Victoria is a principal character in the 1981 musical Cats , written by Andrew Lloyd Webber based on T. S. Eliot's 1939 Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats . Primarily a dance role with no solo singing parts, the role demands extensive ballet training and a high degree of flexibility. [1] The character is featured in a ballet solo ("White Cat Solo") as well as a pas de deux in the musical, and leads most of the ensemble dance routines.
The role was originated by Finola Hughes in the West End in 1981, and by Cynthia Onrubia on Broadway in 1982.
In the 2019 movie adaptation, the role is played by Francesca Hayward. Unlike her stage counterpart, this version is made the de facto protagonist of the film and has more of a singing role. She performs the film's sole new song "Beautiful Ghosts" as her signature song, as well as taking over Jemima's part in "Memory".
Victoria also appears in Andrew Lloyd Webber's 2001 Beijing concert as a white silhouette.
Within the Jellicle tribe, Victoria is a naive and shy white kitten who is known for her beauty and poise. She is a very quiet cat and has no solo singing parts; however, she is frequently spotlighted as a dancer and opens with a ballet solo near the beginning of the musical. [2] Dance Magazine described her "iconic" solo as "filled with endless développés punctuated by twitches and swerves, ending in a Pilates-teaser–like seat." [3] According to Cats choreographer Gillian Lynne, the "White Cat Solo" represents the character's coming of age. [4]
After her solo, Victoria's dancing continues to feature heavily throughout the show; she leads most of the group numbers [5] and takes part in a ceremonial mating dance (pas de deux) with Plato. [2] At the end of the musical, Victoria becomes the second cat — after Jemima — to fully accept the outcast Grizabella, which leads to Grizabella's re-acceptance by the Jellicles and ascension to the Heaviside Layer.
Victoria is known for her distinct white coat, which stands out among the multi-coloured markings of the other cats. Her white coat is meant to symbolise the character's innocence. [6] Although her costume is designed to give the impression of a pure-white cat, due to the limitations of stage lighting (a pure white costume would wash out all costume details under stage lighting), she has light gold, tan, or grey markings on her costume. Her distinct appearance also makes her a frequent subject for advertising for the musical.[ citation needed ] She also wears a pink bejeweled collar around her neck in the stage musical.
The role of Victoria was originated by Finola Hughes in the original West End production in 1981, [7] and by Cynthia Onrubia in the original Broadway production in 1982. [8] The character was played by Georgina Pazcoguin in the 2016 Broadway revival and Baby Byrne in the 2024 Off-Broadway revival. [9] On screen, Phyllida Crowley Smith portrayed Victoria in the 1998 filmed version of the musical, [10] and Francesca Hayward portrayed the character in the 2019 film adaptation. [11]
Cats is a musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. It is based on the 1939 poetry collection Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot. The musical 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 2024, Cats remains the fifth-longest-running Broadway show and the eighth-longest-running West End show.
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".
Old Deuteronomy is a character in T. S. Eliot's 1939 Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats and its 1981 musical adaptation, Cats. He is a wise and beloved elderly cat, further serving as the Jellicle patriarch in the musical. The role of Old Deuteronomy was originated by Brian Blessed in the West End in 1981, and by Ken Page on Broadway in 1982. Judi Dench plays Old Deuteronomy in the 2019 film adaptation.
"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.
Munkustrap is a Jellicle cat from T. S. Eliot's 1939 poem "The Naming of Cats". He is a principal character and the main narrator in Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1981 musical Cats, which is based on Eliot's poems.
Laurie Hope Beechman was an American actress and singer, known for her work in Broadway musicals. She also had a career as a cabaret performer and recording artist. After her death, the West Bank Cafe Downstairs Theater Bar in New York was renamed the Laurie Beechman Theatre.
Jennyanydots is a fictional character from T. S. Eliot's 1939 poetry book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. She is also a principal character in the 1981 Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Cats, which is based on Eliot's work. Jennyanydots is a seemingly lazy Jellicle cat who sits around all day, but at night, she becomes very active as she rules the mice and cockroaches, forcing them to undertake helpful functions and creative projects to curb their naturally destructive habits.
Pia Douwes is a Dutch actress in musical theatre in Europe. She is best known for having created the title role in the German-language musical Elisabeth.
Cats is a 1998 British direct-to-video musical film based on the 1981 stage musical of the same name 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.
Jemima is a principal character in the musical Cats, written by Andrew Lloyd Webber based on the poetry of T. S. Eliot. The youngest member of the Jellicle cats, she is idealistic and very accepting of others. She becomes the first cat to accept the outcast Grizabella back into the tribe.
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.
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.
Joanna Ampil is a musical theatre and film actress from the Philippines and United Kingdom.
Jellicle cats are a fictional type of feline from Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, a 1939 collection of light poetry by T. S. Eliot. Jellicle cats were adapted for the 1981 stage musical Cats by Andrew Lloyd Webber, where the wide array of diverse Jellicles is central to the musical's worldbuilding.
Cats is a 2019 musical fantasy film based on the 1981 West End musical Cats 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.
Francesca Hayward is a Kenyan-born British ballet dancer and actress. She is a principal dancer in the Royal Ballet at Covent Garden in London. In 2019, she starred as Victoria the White Cat in the musical film Cats, an adaptation of the stage musical of the same name.
Georgina Pazcoguin is an American ballerina. She was a soloist with the New York City Ballet, and is known for challenging racism in ballet, and for performing on Broadway.