Carbucketty
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Re: munkustrap backstory | Ozchicago wrote: | Am doing some research on Munkustrapand was wondering if anyone could point me in the direction of munkustraps back-story/history, his relationships in the show etc etc etc
any help, or direction would be fantastic! |
Broadway back-story was posted here ages ago by the final US Tour and Broadway casts. I'm telling this from memory, so I don't know if I'm getting this 100% correct. Someone will correct me, if I do go too far off...
Munkustrap is the narrator of the show and, IIRC, the leader or secondary leader of the tribe. (Alonzo is second/third in command.) Munkustrap is son of Old Deuteronomy and brother of both Tugger and Macavity. Each of the brothers represent a different aspect of Deuteronomy's power/virtue. Munkustrap is leadership, Tugger was sexual energy, and macavity was power. A struggle over the leadership of the tribe let to a rift between the two and the eventual fight.
Demeter somehow was raped by Macavity (thus the reason for her paranoia. I don't remember the full back story. It may have involved her being on good terms him at one point. Bombalurina's characters speaks of Macavity with a rather familiar tone. It's not really one of contempt, but "been there, done that, loved it" .. In one of the versions, Grizabella was also corrupted by Macavity and became a prostitute.)
Macavity, seeking the leadership of the tribe and Demeter kidnaps Deut and tries to make off with Demeter. Munkustrap fights him, gets wounded, and Alonzo finished off the fight. (In US and older European versions Alonzo and Demeter are a romantically involved couple. In London and newer (Joop van den Ende) productions Munkustrap and Demeter are the couple.)
Some other interesting bits... It has been suggested that Tugger could be played as a bisexual character. Skimbleshanks was seen as the "friendly" (i.e. gay) uncle.
During Moments of Happiness, Old Deut transmits his message of forgiveness telepathically through Coricopat and Tantomile to Sillabub/Jemima. (The reasons for the choreography.)
The ball is the debutante party for one of the four "kittens" -- Victoria. (Tumblebrutus, Sillabub/Jemima, and Pouncival/Carbucketty being the others.) She preforms the "invitation" with Misto. She's the center of attention at the climax of the ball when they group is rolling around ont he floor and it all comes together with the choreographically suggested mating scene between Plato/Admetus and Victoria.
This is stage direction given to the actors as motivation and mentioned on this forum over five years ago and retold through my every fuzzing memory. It's not to be taken as absolute truth. The show can be re-staged and re-choreographed and re told in a number of ways.
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