[ Felina's Jellicle World : Turn your face to the moonlight ]

INTERVIEWS! ABOUT CATS!

Interviews often answer questions far more accurately than speculating fans can!! ^_^ Seriously, these are worth reading, they're very interesting even if you know EVERYTHING about Cats and answer a lot of questions from within.

INTERVIEW INDEX

Jo Gibb (Rumpelteazer)

John Partridge CATS Berlin November 2002 (Rum Tum Tugger)

Jo Gibb Interview from the Making of Cats

Michael Gruber Interview from the Making of Cats (Munkustrap)

Elaine Paige Interview from the Making of Cats (Grizabella)

THE INTERVIEWS

JO GIBB INTERVIEW Back to Top

In a recent interview, Jo Gibb took some time out of her busy schedule to answer some FAQ's of CATS fans. Here are her responses.

1. Do you believe Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer are brother and sister or mates? This is purely your opinion. It varies from fan to fan. I know some people would like to know what you think.
I definitely think they are brother and sister because there is (I am sorry to say) no sexual innuendo between them like there is between Plato and Victoria.

2. On "The Pekes and the Pollicles", there are a few points where it looks like Victoria is played by Jo Bingham instead of Phyllida. What's the deal there?
She is played by Jo Bingham because we were rushing on that scene and we did it last and we couldn't wait till Victoria got better for the retakes.

3. Why does Femi Taylor's costume change several times during the show?
Femi is a swing. If you look many of the other swings have changed. I really have no idea why though.

4. Who on the cover of the video actually is in the video? They don't look the same.
Only one is from the video and that is Jemima (Veerle Casteleyn). It is or was a recent cast picture of the west end.

5. What was it like working with Andrew Lloyd Webber? Like, what was he like? Was he strict or mean or really nice or what?
Andrew is a brilliant person to work with. He is strict because he likes perfection but also he is a great laugh.

6. What was your daily schedule like each day?
Get up at 6:00 eat breakfast. Travel to Adelphi Theatre, got there by 7:30. Straight into make-up and costume, that finished about 8:45 then start rehearsals until 6:00.

7. What was the overall best part about working with all the other cast members? And who was your favorite person to work with?
It was just great all the time they were such a laugh. Drew Varley was the best to work with because we have a social life together.

JOHN PARTRIDGE INTERVIEW in Berlin Back to Top

Thanks to Tuggerine for translating this!

"Theater Am Potsdammer Platz: Musical star John Partridge plays his favorite role in his favorite city."

You came to the rehearsals just 3 weeks before the first show! How come?
I had another engagement in London, in ‘Taboo’ with and by Boy George. When I got the offer to go back to Berlin, I agreed right away. My boyfriend lives here and I love this city. The chance to be able to perform here again came very unexpected. It’s very difficult for an actor to get work in Berlin – and particular a dream role!

The director and choreographer Gillian Lynne had decided to set up a pure german cast, but then they cast you in London for the role of the Rum Tum Tugger. Did Gillian have a good old think about that?
Yes, I think so. Gillian knows me since I first performed CATS on stage when I was 17, now I’m 31. She’s seen me as Rum Tum Tugger from the start and watched me grow with that role. But she does continuously look for new performers. That she actually chose me again, makes me really proud.

In how many productions have you been performing as Rum Tum Tugger?
In four, in London, Hamburg, on the UK-Tour and in the CATS-Video. But it was never boring. That role was written for me, the more often I performed it, the more of myself filtered into it.

Whats so special about this role?
The Rum Tum Tugger is someone, that excites the people. He spreads a good time, touches everyone with his enthusiasm. I’m exactly like that myself when I’m on stage – and also off stage.

The audience loves you for it. Could it be, its because your not just turning on the women but also men?
Of course, I want to turn on both. That’s what makes it successful and that’s the thrill – to be sexy for men and women. I love to play with this and fool around with it.

The critics in german newspapers are excellent. What do you think of CATS-Berlin?
Well, I honestly have to say, that this production is at least as good as in London, if not better . The cast and staff are absolutely professional! Besides, what I really like is, that the cast is fairly old, on average – around 30. This raises the acting qualities.

Your stage german is really good.
(laughs) Yes, they taught us with the whip!

Do you speak german offstage as well?
My boyfriend is Italian, so we don’t necessarily speak german at home. I tried all different ways to learn german, but it just doesn’t work. That’s why now I’m going to the university 3 times a week in the mornings.

Many of the performers think that Berlin is one of the most exciting cities in the world – what do you think?
That’s true, Berlin is the most fantastic city in Europe! Such a lot is going on here. We live in Friedrichshain and I already met such a lot of interesting people in that area. Besides that, I have a band and my band-members came along with me. We take in everything around us and get totally influenced by it.

What kind of music do you play?
Particulary Electro-punk. The band is called ‘Machtlos’ (powerless). In a couple of days, when our third band member arrives from his world tour with Patricia Kaas, we will start to play in Berlin.

Have you been in the music-business very long?
I was working as a dancer in video-clips, f.e. in ‘Real Thing’ by U2. I got to know the company that way. Later I also worked with Pet shop boys, Kim Wilde, Nenneh Cherry, Pete Townsend, Mica Paris and Ultra Nate as a background singer.

Which three locations in Berlin would you suggest to go and see to someone, who comes to Berlin for the first time?
That is difficult. Well, I would most definitely go to the restaurant No. 55 (near the University). You get a brilliant view over all of Berlin. Than the Jazz-bar ‘Soul Trane’ in the Stilwerk in the Kantstrasse – its just fantastic there. And then the Technikmuseum (museum of technology). Its great. And they do the best cappuccinos.

Right, the show will begin soon so I better leave you alone to put on your make-up. They say it takes a performer up to 2 hours to put it on!
(laughs) Oh, I only need 15 minutes. I throw all the make-up into the air, put my face underneath, then the make up falls onto it just the way it should.

MICHAEL GRUBER, ON MUNKUSTRAP AND FILMING Back to Top

“Munkustrap is really the storyteller – he's entrusted with giving the information to the other, maybe younger Cats who have not been to the Jellicle Ball before. He gets up and says exactly what they’re here to do, he's also caretaker of the kittens, wants to make sure everybody’s safe, in all the Macavity scares he’s there, to – protect the trible. So he is the protector.

One of the highlights [of the film] is working with Sir John Mills. I mean, who would have thought? To see Gus played by an actor of age, and of theatrical heritage, I mean really, it puts a whole spin on it that I don’t think has ever been seen before. And Sir John…it’s like a lesson in acting, and to be able to sit back, and - I don’t think there was a dry eye, each time. And to be around his energy is something I will, you know, cherish my whole life.

I didn’t really expect [the film] to be this difficult. It’s probably been the greatest challenge of it because the focus hasn’t really been on figuring out what to do, it’s sort of been figuring out how to do it.”

JO GIBB, ON RUMPLETEAZER AND FILMING Back to Top

“I’m Rumpleteazer and I’m part of a duo, which is Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer. And we’re the two naughtiest Cats, in Cats I suppose. We’re always doing what we shouldn’t, getting up to mischief, and creating hassle for everyone else. The number Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer takes us through a process of that, when we decide to go out burgling – which we do often, of course. But…she’s lovable at the same time, cheeky, she’s always getting a clip round the ear from the older Cats…but they like her really. (smiles)

It’s difficult to create an atmosphere for film. You’ve got to click it on (clicks fingers) and click it off. I’ve realised just how hard it is for TV actors or film actors, by comparison to stage actors, to grab a moment from nowhere, when they’ve been sitting down for a coffee and then they say “Right! Let’s go for that shot.”

This is the definitive version of Cats, it’s an honour actually to be used in it…and I’ve got this now and forever, the production with Elaine Paige in it, with Ken Page in it, all the brilliant people we’ve got to work with. And I’m along with them! And I’ve got this now on video, to show my kids in later life.

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