Mr. Mistoffelees is a character in
T. S. Eliot
Thomas Stearns Eliot (26 September 18884 January 1965) was a poet, essayist, publisher, playwright, literary critic and editor.Bush, Ronald. "T. S. Eliot's Life and Career", in John A Garraty and Mark C. Carnes (eds), ''American National Biog ...
's 1939 poetry book ''
Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats
''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 ...
'' and its 1981
musical
Musical is the adjective of music.
Musical may also refer to:
* Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance
* Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...
adaptation,
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948), is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 21 musicals, ...
's ''
Cats
The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members of ...
''. 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
Chorus may refer to:
Music
* Chorus (song) or refrain, line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse
* Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound
* Chorus form, song in which all vers ...
identity is sometimes named Quaxo.
The role of Mr. Mistoffelees was originated by
Wayne Sleep in the West End in 1981, and by
Timothy Scott on Broadway in 1982.
Jacob Brent portrayed the character in the
1998 film, while
Laurie Davidson portrayed him in the
2019 film.
Poem
Mistoffelees' name derives from the
demon
A demon is a malevolent supernatural entity. Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in religion, occultism, literature, fiction, mythology, and folklore; as well as in media such as comics, video games, movies, anime, ...
Mephistopheles
Mephistopheles (, ), also known as Mephisto, is a demon featured in German folklore. He originally appeared in literature as the demon in the Faust legend, and he has since appeared in other works as a stock character (see: Mephistopheles in ...
. However, the character is not sinister as the name implies, and instead is described by Eliot as being "the original conjuring cat", who is "always deceiving you into believing that he's only hunting for mice" — a mysterious, quiet and small black feline capable of performing feats of magic and sleight of hand. These traits are portrayed as amusing, not fearsome or particularly deadly.
Although originally published as part of a collection of poems, "Mr. Mistoffelees" was published as a standalone book by
Faber and Faber
Faber and Faber Limited, usually abbreviated to Faber, is an independent publishing house in London. Published authors and poets include T. S. Eliot (an early Faber editor and director), W. H. Auden, Margaret Storey, William Golding, Samuel ...
in 2015.
''Cats''
In ''
Cats
The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members of ...
'', Mistoffelees is a principal role and maintains most of the same attributes as Eliot's original character, although he is a much flashier showman. He is portrayed as a young
Jellicle cat who is not yet able to fully control his magical powers.
[ As the most prominent male dancer, he usually serves as a counterpart to the lead female dancer, Victoria. Mistoffelees has his own titular song in the second act of the show, during which he performs an extended dance solo; the song is usually sung by him and Rum Tum Tugger.][ Mistoffelees's dance solo consists of some of the most difficult choreography in the show, including his signature "Conjuring Turn" that comprises 24 consecutive fouettés en tournant.]
In most productions, Mistoffelees also sings the "Invitation to the Jellicle Ball" in the first act. In the original West End production, Mistoffelees also sang " The Old Gumbie Cat"; and in the original Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...
production, he sang " Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer", until the song was reworked to allow the two titular characters to sing it themselves. In some versions of the musical, his chorus identity is given a second name, "Quaxo".
The role is usually played by dancers with extensive ballet
Ballet () is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread and highly technical form of ...
training. Because the role's technical demands necessarily trump the performer's vocal abilities, the show permits multiple vocal tracks for the character—thereby allowing some dancers to sing quite a bit, while others do no singing at all. In productions where Mistoffelees does sing, he is played by a high baritone
A baritone is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the bass and the tenor voice-types. The term originates from the Greek (), meaning "heavy sounding". Composers typically write music for this voice in ...
.[
In the 2019 film adaptation, however, the role has been significantly altered. Mistoffelees, depicted by Laurie Davidson, is more nervous and unsure of himself. He is shown to actually have magical powers, including being able to levitate objects and able to pull objects such as mice and flowers out of his hat. He saves Victoria from a dog when Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer abandon her in a house and becomes her friend and confidant by the end of the film.
]
Costume
Although Eliot's poem is specific about Mistoffelees's appearance being "black from the ears to the tip of his tail", the practicalities of stage costume mean he is usually portrayed as a black-and-white tuxedo cat, as a pure black costume would be completely lost under stage lighting. He wears two costumes, a basic black hatched leotard with white chest and fluffy warmers through the majority of the show, and, for his feature song, a more glamorous black velvet and rhinestone costume, with a black jacket fitted with electric flashing lights to make for a more spectacular entrance.
Notable casting
The role of Mr. Mistoffelees was originated by Wayne Sleep in the West End in 1981, and by Timothy Scott on Broadway in 1982. Actors who have portrayed Mistoffelees onstage include Louie Spence
Louie Spence (born 6 April 1969) is an English dancer, choreographer and television personality, best known for the TV show '' Pineapple Dance Studios''. He was a professional dancer in his youth, performing in West End musicals including '' M ...
, Gen Horiuchi
Gen Horiuchi ( ja, 堀内 元) is a Japanese ballet dancer and choreographer. He was a principal dancer of the New York City Ballet and is artistic director of the Saint Louis Ballet Company.
Biography
Gen Horiuchi (Hajime Gen Horiuchi) was born ...
and George de la Peña
George de la Peña (born December 9, 1955) is an American ballet dancer, musical theatre performer, choreographer, actor, and teacher. He was born in 1955 in New York City, New York.
Originally trained as a concert pianist, de la Peña switched t ...
. In the 1998 DVD production of the show, Mistoffelees is portrayed by Jacob Brent, reprising his Broadway role. In the 2016 Broadway revival the part was played by Ricky Ubeda.
Laurie Davidson portrayed him in the 2019 film adaptation.
In popular culture
In 1980 the British actor Paul Nicholas
Paul Nicholas (born Paul Oscar Beuselinck; 3 December 1944) is an English actor and singer. He started out with a pop career, but soon changed to musical theatre, playing the lead role in ''Jesus Christ Superstar'' at the West End’s Palace ...
released the song ''Magical Mr Mistoffelees'' as a single.
When Neil Patrick Harris
Neil Patrick Harris (born June 15, 1973) is an American actor, singer, writer, producer, and television host. Primarily known for his comedic television roles and dramatic and musical stage roles, he has received multiple accolades throughout ...
hosted ''Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock (streaming service), Peacock. ...
'' in 2009, Bobby Moynihan
Bobby Moynihan (born January 31, 1977) is an American actor, comedian and writer who was a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' from 2008 until 2017. He also voiced Louie Duck on Disney's ''DuckTales'' from 2017 to 2021, Panda in '' We Bare ...
played Mr. Mistoffelees in a "Save Broadway" sketch.
References
Print sources
*
General references
*''Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats'', T. S. Eliot, Harcourt, 1982,
*''A Cat's Diary: How the Broadway Production of Cats was born'', Stephen Hanan, Smith & Kraus, 2002,
*''Mr. Mistoffelees and other poems'', T. S. Eliot, Errol Le Cain, Faber & Faber
Faber and Faber Limited, usually abbreviated to Faber, is an independent publishing house in London. Published authors and poets include T. S. Eliot (an early Faber editor and director), W. H. Auden, Margaret Storey, William Golding, Samuel B ...
, 1990,
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