Hi Everyone Just Gonna Resurrect From My Grave For A Sec Because I Thought About Having The Gumbie Trio

does anyone else love the slight banter between demeter and bombalurina during “macavity the mystery cat”? like after demeter’s part, bombalurina gets up and sings about how hot macavity is (rosemarie ford KILLS it i love her voice), but i have a different interpretation about this.

so we all know bomba is very honest and frank about what she thinks, even if she doesn’t say it, it’s written all over her face. she mocks grizabella and gives her the singular most dirtiest, judgiest look ever. she also questions and looks greatly concerned about jennyanydots’s interest in bustopher jones. gotta love her.

bomba obviously knows how much of a piece of crap macavity is, and she knows how much he hurt demeter, whom she’s very protective of. it doesn’t really make sense to me that bomba would outright tell demeter and everyone else that she thinks the man who’s literally broken every human law, who terrorises the jellicles, who traumatised the hell out of her beloved demeter, is hot, but it does make sense that demeter used to think so, and would obsess over him so much that she’d actually get with a guy like that.

i bet demeter used to swoon over macavity and give long rants about him to bomba, who’s just sitting there judging demeter’s taste in toms like “girl get a grip”. and now bomba’s getting back at her by singing one of those rants that she had to sit through so many times she’s memorised it. it’s her way of teasing her. i think the tone she uses is the same exaggerated, sarcastic tone that she uses to mock grizabella. it’s like saying to her, “see how ridiculous you sounded?”

but ultimately, she just wants demeter to not let history repeat itself. she points to her and stresses the fact that he’s a fiend in feline shape. she also says the words “like a snake” bitterly, because that’s exactly what she thinks of him.

and then of course demeter stands up and tries to defend herself like, “oh come on, you can’t blame me. he was outwardly respectable, anyone would’ve fallen for him.” and bomba’s quick to retort with “i know right, yeah, he totally is. cheating ‘at cards’ is definitely respectable. he used to do that to you, remember?”

bomba looks at her all smug and demeter shoots her a look like “okay now you’re pushing it”. and then they carry on with their duet.

i’ll admit, demeter’s not my favourite cat in the world, but her relationship with bombalurina makes me love her like the rest.

p.s. this is so incredibly random and i literally just thought of this after i posted but the term “rose gold” is literally them and i won’t elaborate

jellicle ball appreciation posts —

(bonus detail✨) :

if anyone ever feels worried about trying something new, just remember that george was hesitant to join bombalurina’s section in the jellicle ball, even though he wanted to. but with a bit of encouragement from tugger he went for it and ended up having a good time.

george, i hope you know you are an inspiration.

it’s such a little detail and george is such a minor character but they cared enough to put it in. and it makes sense because george is a shy kitten and bomba’s section is full of energy and the centre of attention, so naturally he’d be nervous about stepping out of his comfort zone. AND it shows that tugger cares so much about the little ones that he’d understand how george was feeling, and sling his arm around him like “you got this”.

it’s so adorable!!!!!! 😩😩💖💖💖

(emojis credit to @astrelle)

house cat ideas

cassandra :

she’s a model cat who was adopted by one of the models at her company, and it’s why she knows such elegant poses and also why she has a haughty personality.* the two often do photoshoots together and are pretty popular. cassandra is quite the icon in beauty magazines as well as cosmetics and fashion advertisements. she is beloved by many fashionable people for her elegant coat and her moonlit eyes.

she loves her owner very much and is constantly pampered by her. they absolutely see each other as best friends and cassandra’s favourite pasttime is their “girl’s nights” together. she gets to be bathed (unlike other cats she loves it) and brushed, relax and listen to gossip about her owner’s coworkers. this woman is the reason cassandra is in no rush to find a mate and is perfectly happy with her lavish life.

*(also why she stands up and glares at grizabella a bit during “grizabella the glamour cat”. it’s like to say “im better than u. look at what u could’ve been.” (and munk gives her a reprimanding look like “don’t push it”))

cuz… kitten heels. it was too perfect.

I LOVE CASSANDRA SHE IS MY QUEEN I LOVE HER SO MUCH every time she does her pose (she does it like 3.75 times in the whole show) i get a surge of dopamine. like yes feed me

she’s just so cool

tumbletoria

ok guys i NEED to talk about tumbletoria, the ship between tumblebrutus and victoria, because it’s one of my favourite ships ever?? like yk when ur thinking about them and all of a sudden ur heart feels kinda heavy like they were written in the stars?? and you listen to every romantic one direction song ever and think about them??

i ship alonzostrap a TON as well but tumbletoria is on a different level in terms of complexity. it also happens to be one of the only hetero ships i care deeply about. yet it’s constantly being overshadowed in favour of other victoria ships, especially platoria, and tumblebrutus is seen as his little sister or just an immature kitten trying to act tough. and it kinda annoys me.

this time i’ll largely base my reasoning on canon evidence rather than things i thought up of, cuz this isn’t just me trying to justify a rarepair with no canon basis. so if you will not entertain the idea of this ship, feel free to skip this post. if you already ship them like me, read on. and, if this ship has never really crossed your mind, or if you have a different perspective, but are willing to hear me out, get ready for a long rant.

(it has been very nerve-wracking posting this bc i know a lot of you guys will disagree, but i really wanted to talk about them cuz i think they’re a super adorable ship, and i also wanted to know if any of you guys ship them.)

(remember that this is in no way trying to disprove or invalidate other ships or personal interpretations. i’m just sharing my thoughts as usual and putting in my two cents on a topic i feel quite strongly about.)

victoria is an adolescent who was sheltered and pampered her whole life, so she’s very well-mannered and poised (she’s the principal ballerina in the show), but she’s still inexperienced and exploring herself. she dances sensually by herself after “the naming of cats”, and during the pas de deux with plato, showing us that she’s growing into womanhood. but because of her inexperience and sheltered upbringing, she’s inhibited, unsure of herself and held back. victoria is a coming-of-age character, this is obvious and a given.

tumblebrutus is an adolescent who’s actively trying to grow out of his “kitten” stage. he’s a spirited and buoyant cat. he’s adventurous, daring and playful (being the main tumbler of the show, his role requires more gymnastic skill than any other). yet, he has an insecure and unconfident side. he feels the need to try and be cool like older cats such as alonzo or tugger. he’s even paired with mistoffelees, an older cat, during the jellicle ball, instead of someone like pouncival who’s more his age and would also have the ability to do misto’s choreography (pounce is the first understudy for misto). he wants to be a part of them, but he’s not quite there, he’s still seen scheming pranks on grizabella with plato and pouncival. tumblebrutus also happens to be, you guessed it, a coming-of-age character!

now, i know i said i would mostly refer to the 1998 version, but i need to talk about the pas de deux in other productions as well. in a lot of productions, especially recent ones, the 1998 film and older versions (like original london) where the character is named admetus, victoria is paired with plato (i refer to plato/admetus as the same character). out of universe, this is probably because plato doubles as macavity and the role requires him to be able to lift well, so he’d naturally be the first choice to lift victoria. though this made everyone and their pollicle ship them.

however, in a bunch of other productions, and important point here, victoria is paired with tumblebrutus, and this is tied to the fact that they are both coming-of-age characters. they both want to explore more about themselves and be more grown up, but are a bit unsure. tumblebrutus’s fearlessness and optimism helps victoria feel braver and let go of her inihibtions, and victoria’s poise and prudence helps tumblebrutus learn to be more mature and therefore confident. they are each other’s comfort and balance. see the dynamic?

victoria’s “mates” were mainly either plato or tumblebrutus, so i don’t understand how platoria is so much more popular while tumbletoria gets kicked under the couch. heck, ships that have less canon basis like victeazer or jemtoria get more attention than this ship. (no offence btw i think these ships are cute too.)

even though it’s not obvious in the ‘98 version, tumble and vic do have a certain dynamic during their parts in the jellicle ball. when misto and tumble do their ballet part after bombalurina’s section, victoria’s at the back with some other girls, and the camera cuts to her doing a little head tilt at the two boys. she’s also between them when they all do the lean and the music swells and stuff. this is super vague but, we know that victoria’s sexuality is a big part of her character, so maybe it represents her considering her relationships with the toms as she’s growing up, struggling to figure out who she sees as a brother, i.e. misto, and who she’s attracted to or wants something more with, i.e. tumble. she is literally and figuratively caught between them. (also i love the little moments where tumble looks at her during this sequence IT’S SO CUTE.)

just imagine all the adorable possibilities for tumbletoria scenarios. secretly admiring each other from afar while they perform ballet/tumbling moves? trying to impress each other with their skill? getting caught in a compromising position by an adult (like alonzo)? reassuring each other when they feel insecure? secretly dancing together? their friend groups teasing them or shipping them? or even trying to set them up?? affectionate moments becoming a little bit awkward because of their feelings???

i think “juvenile delinquent” is a bit unfair for tumblebrutus, and the depth of victoria’s character shouldn’t be forgotten either. i think vic and tumble are good friends who might have something more going on underneath that they’re figuring out together. i think there’s something really special about complex coming-of-age characters and romances that i really really love. (and i think the principal ballerina x main tumbler thing is noteworthy as well.)

i’ve been working on this post for a while. again, not trying to invalidate anyone’s ships. hopefully now some of you can understand my perspective, and if you disagree, that’s ok. if you do like this ship, please respond and tell me your thoughts or headcanons so i know i’m not alone in this 😭.

tumbletoria is a terribly underrated, beautiful ship, and it truly deserves more attention. thank you for listening to my ted talk.

i actually find it really funny that tommi sliiden (coricopat) is now a registered osteopath. so here’s “costeopat” :

POV : you are a performer who couldn’t make it to your show because you got sick. now your back has been hurting but no doctor has been able to help. desperate, you resort to paying a visit to the mysterious witch in the woods, hoping she (or her psychic cats) has the answer.

i also recently found out in his website that he specialises in performers and their specific problems and it’s so poetic 😭 it genuinely makes me feel some kinda way

thank you, tommi.

I LOVE YOU TUMBLEBRUTUS YOU’RE MY SILLY BILLY

alonzo, my favourite cat of all time!!!!!

i wanted to experiment with negative space and that sort of thing. i'm also trying to grow out of being overly dependent on lineart. :D

i love him!!!!!!!! x♾️

etcetera & electra ideas

i have been so eager to make this post because honestly? i don’t talk about the queens as much as the toms, which is way less than they deserve. also i really wanted to wait until i could give them some GOOD ideas. originally i was gonna make etcetera a “culinary” cat but that’s BORING and she deserves a better role >:(

i struggled with them a lot because they don’t have much canon at all, largely due to the fact that they weren’t cats that t.s. eliot created, they don’t sing many lines in the show, and i couldn’t draw any inspiration from their ‘98 actors either. all we have is their personalities, so i had to dig a bit deeper in terms of cats production lore and stuff.

these two have been sitting at the back of my mind for too long but no longer!! i finally have some fun ideas for them so let’s dive in!

etcetera :

inspired by broadway cats where “mungojerrie and rumpleteazer” was reimagined as a puppet show and etcetera doubled as teazer, etcetera is a puppeteer. she’s interested in theatre and she loves to show her puppet shows to jellylorum because of jelly’s theatre background. she even tried to recreate “growltiger’s last stand” once (jelly was super impressed).

now, i know there’s a headcanon where electra is a magic cat like misto, cori and tanto, but consider: etcetera is also a magic cat! her magic is more subtle though, as her only main power is flying, which is inspired by her trapeze role in the opening number. this makes her even harder to look after because she gets so hyperactive that she ends up getting zoomies in the AIR.

she learnt to craft puppets and dolls by herself using her magic, and she’s trying to learn how to conjure them out of thin air. she can also use her powers to manipulate her puppets and do ventriloquy, which allows her to do a wide range of eccentric voices and movements.

electra :

electra is a playwright who helps etcetera write her puppet shows. this is inspired by her line in the opening number “familiar with candle, with book and with bell?” because “bell, book and candle” is an actual play. (also i realised that they say “familiar” bc the cat was the witch’s familiar! love a good wordplay)

electra idolises pyewacket from “bell, book and candle” and she has probably watched that play/movie as many times as i’ve watched cats. sometimes she tries to emulate him.

i also like the idea that electra is a magic cat, but she has yet to discover her powers or find a witch or wizard to attend to. if we had to guess, she could have song or voice magic (like sirens for example), and that’s why she doesn’t sing much in the show, cuz her magic voice hasn’t fully developed yet. this is inspired by the fact that electra was originally meant to have a much more prominent singing role, i.e. in the gumbie trio and in bustopher jones.

both :

they are besties OF COURSE, that goes without saying.

they’re both close friends of coricopat and tantomile because of their connections to magic (and also partly inspired by the broadway puppet show, where cori doubled as mungo just like cettie doubled as teazer).

etcetera’s favourite thing to do with the twins is to go flying with them on their broomstick, while electra is very studious and loves it when they teach her about brewing potions and casting spells.

they’re really living out every girl’s magical powers fantasy </3

the two adorable princesses!! 💖💖

(also why is munkustrap a pencil in this 😭)

guys i made mister mistoffelees as a waffle!! :D

two minutes after tugger arrives :

cats 2019 alternative ideas

i know some of you guys on here genuinely enjoyed the 2019 cats movie, and i’m afraid i can’t say the same, but the reason why is not what i’m here to discuss.

i think cats 2019 was a huge missed opportunity.

i can’t help feeling like we were robbed of an original, creative story, all for the sake of making another blockbuster. instead of repeating the same formula to squeeze a few more dollars in, maybe they could’ve done something different, more cats specific? movie or show, animated or live action, i wouldn’t mind. (k now that i think abt it animation would be better.) they wouldn’t even have had to put in dancing or singing, in fact, a story focused on just the relationships between the cats would’ve been amazing.

like, a spinoff!

disney’s hercules has a spinoff series and i think it’s absolutely genius. i love it, probably more than the actual movie! it’s especially fun for me because i’m interested in greek mythology too. something like that for our dear little cats would be a dream come true.

they had the money for CGI fur and an A-list cast so i don’t think a spinoff made with love, passion and respect for the musical would’ve been a super tall order. the important thing to remember would be to include and focus mainly on the cats’ relationships and interactions with each other (and not butcher their personalities ofc).

just gonna start rattling off ideas here :

coricopat and tantomile witch cat anecdotes series

rumpus cat superhero action movie with george in disguise. he faces challenges when trying to balance his secret life and maintaining his friendships. (maybe make him and plato best friends?)

sitcom series with main characters electra and etcetera as besties, and the main cast being all the kittens, kinda like victorious. (episode titles be like “electra & etcetera : jenny’s crochet workshop!”)

a coming of age (mayybe romance) movie ft. victoria and tumblebrutus

“jemima’s dreams”, a fantasy series taking place in jemima’s mind where each episode features a different flower to teach her a lesson. kinda like aesop’s fables but more with plants

a drama movie about alonzo, from being a distrustful stray to meeting munkustrap and learning to accept others into his life, facing uncertainties about himself along the way and ending with him finding the courage to protect the ones who accepted him as family

heck, make that a duology where the other movie explores demeter’s past trauma surrounding macavity or even grizabella, and her path to healing with the jellicles, especially bombalurina

pouncival the invention cat series where he invents a new thing out of trash every episode to solve a problem (my “pouncival ideas” post has more context). could make for a very cheesy finale

now tell me, fellow cats fan, that you wouldn’t watch any of these.

it seems like fan service or fanfiction (actually most fanfictions are way better than the 2019 movie), and it definitely wouldn’t be as mainstream, but there’s some real creative potential here, i think. it would’ve been the perfect chance to spend more time with the cats who don’t have many big moments in the show, or just explore their characters even further! not that this musical needs a spinoff, of course, but since they decided to make a movie on it anyway, why not have created something worthwhile?

encouraging everyone to think of and/or add their own ideas for a cats spinoff!