz

Oh so it’s a chandelier this time and not a tire

Where’d Macavity and Bombi go

Oh there he is. What a child. Hate that.

BUSTOPHER CONFIRMED A GAY ICON

Deut being a proud mother to Munk is cute with the hands on the shoulder

Why are we reprising the first song

Also Air balloon.

WHY ARE YOU STARING AT ME JUDI DENCH

why are they all staring so intently at her too wait

Munk looks like someone is touching him inappropriately this whole scene.

Munk and Misto looking at each other

MUNK STOPPPP JESUS CHRIST DO YOU NEED TO BE REMOVED FROM THE SITUATION

The choreography doesn’t even match the beat of the song. Huh???

Misto you’re gay stop

Munk and Misto looking at each other and the shy glances away

So Grizz gets hot air balloned to death is that what I’m seeing

Oh it’s over okay

I want to cry.

It’s not as bad as I heard. Once you got used to the way things looked and just let things happen and say it might as well happen, it became a bit more enjoyable.

It’s still god awful though and let’s pray the furries never get ahold of it.

#katetalks #ren live blogs #shitpost #cats #cats 2019 #cats the musical #im so sorrh for sich a long post but thoughts man thoughts

[fawkes-rinzler]

A Good Patient

Cross posted on AO3

Just some Skimblestrap fluff with sick Munk.

Requested by @alikokinav

Skimbleshanks first suspected something was wrong was when Syllabub, Tantomile, Jellylorum, and the other kittens showed up at the Railway station to greet him, instead of the usually tiger-striped grey tabby. Skimble greeted them all dutifully, nuzzling faces, smoothing out rogue bits of fur, and noticing that his job was taking much longer than usual. He didn’t dare ask, not yet. Syllabub was practically squirming with the desire to say something, and so he decided to wait until the information came to him

“Munkustrap’s sick!” Syllabub said at last, her eyes wide, “He doesn’t know we’re here!”

Skimble frowned, “You didn’t tell any of the adults?”

“We told Jenny!”

“While she was sleeping,” Tantomile added with a vague smirk, “If we told someone, they would have told Munkustrap, and he would have insisted on coming after us! And he’s really sick, Skimble!”

“Really really sick,” Syllabub repeated with a soft whine, “You’ll come help, won’t you?”

“Just like you help us when we’re sick?”

“Of course, kittens,” Skimbleshanks assured immediately, his mind already working as he began to lead them back to familiar territory. How sick was Munkustrap? Was it a small cold or something worse? The grey tabby was notorious for having stomach problems, but was it a case of eating the wrong thing out of the trash or was it the kind of thing that only humans could handle? Skimble worried and worried the entire walk home, so much so that he could barely pay attention to the kittens and their stories.

When they finally turned down the right alley, the kittens hesitated at Skimble’s side.

“He’s been really tired.”

“We don’t want to stress him out.”

“Come find us and tell us a story when you can!”

Skimble frowned as he looked at the three young queens ready to beat a hasty retreat. That wasn’t like the kittens, who were always eager for the chance to cuddle their favorite Protector. And Munkustrap never refused a chance to be near his kittens. But… perhaps Munk was feeling so poorly that being around the infectious high energy of the kittens overwhelmed them.   Skimble nodded, brushing Syllabub’s forehead fondly. She had a little tuft of fur that refused to go down, no matter how he and Munkustrap tried to smooth it. The kittens wandered off down the streets, off to engage in some new game, no doubt, and left Skimble alone at the end of the alley. He could see the familiar setup of crates, could make out the threadbare blankets that made up Munkustrap’s den. He padded towards it slowly, slow and careful.

“Munk?” He called out, his voice soft. A head peaked out from under the den, but not bearing the pelt of a grey tabby. Rather, it was soft white, with leopard spots.

“Hello Skimble,” Victoria whispered, sneaking out from the Den, “He’s just asleep now. Mistoffelees and I haven’t left his side except to bring him food.”

“Do you know what wrong?” 

Victoria shook her head, “He’s been coughing and breathing hard,” She murmured mournfully, “And he hasn’t eaten most of the food that we’ve brought him.”

Skimble sighed, “Sounds like it might be a respiratory infection. You and Mistoffelees can go home. Keep away from the others for a few days, just to make sure you haven’t caught it yourself. I’ll keep an eye on him.”

Victoria nodded, “Mistoffelees?” She called softly, turning towards the den, “Skimble is here now. He’ll take care of Munk.”

The Tuxedo cat appeared a second later, looking very sad at having to leave, but also so relieved at seeing the ginger tom.

“He’s spending most of the day sleeping. I can’t get him to eat, no matter how hard I try,” Mistoffelees murmured, ears low, “Skimble… he sounds terrible.”

“He always does,” Skimble sighed, “This isn’t the first time Munkustrap’s gotten a respiratory infection, and it probably won’t be the last. Thank you both for taking care of him. I can take it from here,” He assured, touching their shoulders and smiling kindly, “Go get some rest. I’m sure Munkustrap will tell me what angels you were to him when he wakes up.”

Victoria gently led Mistoffelees away, the Tuxedo looking very reluctant to go. Skimble smiled after them, and once they were out of the alley, he finally crawled into the Den.

It was dark inside. Warm, but smelling distinctly of sickness and infection. It was a potent smell. The kind of scent that made Skimble’s insides turn. Instinctively, he wanted to flee the scent, but the sight that befell him made him draw closer.

Munkustrap always lost weight when he got sick, but whenever it was respiratory infections, it seemed infinitely worse. The curled up ball of dull grey fur and bones looked so pathetic, so incredibly pathetic. Skimble curled up at Munkustrap’s side and examined his face. There was a build up of gunk around his nose and eyes, and he was breathing heavily through his mouth. Skimble began to purr, hoping that it might provide a comfort for his friend as he went about using a small rag to clean his face. The movements must have stirred Munkustrap from his sleep, because he opened his eyes slowly.

He opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out.

“Aw, shhh Love. It’s alright,” Skimble murmured, setting the rag aside to stroke Munkustrap’s forehead and around his ears, “I sent away Victoria and Mistoffelees so they can rest. Hopefully they didn’t catch anything…” At this, Munkustrap’s ears drooped and he offered a barely audible whine, “Shh… I’m glad they were here to take care of you. Mistoffelees said you haven’t been eating, Love. Is that true?”

It had to be true. Munkustrap's spine was practically starting to show, but he waited for confirmation anyways. Munkustrap nodded slowly and curled up around himself again. Skimble sighed.

“Are you drinking, at least?”

Munkustrap gave a barely perceptible nod, which Skimble took to mean “yes, but not recently”.  Skimble made a mental note to go get some water when he could. As they fell silent, all Skimble could hear was Munkus’ rattling breath. The last time the silver Tom had a bad respiratory infection was nearly two years ago. The kittens hadn’t been around for it. Mistoffelees had, but it was always scary to the younger cats when they saw their Protector knocked off of his feet like this. And truly, Skimble always worried as well. Munkustrap wasn’t a bad patient, but symptoms always hit him hard, and there was one time, when he was a kitten, that things got bad enough that Jennyanydots had to bring the silver tabby to her owners. She yowled until they got the hint and brought Munkustrap to the people that could help him. A couple of weeks later, Munkustrap was back on the streets, skinnier than he ever had been before but definitely feeling better. Jenny said it was lucky they got him there when they did, because it was close…

Skimble didn’t often think about that time, but whenever he did, it was always when Munkustrap was sick like this. Would this be another time where only the humans could help him? He hoped not. Last time, Munkustrap had smelled strange after coming home, and had been so quiet and seemed depressed for a long while after. He had eventually gone back to his normal self, but Skimble hoped that they would never have to take Munk to the humans again, if it could be avoided.

“Ss…skimble?” Skimbleshanks glanced up to see Munkustrap staring at him. His eyes were bright red, filled with gunk.

“Yes, kitten?” Skimbleshanks crooned, nuzzling Munkustrap’s neck. 

“Talk…please?” His voice was so hoarse, so terribly pathetic sounding. Skimble nuzzled him again.

“Of course, Love,” Skimbleshanks adjusted himself so Munkustrap could lean against him, “Well, let me see… Oh, the kittens came to see me at the Train station.”

Perhaps not the best thing to say, if Munkustrap’s reaction was anything to go by. The Silver Tom’s eyes flew open and he struggled to get up. Skimble held him close, though, preventing him from moving, “Now now. They didn’t tell anyone because they figured you might react like that. Syllabub told me you weren’t feeling well. They walked me over here, but didn’t want to bother you.”

Munkustrap whined sadly, “Miss them,” He croaked.

“I’m sure you do,” Skimble cooed, “They seemed very upset at not being able to see you.”

Munkustrap adjusted himself, curling up again and letting out a rattling sigh. Skimble made a decision.

“Alright, Munk, here’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to go to Jennys, get you some food and water, and then when I come back, I’ll tell you a story of my adventures, but you have to eat and drink for me, deal?”

Munkustrap nodded. His eyes were already closing, though, and Skimble honestly doubted that he was even heard. He got up slowly, bundled Munkustrap up in some more blankets so that he wouldn’t get cold in his absence. Then he ducked out of the Den and made his way down the alley.

“Skimble? Is Munk alright?”

Socrates, Plato, and Alonzo were laying near the edge of the alley, and Cassandra and Demeter were sitting on the wall nearby. Skimbleshanks couldn’t help but smile. No doubt the kittens had informed the rest of the clan of Skimble’s return.

“Just another respiratory infection,” Skimble sighed, “I’m sure he’ll be able to fight it off with some food, water, and a lot of rest. I’m actually off to Jenny’s now, to get him something. Keep an eye on him for me?”

“Of course.”

Skimble smiled and, content knowing he was no longer leaving Munkustrap alone, set off on his way to Jennyanydots’ house. He was glad that Munkustrap had people to watch over him, even when he wasn’t around. 

When he reached Jennyanydots window, the gumbie cat was practically waiting for him, perched on the sill with food and water ready. Victoria and Mistoffelees were laying nearby, snoozing in the evening air. Jenny winked at Skimble and hopped down beside him.

“How is he?”

“Not great,” Skimble admitted, “But its not as bad as it could be. He’s resting a lot, which is good. Now if I can get him to eat…”

Jenny chuckled, “Munk barely eats when he’s feeling well,” She pointed out, “Mistoffelees and Victoria were telling me that he’s having a bit of a hard time breathing. Do you want me to come over and take a quick look?”

“Mm, not yet,” Skimble murmured, “I tried to get him to promise me to eat first. How about tomorrow morning?”

Jenny nodded, “I can do that. I’ll bring breakfast.”

“Excellent, thank you. And how long has he been sick?”

“Mm…” Jenny considered the question, “Cassandra said that he wasn’t leaving his den about 5 days ago, which means he probably had it for a day or two with minimal symptoms. He’s probably had it for about a week now.”

Skimble nodded, “Alright then, hopefully that means he’s on the tail end of it. See you tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow,” Jenny assured with a wave, and Skimble returned to the alley with food and water in hand.

Alonzo had apparently snuck his way over to the den because when Skimble returned, the cat was sitting right outside the crates, tail waving slowly. He seemed content now. Relieved, almost? Skimble regarded him with a smile and an incline of his head.

“Alright?”

“All good,” Alonzo assured, “He just made a couple noises and I wanted to check. I think he was just snoring in his sleep.”

Skimble chuckled, “Poor thing makes the worst noises when he’s like this. Thanks for checking on him, Alonzo.”

The young Tom smiled up at him before retreating back to the company of his brothers. As the moon began to rise, Cassandra and Demeter left to patrol, but Socrates, Plato, and Alonzo stayed nearby. Just in case.

Skimble ducked into the den and found Munkustrap, curled up at the center of the den, bundled in blankets, just as Skimble had left him. The Ginger Tom curled up around him, nuzzled his neck and smoothed some fur back on his head. 

“Breaks my heart that it takes something like this to finally make you rest, Munk,” Skimble whispered, holding him close and cuddling him, “But as much as I’m glad to see you resting, I can’t help but hope you get back on your feet soon.”

Skimble was loathe to wake him, but the dry breaths he was making made up his decision. He was gentle about it, petting Munkustrap’s face, gently playing with ears until tired eyes finally opened. 

“Food and water, Love, then you can go back to sleep, I promise,” Skimble murmured, nuzzling him, “Think you can do that for me?”

Munkustrap sat up slowly, and though he glared at the water with distrust, nonetheless drank. It was slow, painful, and clear to Skimble that Munkus’ throat must have been raw from breathing through his mouth.

But after a while, Munkustrap pulled away from the water, looking satisfied and a little more awake.

“I think I promised you a tale of my adventures while you ate?” Skimble murmured, and Munkustrap smiled weakly, nodding. He didn’t dare speak yet, but that was alright. Skimble wouldn’t ask him to, “Alright. Come here, love, lay here. There we are. Don’t eat too quick, you don’t want to upset your stomach. Just take it slow. And if you fall asleep, that’s alright.”

Munkustrap snuggled up against Skimble, and though his eyes were already growing heavy, he nonetheless began to eat. Chewing seemed to be effort, swallowing looked a little painful, but Skimble still had some water if he needed it, and the fact that he was eating at all was a relief.

“Alright, well, I was at the station in Edinburgh, and the train was getting ready to leave, when a young Queen comes running towards me in an absolute state. Why, she and her family had ridden the train over from Glasgow and they had lost one of their kittens! Well, I went tearing through the train at top speed looking for a little black kitten, checking every car I could find to the point where the station master was convinced I’d lost my mind. Oh my goodness, Munk, you should have been there, we may as well have been possessed with how frantically we searched. In the end, I couldn’t find the poor thing!”

Munkustrap glared up at him, ears pinned flat against his head, and though he didn’t say anything, he didn’t need to. How dare you tell me a sad story with how I’m feeling right now?!

Skimble laughed, “Oh, it’s alright, Love, the story’s not over yet. Well, the train went back to Glasgow station, and I was feeling very poorly about myself and my inability to find this kitten, but the second I step off the train, a little black fur-ball comes streaking towards me and starts crying about how he had gotten distracted and was lost and his family was in Edinburgh and please sir please I have to get back to my family! Well, imagine my relief at finding the kitten alive and well, just not in the right city. I stayed with the kitten until the next train to Edinburgh and he was reunited with his parents before the night was out. Oh, Munk, you should have seen the relief in their eyes. Didn’t care a moment that the kitten got lost because he was distracted by something, and I was on my way back home on the next Train. Oh the family tried to repay me in some way, but I said none of that. It’s just what a railway cat does, you know?”

Skimble looked down at Munk. The Silver Tabby had fallen back asleep again, but Skimble was amazed to find about half the food missing. With a smile, he kissed Munkustrap’s head. “I’m back home now, Love. I’ll take good care of you, I promise,” He whispered, “We’ll get you back on your feet again soon, rescuing kittens of your own. Sleep well, Munk.” 

#Skimblestrap #Skimbleshanks #Munkustrap #Cats 2019 #Cats the musical #Requested fic

[singularname]

ooc: cats 2019 was hot garbage that doesn’t belong in the jellicle junkyard. Below are my thoughts and my review. I get pretty technical at points. So here you go. PERSONAL BLOGS DO NOT REBLOG! Liking and commenting and sending me asks about stuff is fine. But please do not reblog. I’m sure more thoughts will come out as I discuss things and such, but these are my first impressions.

positives ( will be above the cut ):

You could tell who the broadway singers were and they stood out.

Munk was good, but I have some thoughts but overall he was good. He was probably the only one that even remotely understood his character, but he still had a few off beats.

Jennifer killed it, no i wont take critiques. Memory was pretty good.

Mungo and Rumple made the debut version of their song likeable (cause I do not like the debut version of their song) yet i have thoughts.

Bustopher Jones (the song) was decent, out of all the reworked numbers it fit the best and didn’t seem to far from the reworked plot or the original, so it was a good middle ground. James did well, he’s no operatic singer, but he did well, best of the non-trained leads at least.

Gus was good but his song was a bit boring he needed someone more to play off of as that is what acting is partially

Skimble may just have been the best part of the whole damn thing. The inclusion of tap into his number was pretty smart. I do wish more of his accent shined through though.

The rundown theater worked it would have worked better if they kept it all there.

negatives ( below the cut ):

Dance was sacrificed for cinamtography which was a damn shame. this musical is one of the premier dance musicals

Munk’s voice at the beginning was far too high, and did not exude power. It got better.

Victoria being the stand in for the audience was stupid and pointless. Especially with the fact that Addressing of Cats was kept in and broke the fourth wall.

Victoria’s acceptance of Grizabella was pointless because the jellicles hadn’t accepted her, she wasn’t even considered a jellicle yet. Her agency in that number meant nothing. If she had been a jellicle it would have been better. A better audience stand in would be the fucking kittens cause its their first ball.

The lack of touching made the touching that was their awkward. It was like they were all afraid to touch and interact with each other. And the CGI didn’t help, like when Munk lifted Victoria off the car at the beginning which looked like he wasn’t grabbing her at all which we know isn’t true.

Tugger had no point in the musical because he sang his number and disappeared, and not by fucking Macavity. Jason could have done more with the character, he had the right voice, but its like he wasn’t trying.

Jenny-Any-Dots was ruined. She wasn’t a respectable cat, and the mice were stupid. Sorry, I mean the idea was cute in theory, I liked that, but the execution was stupid. And the zipping of her skin NO. It just works better with the cats acting it out like they act out skimble’s number or bustopher’s number. It didn’t add anythign to the cats sing the songs about themselves because that idea was dropped when Skimble and Bustopher even sang their songs. Like its a poor idea and poorly executed, especially since the original is like gossip the cats gossiping about who could be chosen.

Who will it be echoed only once? UGH. The chorus was fucking weak in the few moments they were given to stand out.

Speaking of clothing, the clothing choices made no sense, along with proportion of human clothing. If I put a watch around a cat’s neck it would fucking choke. Yet a ring can fit around a cat’s arm? Some of the clothing was too human like all of Misto’s costume (which why was he wearing it the full time? he looked better without it).

The replacement of coricopat and tantomile for the hip hop twins was utterly stupid and useless.

Some of the framing of songs and such especially at the beginning was bad. But that could also be because it takes you about 4 songs to get your eyeballs used to the damn CGI.

Mungo and Rumple were good, but Rumple would have been better if she kept the accent up like Mungo did. I loved seeing them do a burglary, but I prefer the musical version where the scare the cats away under the guise of macavity then have fun in the junkyard.

Growltiger had promise as a song but they only gave us a line followed by a joke so that was stupid. The whole barge shit was stupid. Their were no stakes and we never see the other cats get off the damn barge. Also griddlebone poor poor griddlebone.

The opening number was missing so many things like decent choreography. None of the choreography made them look feline, they looked like humans doing a mix of jazz and ballet. Just turning their hands over instead of open hands would have been a tremendous change. But like I said earlier what choreography there was was sacrificed for cinematography so you could see what you were supposed to see instead of letting the audience watch and see it on their own with some lighting suggestions to draw the eye away from the main dancing.

I think the concept of Skimble’s number was great, but I thought taking them out of the ballroom was stupid. But it was the strongest number and the one besides memory which had the most relation back to the original.

Why were their so many songs and verses cut? Naming of cats named only plain names, not the fun names which is where we get names of our characters from! Like half the cast is named in that number. It made the chorus seem distant and impersonal, along with the lack of touch.

Robbie should have gotten the same treatment as the girl playing victoria he had almost a bigger role than her, aside from her little grizabella moments which all of those important grizabella moments were done in seclusion. Half the reason they have agency in the stage show is because other cats can see her.

The lack of touch! enough said.

Tugger not singing Mistoffelees song upset me. Robbie did good, but he is not Tugger. Mistoffelees song was ruined by all the pausing and bullshit. There was not a climax to the song at all because it was always stopped and restarted. it felt like a dinky kids roller coaster that had no real payoff because Misto has no confidence so when Deuts appears it may not have been because of Misto at all just saying.

Old Deuts was... bad. Judi was pitchy at best (sing talking the lines just don’t work), and just not very convincing. Her presence wasn’t commanding or authoritative no matter how much Robbie tried.

Bomby was fucked three ways to hell. Taylor was okay, but the song Macavity was ruined with the catnip and all the bullshit with that. Macavity is a cautionary tale, and doesn’t fit in with the actual purpose the musical wanted it to be. Her song wasn’t as a good as normal, and it missed aspects that having it as a duet brought.

Beautiful ghosts was absolutely pointless, and quite petty of a song. Perhaps if we knew more about Victoria or she was a jellicle it would have made sense, but it just seemed very disconnected.

I am mourning the cut of Peeks and Pollicles. Because it explain its a dog, so when Bomby says it in Macavity you have a connection to the word. Here it just seemed like a nonsense word. Plus no rumpus cat. Cutting it means that Munk’s normal song was changed to skimble, and i guess misto. Also cutting it means you take a whole number away from the chorus, and thus you loose more personality of the chorus cats.

The chorus seemed absolutely pointless because you never could watch them and focus on them. They were just their not interacting with one another, not doing anything really. All of what makes the jellicles a tribe was taken away because these cats seem like strangers to one another. Not to mention taking away their solos at the beginning is a crime and again takes away from the personality of each individual chorus cat.

Jason should have sang misto’s song cause it would have given him a purpose besides a star to get butts in seats. he was their and i half wanted him to sing the end where victoria did because then he would have had a purpose but nope.

The cutting of so many verses from songs was just a shame. The musical inspires people to take up ballet, and jazz, and tap but all of it was cut for cinematography purposes and to make you look at the main actors in a different shot so their is no inspiration for the dance.

Skimble’s number had an awkward shot on the train bridge that was so far away you couldn’t even see the silhouettes any more.

I mentioned proportion earlier but like the train tracks were way off, i mean we’ve all seen Aristocats right?

Victoria not having her moment after naming of cats was sad. And whatever moment their was ruined by the assassination of misto’s character. Cause it was bad. He never questions himself as being good in the stage show just where his powers come from. But here he has no steadiness in if he is good or not, and he’s just badly characterized.

The kittens had no excitement for Tugger in his song. None of them did they seemed more happy about the milk rather than this hunk in front of them.

Macavity was shit. Seeing him throughout took away from him being mysterious and threatening. Seeing him fall at the end with Griz floating away was absolutely stupid and cartoonish and TS Eliot is rolling in his grave at that alone. Why he is not a zombie yet coming to kill Tom Hooper for fucking his poems up is beyond me. Also Macavity is a ginger cat... but he had no hint of red hair on him at all.

The jellicle ball dance sequence was bad. It wasn’t just that they weren’t cat like it was that what’s his face was trying to do a Sugar Plum Fairy and have them all dance to the quieter notes in the musical which made it seem disjointed. Sugar Plum Fairy works like that because its a light number she is supposed to make you listen for what she’s dancing too not just what you are hearing. This did not work.

The plot was stupid. The competition and stealing of cats was stupid. It was not needed. The had the element of putting on a show and talking about cats getting chosen they didn’t need macavity for more than that, or to make him want to be chosen. Him being a threat alone is good enough.

Munk did not get his fight. That was given to the damn cats on the barge. I am not happy with that.

I wish the named cats were more present in the bigger group. They blended into the background before their own songs, and then they disappeared because of the shitty capturing the cats plot device that was shitty and not needed. It took away from your familiarity with the cats who were present because we know nothing about those cats at all.

A moment of silence for all the chorus cats we don’t see or know, or were written off, and had no interpersonal relationships with each other. Literally the lack of touching between them makes it seem like all these cats are strangers to each other. Robbie tried.

Another moment of silence for Gillian Lynne’s choreography. The nuance she gave to it, that was all lost and gone.

Finally the CGI the hands were inconsistent, as was the face stuff. They had whiskers but they were hard to see, and because they had no nose or mouth (cat versions) defined it didn’t feel right, and we know it was possible to do both since the actors wore makeup.

#ooc: out of cats

[skimblyshanks]

Pouncival for the character ask!

First impression

Ok so it's hard to articulate but I basically saw him how I now see Tumblebrutus 😂 So like, a little edgy, a little hormonal. A bit of a projection character from time to time but only for venting purposes really

Impression now

My???? Beloved???? More of a projection character alsiudhlfiuh but also just. More of a character in general? I don't personally hold the "Henchcats are double agents" hc anymore so that specific edginess is gone now. I think he's the Baby of his family/the tribe, to an extent; and as he's growing up he wants to start being grownup but he ALSO still wants to be Babey and the leniency that affords.

Basically my current understanding and developing of him happened alongside my revisiting Skimble so while also fleshed out apart from him a lot of my looking at him is also very much informed by my hcs for their relationship.

Also he has ADHD bc I have ADHD and I say so uwu

Favorite moment

UGH that's HARD but...in 1998...Either the part in gumbie cat that we don't really get to see where he's pouting in the Oven bc i recently noticed Skimble over on the car telling him to Get Out Of The Oven, Young Man, OR just. All of him and Skimble during Bustopher Jones.

Actually wait yeah I tend to really enjoy his shenanigans in Bustopher Jones so we'll go with that.

Idea for a story

which one do you want?? liaushdf

For specifically 1998-based, how little actual baby pounce grew up and developed teleporting powers+how skimble his guardian(s) handle the fact that he can be gone in a moment and who knows where he wound up.

For TOTC!AU, a big thing I have for him as a child before/just after entering Skimble's life is that he works as a ratcatcher but doesn't really. Get what happens to the rats after he exchanges them for his pay. So of course once he starts living with Skimble and co. one of the first things he and Etcetera do is go and get their own secret pet rat.

Unpopular opinion

What we saw of Jal in costume and semi in character from Asia Tour 2020 bows can absolutely coexist with the more immature, playful interpretations in most bootlegs. We already know 1998's Pounce banged Bomba while still being Babey; you can be childish in day to day life without being an actual child.

Favorite relationship

I mean really my favorite relationship is my father-son hc for him and Skimble alsiduhfsd like. They care about each other so much and Skimble found him after he loses Teazer (and possibly Jerrie sometimes) and before he gets her back so he's always been like. Protective and doting on Pounce, who of course laps this up. And they're just. Very sweet. I think they have a v close relationship.

For ships, I mean. Platopounce is a really cute one, and Munkupounce is...well it is one that I like to draw, and it's particularly useful for the hcs i like to explore abt Pounce trying to keep a nice, simple closeness with his dad where there's no checking in abt intimate goings-on, vs the fact that, well. he is having intimate goings-on and will only talk abt it with his peers, who aren't necessarily going to give the best advice for this or that concern.

Favorite headcanon

HE GETS ALONG REALLY WELL WITH GUS!!! HE CONSIDERS GUS HIS GRANDPA AND ONE OF HIS BEST FRIENDS!!! HE ALWAYS LISTENS TO THE SAME SEVEN STORIES LIKE HE'S HEARING THEM NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME!!!!