*bows*
Everyone applaud him!
This list is in no way intended to offend or belittle anyone involved in the production. It is for enjoyment purposes only and came about because of my enjoyment of watching the things listed here. Thank you.
I will be using stage directions in this list. For those of you that aren't familiar with them, stage right and stage left are to the performer's right and left, not the audience's. Downstage is toward the audience, upstage is away from the audience. Sometimes, the words are combined. So, if I say downstage left I mean toward the audience on the performer's left.
Jellicle Songs For Jellicle Cats
* Watch the pipe just after Asparagus sings “Can you sit on his throne?” He should be there, but he isn’t.
* The first time everyone sings, “Jellicles can and Jellicles do” and they do the knee-bending dance move, watch Munkustrap. He is a wee bit behind on the first knee bend, but on the second one he catches up.
* In the shot just before Jellylorum sings her line, watch behind Skimbleshanks. Jellylorum can be seen coming onstage.
* When Etcetera sings “Are you keen to be seen when you’re smelling a rat?” you can see the shadow of the trapeze on her body.
* Just before Etcetera begins her trapeze tricks, watch the right side of the screen. You can see her preparing for her stunt.
* You can also see Admetus, who pushes Etcetera off the platform.
* When everyone gets into the big pyramid formation, look for Etcetera. She isn’t there (even though Admetus is).
* Also when everyone makes the big pyramid, watch Mungojerrie (on the right, beside Old Deuteronomy). He smiles at either the “audience” or someone offstage.
* On close shots of Tugger, you can see the black shiny snaps that hold his mane on.
* Watch Munkustrap’s face when Jenny sings the high C. He either rolls his eyes or tries to look up at her. Whichever it is, it looks kind of funny.
* Also when Jenny sings the high C, Pouncival covers his ears with a grimace.
* When everyone sings “…that always triumphantly…” Jenny and Electra exchange a smile.
* On the second “Handling pieces from the Messiah” watch Munkustrap swat at Tugger.
* After everyone sings “Everlasting Cat” and they hold the long note, watch Munkustrap. He makes a weird face.
* It took me a really long time to notice this one: When the first group runs forward out of the big pyramid, try to catch Jennyanydots carrying the large boot offstage.
* Electra is a little off balance when she poses at the end of the song.
The Naming of Cats
* Mistoffelees teleports from his spot downstage left to be upstage left for his “What’s a Jellicle Cat?” line with Grizabella and Admetus.
* Tumblebrutus’ eyebrows are different. This is true throughout the show, but it’s easily visible in this number because of the close shots.
* Cassandra’s eyes are brown during this number, but during the “Jellicle Ball”, when she sings “Jellicle cats have moonlit eyes” they are blue.
* Tantomile’s wig doesn’t cover her ears completely.
The Invitation to the Jellicle Ball
* As Victoria comes center stage to begin her dance, Mistoffelees teleports again from downstage right to right near the pipe.
* When Victoria scratches her foot and there’s a close up of it, you can see part of the manufacturer’s label on her shoe.
* The second time Mistoffelees sings "The Jellicle Moon is shining bright!" watch Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer hugging each other in the background, right between Mistoffelees and Victoria. It’s so cute!
* Watch Rumpleteazer’s eyes when the camera zooms in on Munkustrap at the end of his solo. She’s looking straight into the camera.
* Alonzo takes a bit longer than everyone else to realize that “The Invitation” is over. Watch when everyone starts to move around and greet each other; he is still staring into space, then he sees that everyone else is moving and kind of tries to cover it.
The Old Gumbie Cat
* At the very beginning, before Munkustrap starts singing and there's a wide shot of the whole stage, Mungojerrie is on stage left beside Etcetera. Then all of a sudden he's on stage right for his close-up with Teazer. Then he seems to disappear completely. There's no sign of him for the line "or on the mat.”
* When Munkustrap sings “…or on the mat…” he looks over at Rumpleteazer (who is downstage right) and she falls down pretending to be a mat.
* Just before Mistoffelees opens the trunk, watch a cameraman zooming in on Munkustrap on the far left of the screen.
* When Munkustrap sings “…and sits…” for the last time, he nods to Mistoffelees as if to tell him it’s time to open the trunk.
* When Jacob Brent (Mistoffelees) starts to open the boot of the car, he hits it with his hand and from then on he keeps his hands close to his chest and does opening signals. (Submitted by Pip)
* Just after the trunk opens, watch Skimbleshanks pawing at her from upstage left.
* On the line “…she tucks up her skirts…” watch Rumpleteazer on stage left. She’s imitating Jenny!
* As Jennyanydots walks downstage, Victoria (just to the right of her) swats her tail.
* When all the kittens come out dressed as mice, watch Jemima on the far right. She has to take her mask off and put it back on.
* When Jenny slides through Munkustrap’s legs, part of her skirt comes through, but in the next shot only her top half is through.
* Also when Jenny slides through Munkustrap’s legs, her large skirt makes his legs slide a bit. It’s a little hard to see, but it’s there.
* When Pouncival makes his first entrance, Exotica – who has been sitting in the pipe with Asparagus – begins to disappear and reappear.
* On the line “…just need employment!” look at the top part of Jenny’s coat. A button seems to have come undone.
* When Demeter, Bombalurina, and Jellylorum do the sideways twist step toward stage left, Demeter and Jellylorum do the step two different ways. Demeter has her legs together while Jelly has them apart.
* Jellylorum has a bit of trouble getting Jenny’s boot off.
* Due to editing, there are quite a few inconsistencies of positioning during the tap number. The most noticeable of these is the cockroaches split-second change from a spread out formation to a perfectly straight line.
* During the tap number, all the characters’ shoes keep switching from their regular jazz shoes to shiny black tap shoes. This is particularly noticeable on characters with white shoes.
* During part of the tap dance, Pouncival is in the oven waiting for his cue.
* Throughout the tap number, watch Skimbleshanks and Asparagus chatting on the tire upstage center.
* Watch Mungojerrie on far stage left when the cockroaches bow. He bows the wrong way the first time. The second time, he stands up bewilderedly and accidentally stabs himself with his fork in the process!
* When the three queens and Munkustrap come out at the end of the dance, watch Jelly on the first turn. She loses her balance a bit.
* In the last shot of the number, Pouncival is with the cockroaches, but in the next shot (when the Jenny-greeting line forms) Pounce can be seen behind the line without his cockroach costume.
* At the same time as above, observe that Asparagus was sitting on the tire with Skimble in the last shot, and then in the next shot he’s teleported to the greeting line.
The Rum Tum Tugger
* After Jenny moves down the greeting line, she ends up at the end nearest stage right. But in the next shot she and Munkustrap are both at the other end of the line.
* When Munkustrap turns his head to look at Tugger, spit flies out of his mouth.
* When Munkustrap spits, Pouncival is adjusting his shoe in the background. Then watch him stand up and do a back flip off the steps.
* Up until just after the line, “If you offer me pheasant…” Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer remain onstage in their cockroach costumes. Rumpleteazer returns later in the song, but Jerrie mustn’t have been too impressed with Tugger, Bustopher, or Grizabella, because he never returns to the stage until his number.
* On the line, “If you put me in a house…” watch Pounce imitate Tugger on top of the tire.
* Throughout the song, watch everyone on top of the trunk. Their positions are constantly changing.
* Mistoffelees steps down from the trunk twice.
* Before Tugger kicks Pouncival and Tumblebrutus, he sits on Pouncival and spanks him! (Submitted by Ignacia)
* On the first “And there’s no doin’ anything…” watch Etcetera and Plato dancing together stage left.
* When Bombalurina enters, Jenny and Jelly begin to disappear and reappear from their place on the trunk.
* Right after Bombalurina sings “curious beast”, Rumpleteazer hops onto the car, then disappears in the next shot, then reappears in the shot after that. She then remains atop the trunk and makes some very cute faces.
* When Tugger and Bomby are…ahem…dancing, watch Tugger put his hands where they shouldn’t go.
* When Tugger sings, “For I only like what I find for myself,” Plato (on stage left) has something hanging off his armwarmer.
* After Tugger says, “No,” the female kittens (especially Etcetera; watch her between Tugger and Bomby) get really excited.
* In the wide shot after the line, “There’s nothing I enjoy like a horrible muddle,” Mistoffelees is reaching up to something, but in the next shot of the kittens dancing he’s just sitting there.
* Plato has tape on his fingers in this number, Bustopher’s number, and during the Mating Dance.
* After Demeter swats at Tugger, she hides in the oven.
* When Victoria joins the line (late, by the way), she is smiling awkwardly and not singing.
* When everyone bunches around Tugger just before the finale, Etcetera scratches at his belt.
* At the same time, Pouncival and Tumblebrutus seize the opportunity to cozy up to Jemima and Cassandra.
* As Tugger is performing his finale, watch that naughty Pouncival rub Bomby’s leg very…strangely…on stage left
* After you’ve seen Pounce, rewind it to the same spot and watch Plato rub against Cassandra on stage right.
* Also during the finale, watch Admetus try and imitate Tugger on stage right and then smack his hips as if to say, “Come on, gyrate, stupid hips!”
* Watch Tumble on Tugger first “Aboooooouuuu…” He is imitating the hip wiggle. Then watch him again on the high note; he does something really weird that I can’t really describe, making a face like, “Ah, that’s the way to hit that note!”
* As Etcetera is screaming, watch Jemima just to the left of her. She gives Etcetera a look as if to say, “Are you all right?”
* Watch Electra cover her ears in the shot just after Etcetera screams.
* Notice that Etcetera, after Tugger’s last, “About it!”, faints dead away.
* When Tugger “plays” his tail, Etcetera (right behind him) plays air-guitar.
* When Tugger moons the audience, Electra is in a really weird position directly in front of him.
* When Tugger is shimmying on stage right, watch Coricopat (to the left of center in the crowd below). When he turns around, he has this hilarious and very un-Coricopat-like expression on his face.
* When Tugger is shimmying on stage left, watch Jennyanydots on the bottom right of the screen. She makes a gesture as if to say, “Bless my soul if this new dance move isn’t completely vulgar!”
When Grizabella enters, Tugger mouths a swear word at her.
Grizabella: The Glamour Cat
* Watch Tumblebrutus and Plato upstage right convince Pouncival to scratch Grizabella. Then when he goes to scratch her, they get all excited.
* After Cassandra snubs Grizabella, watch her lithely wrap herself around Alonzo and run her hand down his leg.
* When Demeter sings “…and who would ever suppose that that…” Cassandra unwraps herself from around Alonzo and puts her hand on his butt!
Bustopher Jones: The Cat About Town
* There’s a fish skeleton on Bustopher’s cravat.
* On the line, “He has eight or nine clubs,” watch Pouncival and Plato on stage right. Pounce jumps up on Plato’s shoulders and Plato irately swats at him. For this reason, on the line, “He’s the cat we all greet,” Pounce seems to be taller than everyone else.
* On the line, “For such an impeccable back…” watch Plato and Pouncival again (they’re on stage right on either side of Skimble). They both bow to Bustopher, and Pouncival gets a pat on the head.
* When Munkustrap solutes Bustopher, you can see there is no makeup on the back of Munkustrap's neck. (Submitted by Ignacia)
* On the line, “…smartest of names…” Jenny’s neck is very shiny.
* When Mistoffelees goes for Bustopher’s tail, watch Etcetera on stage left. She salutes Bustopher.
* Munkustrap sees Mistoffelees about to grab Bustopher’s tail and tries to distract Bustopher.
* When Mistoffelees walks upstage on all fours, he does it very strangely, keeping his feet pointed upward.
* When Tumblebrutus and Pouncival roll into the middle of the stage on the line, “…for a drink at the Drones…” Pouncival wiggles his behind and Tumblebrutus waves at Bustopher.
* On the line, “…but Blimp’s…” Coricopat’s wig is not covering his left ear.
* On the line, “…the smartest of names…” when the camera is on Coricopat, he’s kneeling on his tail. Ouch…?
* When Bustopher is doing his walk facing away from the audience, watch the very extreme left of the screen. You can just barely catch Misto imitating him.
* At the same time, Coricopat poses very balletically on stage left and even does a little half rond de jambe (for those of you not familiar with ballet terms, that’s a little circle of the foot).
* On the line, “But I’m so well preserved…” Mistoffelees motions to the other toms to remember to clean their paws.
* As Bustopher is inspecting the toms, watch when he goes by Coricopat. He skips him, causing Coricopat to look very dejected.
* Watch Bombalurina when Bustopher gives Jenny his flower. She thought he was giving it to her.
* For some strange reason, the floor underneath Munkustrap seems to be blurred out just before he leaps offstage.
Mungojerrie & Rumpleteazer
* Both Jerrie and Teazer have extra costume pieces during this number: Jerrie has fuzzy leg and arm things and a shirt, and Teazer has garters, pearls, and a leotard. They continue to wear them throughout “Old Deuteronomy” and “Pekes and Pollicles” and they disappear during “The Jellicle Ball”.
* Two verses were cut from this song, one of which can be seen in “The Making of CATS”
* Controversy time: There was a rumor that Drew Varley and Jo Gibb were completely dubbed over during this number because in the credits it lists two other people’s names. However, the only things that were dubbed over by these people were Jo’s giggles and Drew’s shushes. You’ll notice that these two people (Paul Baker and Vicky Coote) were given credit only for “Additional Vocal Recordings”.
* When Rumpleteazer first enters and motions to Mungojerrie to follow, listen very closely and you’ll hear her say, “Come on!”
* Just after Jerrie’s second “Shh!”, watch Rumpleteazer. She sticks out her tongue for no apparent reason. My best guess would be is that she’s doing it because she’s mad at Mungojerrie for shushing her but doesn’t want him to see.
* The first time Mungojerrie sings his name, watch to his right. There's a piece of orange fur floating in the air.
* On the line “…knockabout clowns…” Mungojerrie kicks one of the loot bags.
* Rumpleteazer’s necklace must be pinned to her costume, because when she cartwheels it doesn’t fly around.
* On the line “…for we are incurably given to rove!” Mungojerrie switches from stage right to stage left for his leap over Teazer.
* Watch Mungojerrie’s mouth as he sings “I’m afraid you must wait and have dinner tomorrow”. He sings “tamorra” but mouths “tomorrow”.
* While Jerrie and Teazer are spinning on the floor, Jerrie’s foot hits Teazer’s. No damage to either party results, however.
* After the line “…and no sober person…” when Rumpleteazer sings her name, watch Jerrie point at her over his shoulder and make a face at the audience.
* When Mungojerrie says “It was Mungojerrie!” the final time, Rumpleteazer is tapping her fingers on his hips.
* If you’ve ever done a two-person cartwheel and know how they work, this will be relatively easy to catch; if you haven’t, just watch the cartwheels closely. Teazer is actually lifting Jerrie over her head, while she’s just cartwheeling on his legs. It seems like they should be doing it the opposite way.
* When Teazer and Jerrie try to run off to stage left, watch Rumpleteazer’s face. You have to look fast, but she looks like she’s about to cry.
* When the song ends, Teazer is facing away from Jerrie, but in the next shot (when Misto kneels down) she’s turned toward him.
Old Deuteronomy
* At the very beginning, as Mistoffelees is crawling downstage, watch Victoria come on stage right for no obvious reason other than everyone else was onstage already.
* When Coricopat and Tantomile sing, “I believe it is Old Deuteronomy,” Plato and Jemima are getting cozy in the background to the right, until Jennyanydots notices and separates them.
* Cassandra slides into her split twice: once in a close up shot and once in a wide shot.
* When Munkustrap is singing the first verse, watch Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer on the trunk. Naturally, having just finished their number, they’re a bit winded, but Mungojerrie seems a lot more tired out than Rumpleteazer. Maybe it was all the lifting.
* During the close up on Munkustrap in the first verse, Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer are behind him on the trunk (as before mentioned). When the shot changes, they’ve changed positions entirely.
* On the line “…sits in the sun…” Jemima puts her right leg in the air. Then the shot changes and she has her left leg up.
* As everyone begins to gather into a group to go greet Old Deuteronomy, watch Asparagus just to the right of center. Plato is stepping on his tail.
* When Old Deuteronomy and Tugger greet each other, a white shirt can be seen under Old Deuteronomy’s costume.
The Awful Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles, Together With Some Account of the Participation of the Pugs and the Poms and the Intervention of the Great Rumpus Cat
* Is that a long title or what?
* On the line, “And now that the Jellicle leader is here…” Rumpleteazer excitedly raises her hand.
* When everyone is clearing the stage, just before Munkustrap begins the song, watch Mungojerrie and Jemima on stage left. Jemima nuzzles Mungojerrie, who seems about to trip over her.
* Watch Victoria as she sits beside Old Deuteronomy. In some shots it’s Phyllidia Crowley Smith, in others it’s Jo Bingham (Etcetera).
* When Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer hop around on one foot, watch Munkustrap pull up his armwarmer.
* While Jerrie and Teazer are barking at each other, Jemima nods in time with the music and Victoria points at Jerrie and Teazer in turn.
* After Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer finish barking at each other, Munkustrap whacks Jerrie in the head and Jerrie gives Munkustrap an angry look as he walks away.
* On the line, “…no British dog…” Bombalurina is sitting on the pipe. Then she disappears, and then on the line, “…surely a dozen…” she reappears.
* On the line, “And so all the Pekes when they heard the uproar…” watch Rumpleteazer and Jennyanydots in the background on stage right. They seem to be arguing about something.
* On the bagpipe note just after the line, “…dour Yorkshire tyke…” watch Skimbleshanks help Rumpleteazer get out of the way downstage left.
* While the Pollicles are marching around the stage, watch Alonzo at the end of the line. He smacks Plato, who had been marching the in the wrong direction, on the head.
* Pouncival has his hat on backwards! You can tell because the ears are on the front, while everyone else’s are on the back.
* On the line “Let my meaning be perfectly plain…” Pouncival chucks off his gloves to swing at Munkustrap.
* Mistoffelees and Skimbleshanks (as “the braw Scottish cousins”) walk toward Munkustrap twice.
* When Tugger plays his introductory notes on the “bagpipe”, watch Pouncival as he imitates him. His ear is stuck on top of his hat.
* After Tugger starts bagpiping, watch Victoria smack at Plato upstage.
* When Tugger finishes playing, Mistoffelees spins around to sit on the floor and loses his shoe.
* While the Pekes and Pollicles are…um…boureé-ing (for lack of a better word) towards each other singing, “Huffery snuffery…” Pouncival and Jennyanydots are walking behind their respective lines as though they’re rallying the troops.
* After the final “Huffery snuff!” everyone starts jumping around except Mungojerrie, who just stands there for a few moments.
* On the line, “…the underground trembled…” Mungojerrie (stage left in the middle) takes his hand out of his cereal bow paw and gestures at the Pekes as if to say, “Come and get it!”
* On the line, “…from a small basement flat…” watch Pouncival just behind Mungojerrie. He’s pretending to shoot a gun at the Pekes.
* When everyone singe “The Great Rumpus Cat!” Mungojerrie (on the far right of the screen) adjusts his shoe-hat, which has fallen down over his eye.
* On the line, “…the bars of the area…” Alonzo’s bottom lip quivers.
* The wire that controls the Rumpus Cat’s hair can be seen on the right side of his costume.
* On the line, “…or hairier…” Rumpus Cat is chewing on his bottom lip, trying not to smile.
* After the above line, watch Etcetera on stage left. She bows to the Rumpus Cat.
* On the line, “…quickly took warning…” Mungojerrie makes a face as if to say, “We’re supposed to be afraid of that?”
* When everyone comes out for the bow, Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer are strangely absent.
* Etcetera gives Rumpus Cat a funny look as he exits.
The Jellicle Ball
* When Old Deuteronomy comes down off the tire, Mistoffelees can be seen shadowing him.
* As Victoria walks onstage backwards, look past her and you’ll see Mistoffelees.
* When Victoria, Jemima, and Old Deuteronomy sing “Jellicle cats come out tonight, etc.” Munkustrap mouths the words but you can’t hear him sing.
* As he sings his lines, Alonzo comes toward Old Deuteronomy twice.
* On the line, “Jellicle cats have cheerful faces,” Skimbleshanks’ Scottish accent is nonexistent.
* Whenever Tumblebrutus sings, he’s imitating/mocking the older toms.
* Electra’s real ear can be seen under her wig on the line, “Jellicles wash behind their ears.”
* On the line, “…Jellicles dry between their toes,” watch Alonzo and Jemima dancing in the background.
* On the line, “Jellicle cats are white and black,” watch Mistoffelees and Victoria on stage right (behind Coricopat and Tantomile). Mistoffelees seems to be petting Victoria.
* Coricopat looks extremely irritated when Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer come downstage for their line.
* On the line, “…to dance by the light of the Jellicle Moon!” Cassandra is the only one that doesn’t turn.
* When the three queens sing “…and white!” Alonzo sneaks up on Rumpleteazer from behind.
* When Tumblebrutus flips onstage, he doesn’t have any armwarmers (probably too slippery), but when he’s finished they reappear.
* When Mistoffelees, Tumblebrutus, and Pouncival jump turn downstage, Pouncival disappears and reappears between shots. When you can see him, he’s a bit off-timing.
* Watch Mungojerrie in the background when Tumblebrutus and Mistoffelees are dancing. He escorts Victoria down the stairs in a very gentlemanly fashion.
* Tugger comes out on the trunk while Mistoffelees and Tumblebrutus are dancing, but then he disappears.
* While Bombalurina and the queens are dancing, watch Etcetera. She literally kicks herself in the head!
* Also when the queens are dancing, Rumpleteazer and Electra are having a ball (no pun intended) on the tire.
* Ironically, when the toms come out to dance with the above mentioned queens, Demeter dances with Plato. Did I hear someone scream, “Macavity!”?
* After Tugger lifts up Bombalurina and begins to carry her upstage, watch where she puts her hand.
* While Tumblebrutus and Mistoffelees are dancing, Tumblebrutus’ collar disappears and reappears.
* While Victoria and Plato are checking each other out, watch Rumpleteazer as she crawls upstage center. Before cuddling with Mungojerrie, she goes over to Rum Tum Tugger (on her right) and he tickles her chin.
* Why on earth did Tugger decide to snuggle with Jennyanydots?
* During the Mating Dance, two of the fingers on Plato’s left hand are buddy taped.
* When everyone bunches together and falls asleep, watch Etcetera downstage right. Not only does she pull up her armwarmer, but she also pulls it up too far.
* Right after Skimbleshanks wakes up, Etcetera moves before anyone else does.
* As everyone else is waking up, watch Old Deuteronomy. He sees Grizabella before the rest of the Tribe does.
* When the lights go from bright to low, almost everyone’s positions change between shots.
* Just before Tugger and the other toms come downstage to dance, there’s a shot of Rumpleteazer where her tail belt has come undone.
* After Tugger and the other toms have finished their dance, while the others calmly go to their places for the next part, Mungojerrie really books it offstage.
* During the part when Tugger is dancing in the front, his left sock has fallen down and a ring of white can be seen on his ankle.
Memory
During the close-up shot of Deuteronomy reaching out to Grizabella, he’s reaching with his right hand, but when it cuts to a wide shot he’s reaching with his left hand.
The Moments of Happiness
* Coricopat and Tantomile are two of the first characters to appear onstage, but they can be seen entering again later.
* Plato comes down off the tire three times.
* As Gus enters, watch the far right side of the screen. As Alonzo and Victoria pass each other, Alonzo rubs his head along the length of Victoria’s body.
* Watch Rumpleteazer and Mistoffelees downstage a little to the right of center. They seem to sniff each other.
* While Munkustrap is greeting Gus, watch Jemima (to their right) itch her ear.
* When Jemima melts down after singing her solo, she kicks Etcetera, who tries to cover it by making it look as though she just moved her leg.
Gus: The Theater Cat
* Mistoffelees disappears and reappears from his place beside Victoria throughout the song.
* Pouncival keeps switching spots from beside Old Deuteronomy to on top of the trunk.
* Exotica’s costume keeps switching from the sleek brown costume to the lighter brown, more chorus cat-type costume. This switching continues throughout the song and into “Skimbleshanks”.
* On the line “…and the gallery once gave him…” Jemima smiles at Munkustrap.
* On the line “…when Victoria reigned…” Victoria gets a bit excited.
* During the course of the song, Skimbleshanks falls asleep.
* When Firefrorefiddle first enters, Skimbleshanks disappears from the top of the car trunk, but he reappears later.
* Firefrorefiddle has a shadow.
* When Firefrorefiddle bows to Gus, there is no one in or beside the pipe, but when Gus turns to exit Tumblebrutus is beside the pipe and Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer are in it.
Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat
* The younger queens imitate Skimbleshanks’ movements during the first verse.
* Coricopat and Tantomile follow Skimble’s movements with their heads when he sings “…searching high and low.”
* During the line “…with the signal overdue…” watch Tugger escort Cassandra over to Old Deuteronomy.
* When Skimbleshanks sings “That’s when I would appear” Electra tries to pounce on his tail.
* On the line “…and he gave one flash…” Skimbleshanks steps on Asparagus’ foot. You have to look fast because it cuts really quickly.
* When Skimbleshanks says “More or less” Cassandra begins to stand up, and then the shot changes and she stands up again.
* On the line “…and it’s certain that he didn’t approve…” Cassandra gives Electra the look of death (aptly named by Mystitat)
* On the line, “…a cat that couldn’t be ignored…” Rumpleteazer grimaces when Skimble turns and sees them.
* Jemima is early for the leap on “…was aboard!”
* When everyone gets into the semicircle on the floor, both Cassandra and Rumpleteazer fix their tails.
* Tumblebrutus (on the pipe) pretends to honk a train’s horn on the first “Woo woo!”
* On the line “…and not a speck of dust upon the floor,” Jennyanydots shakes her head as if in agreement.
* Watch Coricopat on top of the trunk as Skimbleshanks sings about the light. He follows Skimbleshanks’ movements with his head and then stops and gets a sort of embarrassed look on his face.
* Just after Rumpleteazer’s sneeze, on the line “…and would ask you very brightly…”, Mungojerrie, Jemima, Etcetera, Victoria, and Rumpleteazer have various reactions to something Electra is doing.
* On the line “…and the berth was very neat…” Old Deuteronomy pretends to fall asleep on Munkustrap and Admetus.
* When everyone sings “When they crept into their cozy berth…” Admetus (beside Old Deuteronomy) looks shocked as Skimble pretends to undress.
* As everyone gets up from the floor, watch Etcetera’s impressive back walkover on stage right.
* Pouncival comes onstage twice during the building of the train.
* As the train comes together, Electra, Victoria, and Pouncival all salute Skimbleshanks.
* Watch Etcetera on stage left as she sits down with her little wheel. She nods to someone offstage.
* When Skimble sings about catching a flea, Cassandra takes something off of Tumblebrutus and then eats it. Ew…
* On the line “…they might see me at Dumfrice…” watch Rumpleteazer on stage right. Something offscreen makes her laugh - possibly Mungojerrie, who has mysteriously disappeared for this segment of the song.
* Watch Pouncival when the train falls apart. At first he has his umbrella stuck in the red fabric hoop, then the shot changes and the umbrella is free, and then the shot changes again and he’s just sitting there with the umbrella closed.
* When Skimbleshanks is standing center stage on the last drumbeat, look between his legs. To me, it looks like Mungojerrie is behind him, but Mungojerrie isn’t onstage either before or after that shot!
* On the line “…gives you a wave of his long brown tail…” Etcetera imitates Skimbleshanks as she goes offstage behind him.
* When Old Deuteronomy dances at the end of the song, Mungojerrie can be seen at the very end of the line behind Skimble, but in the next shot he’s gone. He then reappears as he slides on his knees to center stage. He also reappears and disappears between shots when Skimble climbs up on the pyramid of toms.
* During the final “…the cat of the railway…” watch Rumpleteazer (downstage center) pretend to be a train, or something to that effect. Whatever it is, it’s funny looking.
* As everyone holds the final note, Skimbleshanks changes between being behind Alonzo and being on top of him.
Macavity: The Mystery Cat
* In the Macavity scare right after "Skimbleshanks," watch Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer. They're anxiously looking for each other. They see each other and then Rumpleteazer hurries through Skimble's legs to get to Mungojerrie.
* Just after Demeter says “Macavity!” watch Munkustrap. He accidentally kicks Electra, who is on the floor behind him.
* As everyone disperses to their various places for the beginning of the song, watch Rumpleteazer slide across the stage really far.
* Through the whole number, Demeter’s legwarmer changes from pulled up to her knee to falling down around her ankle.
* On the line, “…and they say that all the cats…” the glove on Bombalurina’s right arm changes from being scrunched up at her wrist to pulled up where it should be.
* The last time the queens sing “Macavity” watch Demeter. Not only is she not singing, but she remembers too late that she’s supposed to be singing and makes a face.
* Toward the end of the song, when the queens run their hands up their sides, watch Jemima. She does it on time with the music but off time with everyone else.
* When everyone else comes running out, watch Jellylorum as she comes on from stage left. She slips and falls on her butt.
* When Demeter makes her first pass at Macavity-as-Old-Deuteronomy, Etcetera seems pretty desperate to get out of the way – just watch the trick she does!
* Also when Demeter first charges at Macavity, Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer both do a 360-spin on their knees off to stage left, but Mungojerrie’s is controlled while Rumpleteazer goes wild.
* During the fight, the light Pouncival turns on afterward can be seen sitting between the tire and the trunk.
* After Alonzo is down, Mungojerrie is the first tom to stand up.
* As everyone sings “We have to find Old Deuteronomy” Munkustrap tosses his tail behind him.
Mr. Mistoffelees
* While Tugger is singing on the trunk, the Old Deuteronomy mask used by Macavity is sitting next to him.
* Demeter, Bombalurina, and Munkustrap disappear and reappear from the tire during the entire time the lights are off.
* Everyone is mouthing “oowap” instead of the “oowah” that we hear.
* When Tugger sings “lying out on the lawn” Etcetera imitates his arm movement.
* As Mistoffelees comes down on the rope, his position changes from shot to shot so that his face is constantly visible.
* For a few moments after Mistoffelees says “Presto!” you can see a cameraman in a red shirt on the extreme right of the screen.
* The time that Mistoffelees lightning didn’t work he was aiming straight at Victoria.
* Mistoffelees coat disappears.
* On “…when he was curled up by the fire,” Etcetera imitates Mistoffelees. She and Electra both imitate Mistoffelees on “…at least we all heard that somebody purred…”
* When Tugger sings “I’ve known the family to call” he pretends to dial and answer a phone.
* When everyone sings “Oh, well, a-never…” just after Mistoffelees catches the mug, watch Mungojerrie (sitting down on stage left). He isn’t singing.
* Even though Mistoffelees seems to make Victoria appear out of nowhere, if you watch she was there the whole time.
* When Tugger says “Magical!” Etcetera and Electra are on either side of him, but in the next shot they’re gone.
* When Mistoffelees gets the red sheet, Cassandra comes down off the car looking all excited, but in the next shot she’s sitting by the pipe and not even paying attention.
* When Mistoffelees picks Cassandra, Tugger looks very much as though he approves of the choice.
* Also when Mistoffelees picks Cassandra, watch Pouncival, who is behind Tugger. He is standing on his head and clapping his feet.
* At the same time, Jennyanydots does a double take, as though she’s surprised that Mistoffelees chose Cassandra.
* Just after Cassandra disappears under the sheet, Etcetera (on Tugger’s left) is not paying attention to what’s going on and scratches at Tugger’s leg tie.
* As Mistoffelees brings the red sheet toward center stage, watch the strangely out-of-place exchange between Tugger and Mungojerrie. Tugger points as if to say, “Hey, how are you?” and Jerrie makes the same gesture back.
* When everyone circles around Old Deuteronomy, Mungojerrie is late getting to the center. Watch him on stage left; he has to rush to catch up.
* Also when everyone circles around Old Deuteronomy and Mistoffelees, Victoria steps on Alonzo’s foot as they back up.
* As Rumpleteazer backs up from the circle, she motions with her arm as though she’s presenting Mistoffelees. She can be seen just to the right of Tugger.
* When Mistoffelees goes and gets Cassandra, Old Deuteronomy is hugging Munkustrap.
* As Mistoffelees escorts Cassandra over to Old Deuteronomy, Electra and Etcetera totally get their groove on.
* After Mistoffelees brings Cassandra back, Jemima climbs up above the trunk, then disappears for Mistoffelees’ toe touch off the tire, and then reappears for her solo.
* As Mistoffelees does his toe touches, watch Victoria and Plato get close in the background.
* Also during Mistoffelees’ toe touches, watch Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer on stage left. Rumpleteazer is hugging Mungojerrie’s hand quite cutely as she rocks back and forth.
Memory
* When Grizabella comes onstage before the final "Memory", Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer run past her offstage. They don't return to hear her song or to touch her. They come back during "The Journey to the Heaviside Layer". Is it just me or is that a really strange time for them to leave?
* Jemima stands up to sing three times.
The Journey to the Heaviside Layer
* Watch Tugger's arm when Grizabella and Old Deuteronomy are on the tire and everyone sings, "Up, up, up..." He raises his arm, then the shot changes and he's just standing there. This happens just before they switch from singing "Heaviside Layer" to singing "Jellicle Moon".
* Just before Old Deuteronomy begins “The Addressing of Cats”, Munkustrap climbs up into the archway on stage right.
The Addressing of Cats
* As Old Deuteronomy sings about food, Mistoffelees licks his lips.
* On the line, “…and so in time you reach your aim…” Mungojerrie cocks his head.
* Throughout the whole song, but especially toward the end, Mungojerrie keeps appearing and disappearing between shots. When you can see him, he's behind Demeter on far stage left.
* When everyone poses on the word “evidences”, Pouncival’s and Rumpleteazer’s poses change depending on whether they’re seen in a close up or wide shot.
Credits
* If the clip during Mistoffelees’ credit looks unfamiliar, that’s because it’s from a section of his song that was cut. During this section, Jacob Brent performs a series of fouetes, or incredibly difficult turns on one foot. These turns were cut from the video but can be seen in the live show.
* When the additional vocal recordings are listed, Jemima is spelled “Jemmina”.