Growltiger is a fictional character appearing in both T. S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats and Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Cats which is based on Eliot's book. He is described as a "bravo cat who lived upon a barge", one who scoured the Thames from Gravesend to Oxford, terrorizing the inhabitants along the river, including "cottagers", canaries, geese, hens, "pampered Pekinese", and the "bristly Bandicoot that lurks on foreign ships". Growltiger is usually envisioned as a pirate, although he is never explicitly described as such. He has lost one eye, and one of his ears is "somewhat missing" after an incident involving a Siamese cat.
"Growltiger's Last Stand" describes how he meets his fate when he least expects it.
Besides the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical setting in Cats the English composer Humphrey Searle composed a musical setting of "Growltiger's Last Stand" as the second of his Two Practical Cats for speaker, flute, cello and guitar.
T. S. Eliot used the names of a dozen villages and cities along the Thames River to lend a very specific flavour to "Growtiger's Last Stand".
Cats
In the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Cats the poem is used nearly verbatim as the lyrics of the song, except that one stanza has been cut.
The song appears as a reminiscence by "Gus the Theatre Cat", who "once played Growltiger – could do it again". In most productions, the actor who plays Gus then becomes Growltiger, while Gus's companion Jellylorum becomes Growltiger's love interest, Griddlebone. Growltiger's crew of cats is played by male members of the troupe with pirate accoutrements over their cat costumes.
There have been two different "last duets" for Growltiger and Griddlebone to sing during this scene. In the original London production, they sing a setting of an unpublished T.S. Eliot poem, "The Ballad of Billy M'Caw". This poem is a reminiscence of good times at the "old Bull and Bush" and the crowd at that bar on a "Sattaday night", in particular the barmaid Lily La Rose and the parrot Billy M'Caw. The initial New York production of Cats replaced "The Ballad of Billy M'Caw" with a "pastiche Italian aria" because the aria was "felt to be more of a crowd pleaser".[1] The lyrics for the Italian aria come from the original Italian translation of "Growltiger's Last Stand". Lloyd Webber "much prefers" "Billy M'Caw",[1] and in the 2003 UK touring production, "The Ballad of Billy M'Caw" was re-instated and has subsequently replaced the Italian aria in most productions.
After Growltiger and Griddlebone have finished singing their "last duet", the Siamese cats, led by Genghis (or Gilbert in the original London show and in T.S. Eliot's poem),[2] "swarm aboard" the barge. Griddlebone escapes in terror and the Siamese make Growltiger walk the plank, ending the song. (In the New York version there was a short sword fight between Genghis and Growltiger before Growltiger's demise). At this point, Gus returns with a short reprise.
"Growltiger's Last Stand" does not appear in the 1998 filmed version of the musical – Gus only sings his initial song. This was primarily due to the age of Sir John Mills, who played Gus in the filmed version, as well as time restraints.
Controversy
Eliot's poem "Growltiger's Last Stand" includes the racial epithet "chinks" in reference to the Siamese cats. The word was used in early versions of the musical, but was later changed to "Siamese". The musical also received criticism as non-Asian cast members originally used "stereotyped Asian accents" when portraying the Siamese cats. By 2016, the song had been dropped from US and UK productions of the show altogether.[3][4]
Actors who have played the part
Actors who have played the part on stage include Stephen Nathan, Eddie Korbich, Bronson N. Murphy (US National Tour), Matt Bartlett, Christopher E. Sidoli, Stephen Mo Hanan (1983 Tony Nominee), Ryan Bailey, Sal Minstretta, Nathan Morgan, Kelly Robertson, Bill Remps, Ethan Jones, George Breynard and Christopher Scott.
Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats (1939) is a collection of whimsical light poems by T. S. Eliot about feline psychology and sociology, published by Faber and Faber. It serves as the basis for Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1981 musical Cats.
Cats is a sung-through musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based upon the 1939 poetry collection Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot. It tells the story of a tribe of cats called the Jellicles and the night they make the "Jellicle choice" by deciding which cat will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new life. As of 2022, Cats remains the fifth-longest-running Broadway show and the seventh-longest-running West End show.
Rum Tum Tugger is one of the many feline characters in the 1939 poetry book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot, and in the 1981 musical Cats which is based on Eliot's book. Rum Tum Tugger is a rebellious Jellicle cat who loves to be the center of attention.
Grizabella the Glamour Cat is a main character in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Cats. Lonely and decrepit, Grizabella seeks acceptance from the other Jellicle cats but is initially ostracised. She sings the most famous song from the musical, "Memory".
"Memory" is a show tune composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with lyrics by Trevor Nunn based on poems by T. S. Eliot. It was written for the 1981 musical Cats, where it is sung primarily by the character Grizabella as a melancholic remembrance of her glamorous past and as a plea for acceptance. "Memory" is the climax of the musical and by far its best-known song, having achieved mainstream success outside of the musical. According to musicologist Jessica Sternfeld, writing in 2006, it is "by some estimations the most successful song ever from a musical."
Mr. Mistoffelees is a character in T. S. Eliot's 1939 poetry book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats and its 1981 musical adaptation, Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats. Mistoffelees is a young black-and-white tuxedo cat with magical powers that he cannot yet fully control. He is a featured dancer and his signature move is the "Conjuring Turn", consisting of 24 consecutive fouettés en tournant. His chorus identity is sometimes named Quaxo.
Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer are fictional characters in T. S. Eliot's 1939 poetry book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. The Jellicle cat duo are mischievous petty thieves who often cause trouble for their human family. Although originally published as part of a collection, the poem "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer" was published as a standalone book by Faber and Faber in 2018.
Cats is a 1998 direct-to-video musical film based on the 1981 stage musical Cats by Andrew Lloyd Webber, itself based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats (1939) by T. S. Eliot. Lloyd Webber oversaw orchestration and called on Gillian Lynne, the show's original choreographer, to train the cast members. David Mallet served as the director of this production.
Skimbleshanks is a character in T. S. Eliot's 1939 book of poetry Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats and in Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1981 musical Cats, which is based on Eliot's book. The character is portrayed as a bright and energetic orange tabby cat who lives and works on the mail trains.
The Great Rumpus Cat is a fictional character from T.S. Eliot's 1939 book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats and in Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1981 musical, Cats.
"(Of) The Awefull Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles" is a poem by T. S. Eliot included in Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, his 1939 book of light verse. It is also included in Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1981 musical Cats, which is an adaptation of the book.
Jellylorum is a principal character in the musical Cats. One of the Jellicle cats, she is usually portrayed as a motherly caretaker and is principally a vocalist. The musical is based on the 1939 collection of poems by T. S. Eliot from Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, and Jellylorum is named after the poet's own cat.
"Gus: The Theatre Cat" is a poem by T. S. Eliot included in Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. Known as "The Theatre Cat" due to his career as an actor, Gus is an old and frail, yet revered, cat, who "suffers from palsy, which makes his paws shake." His coat is described as "shabby" and he is "no longer a terror to mice or to rats."
Demeter is a main character in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Cats. The musical is an adaptation of T. S. Eliot's 1939 poetry book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, and the character's name is given in the poem "The Naming of Cats". Demeter is a very troubled and skittish female Jellicle cat. The role was originated by Sharon Lee-Hill in the West End in 1981, and by Wendy Edmead on Broadway in 1982. Daniela Norman played this role in the 2019 film adaptation.
Bombalurina is a principal character in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Cats. The musical is an adaptation of T. S. Eliot's 1939 poetry book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, and the character's name is given in the poem "The Naming of Cats". Bombalurina is a flirtatious, confident female and mischievous cat with a distinct red coat. The role was originated by Geraldine Gardner in the West End in 1981, and by Donna King on Broadway in 1982. In the 2019 film adaptation she is played by Taylor Swift.
Macavity the Mystery Cat, also called the Hidden Paw, is a fictional character in T. S. Eliot's 1939 poetry book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. He also appears in the Andrew Lloyd Webber 1981 musical Cats, which is based on Eliot's book. Macavity is a cunning criminal and con artist; he possesses mystical powers and is the antagonist of the musical.
Jellicle cats are a fictional type of feline from T. S. Eliot's 1939 light poetry book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats.
"The Naming of Cats" is a poem in T. S. Eliot's 1939 poetry book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. It was adapted into a musical number in Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1981 musical Cats, and has also been quoted in other films, notably Logan's Run (1976). The poem describes to humans how cats get their names.
Cats is a 2019 musical fantasy film based on the 1981 stage musical of the same name by Andrew Lloyd Webber, which in turn was based on the 1939 poetry collection Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot. The film was directed by Tom Hooper, in his second feature musical following Les Misérables (2012), from a screenplay by Lee Hall and Hooper. It features an ensemble cast, including James Corden, Judi Dench, Jason Derulo, Idris Elba, Jennifer Hudson, Ian McKellen, Taylor Swift, Rebel Wilson, and Francesca Hayward in her film debut.
A cast recording by the original Broadway cast of the musical Cats was released on January 26, 1983, by Geffen Records. The recording won Best Cast Show Album at the 26th Annual Grammy Awards.
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