Rumblepurr
|
Who Are the Henchcats?A question came my way concerning the CATS Video. I have checked the credits for the video, and the "extra" roles of this type are not given.
So... Who are the four Henchcats who abduct Old Deuteronomy in the video?
And I might as well ask - Who are the other Macavitys...?
Rumblepurr
The Writer Cat.
|
Alonza0
|
Four? I thought there were only three. *shrugs* I remember that one of them is Jacob Brent. He's the only one I'm positive of. I also want to say Fergus Logan, but I can't be sure. There was a website that listed them, but I have no idea which one... *goes to look*
As for the Macavity's, one of them is obviously Bryn Walters, and the other one, so I'm told is Richard Armitage. Again, someone will have to back me up on that, because I'm recalling this info from a website I read years ago.
|
RTTugger1977
|
I think Frank Thompson and John Partridge are the other two.
|
Luc
|
Wait wait wait...
I still consider myself a CATS n00b, just so ya know.
There is more than one Macavity?
|
Nedame
|
| musikal_geek wrote: | Wait wait wait...
I still consider myself a CATS n00b, just so ya know.
There is more than one Macavity?  |
Yes Macavity appears before the hench cat's lead out the fake Old Deuteronomy who is actually Macavity in disguise. Before the fight between him and Munkastrap. It's supposed to show how he can be in two places at once I guess.
|
Rumblepurr
|
| musikal_geek wrote: | Wait wait wait...
I still consider myself a CATS n00b, just so ya know.
There is more than one Macavity?  |
In the show (and video), the place where Macavity comes in as Old Deuteronomy is what is being questioned here. Macavity shows up in about three locations causing Munkustrap and the others to wonder what is going on. Then, Macavity gestures, and the henchcats bring out Old Deuteronomy. Now... the REAL Macavity is disguised as Old D... That means there has to be at least one, if not 2-3, faux Macavity's in that scene...
I thought Tugger might be one of them, but I have seen sources where chorus and swing members don on Macavity masks and costumes to be the ones appearing up in the higher platforms.
Rumblepurr
The Writer Cat.
|
Smudge
|
On the current US tour (the only production I'm really familiar with anymore) it varies as to who does it. The original cast it was Pouncival, but later casts it's often been a swing who is not actually on that night (or so I've been told). I've seen photos where it was actually a girl...
|
Luc
|
I'm SO lost.
|
Saffity
|
I know that one of the henchcats on the tour is still pouncival. Actually during Skimble when they're in the train, if you look under the body of the train you can actually see pounce removing his leg warmers and tail. He then falls out of the train with the lamp part and books it off the stage.
I watched to see what was up and figured out that he was one of the henchcats who stole Deut.
|
Smudge
|
| Saffity wrote: | I know that one of the henchcats on the tour is still pouncival. Actually during Skimble when they're in the train, if you look under the body of the train you can actually see pounce removing his leg warmers and tail. He then falls out of the train with the lamp part and books it off the stage.
I watched to see what was up and figured out that he was one of the henchcats who stole Deut. |
I meant that he is (or at least was) one of the fake Macavities... hehe, plural Macavity, that makes me grin... *goofball*
That's a very astute observation though. I highly doubt I would ever have noticed something like that.
|
Alonza0
|
| musikal_geek wrote: | | I'm SO lost. |
The best way to explain it is to watch the movie (you might find it on YouTube if you don't own it). Old Deuteronomy is kidnapped, Bomba and Demi sing Macavity, there's a crash and Macavity appears. Then threatening music is replaced by gentler music as Old Deuteronomy is led back on stage. We know Macavity is under there, but yet we can see Macavity dancing away in the background. So there must be two Macavitys - one exiting the stage in the background and one under the Deuteronomy cloak.
Now, this is where it might get confusing to someone not familiar with the stage version. In live productions when Macavity is about to kidnap Old Deuteronomy, they have Macavity pop up in different places around the set, all one right after another. It's supposed to demonstrate that Macavity is magical and I guess has teleportation powers. Obviously, the actor who plays Mac can't move around the set that fast, so Rumblepurr is asking which character(s) play the other Macavity(s).
As for the henchcats, that should be pretty self-explanatory. The production isn't going to hire seperate actors just to pop in and out as henchcats - they'd be paying them for like 10 seconds stage time - so Rumblepurr is asking which characters double as henchcats.
|
Moongewl
|
The fake Macavities wear masks instead of doing Macavity makeup, right?
|
Smudge
|
| Moongewl wrote: | | The fake Macavities wear masks instead of doing Macavity makeup, right? |
Yes
|
*asterix*
|
| Smudge wrote: | | Moongewl wrote: | | The fake Macavities wear masks instead of doing Macavity makeup, right? | Yes |
... upper left-ish.
|
Akeyla
|
according to Sebastian Rose the "fake Macavity/other Macavity" is /was called "Macavity Scare". In the NLT he used to take over the part and when we asked him about it he gave us a real long stare not first knowing what we meant and then went "oh you mean the Macavity Scare, yes I do that one".
I'll never forget that sentence. There was something uber cute and funny the way he said it. Macavity SCARE grawwwlz!
|
Rumpleteazer4760
|
I know Jacob Brent is one of the henchcats, as Alonza0 said, but other than that I'm afraid I'm not much help.
|
RTTugger1977
|
I think at one point in the DVD, during the Macavity scare, when they bring Old D back, it *is* Ken Page, but when they get the chance (quick editing) it's Bryn Walters in the 'fake Old D' getup the next time we see him.
|
VictoriaTWC
|
Rumblepurr,
The times I saw the show on Bway, we had Plato covering the *real* Macavity.
Pouncival and Mungojerrie were the *Henchcats*
Asparagus was probably the *fake Macavity up on the set* as he isn't seen until right after the Misto dance number, he comes back onstage right during the last part when the cast went out into the audience.
Asparagus is my guess, or Hector would know as that character isn't seen at all during Skimble, or Macavity's numbers, and I watched for Gus to show up last time I saw the show on Tour, and yup, he showed up right at the end of Misto's number.
Purrs,
VTWC
|
Rumblepurr
|
My ThanksI wish to thank everyone answering this thread. After being backstage and seeing the vast array of extra costumes that the cast wear, it is nice to know what else this extraordinary cast must do. On one of the other Forums, I remember our resident "Macavity" told us about having to endure a period of time where he endured not only his Admetus costume, but also to have the Macavity one over that, and then to come on stage with the faux Old Deuteronomy cossie over that as well... Three costumes... I am bathed in sweat just thinking about having to do that...
Again, my thanks...
Rumblepurr
The Writer Cat.
|
The Drama Queen
|
Its very interesting how our production is doing Macavity. Basically we never see him. The Director felt that it would be scarier to the audience if they have there own creepy picture of him. You know how in scary movies your always terrified of the "monster" until you actually see it and its some lame animatronic? We're fixing that. I really like how it works, because it produces even more mystery in the air.
|
Moongewl
|
I guess that could work, considering the line repeated in Macavity--"Macavity's not there!"--but it might be hard to pull off. No fight scene? No Mac-hiding-under-the-coat? And how does Old Deuteronomy get kidnapped?
|
Rumpleteazer4760
|
That is an interesting idea! How do you pull it off?
|
The Drama Queen
|
First off, our set is supposed to be Gus's theatre, and there is a giant red chair (like a wingback) that revolves and serves as Deutoronomy's throne. While he's sitting on chair after the scare after Skimbleshanks the 4 henchcats (George, Admetus, Alonzo, and Mungojerrie) come in a do some fighting with Munkustrap and Mistofelees, and then start spinning the chair rapidly until Deut. disapears (he just quickly jumps off, but it looks cool). Then the henchcats set off a flashpot and the entire cast freezes in various poses of dispair, while the henchcats slowly walk out through us. Then when the music for Macavity starts up we break our poses and make our way either off stage or up on the set.
I think we're cutting the fake-Deut. part, and we haven't block Mistofelees yet so I don't know how he comes back.
|
Rumpleteazer4760
|
That sounds really neat and unique!
|