Cats Warsaw Archive

Cats Warsaw archive blog run by @per-the-jellicle-magician Includes photos, videos, articles and everything else Cats Warsaw related

[per-the-jellicle-magician]

This one pic from the Cats Warsaw book just hits me right in the feels whenever I see it

Because in Warsaw Demeter is Grizabella's daughter and according to the book Griz crashed the Ball to see her (and Old D) one last time

And Demeter clearly wants her back but she's too anxious to be the one to take her back/invite her in

But in the end they do reunite

So this shot of Demeter looking up at Grizabella starting her ascent to the Heavyside Layer right after their reconciliation just really hits so hard

Besides the two of them in the photo are Cori and Tanto (right and left of Griz respectively), Old Deuteronomy, and I believe Quaxo

[per-the-jellicle-magician]

Wojciech Paszkowski, a great Polish actor, has passed away today (23.08.24) at the age of 64

Mr Paszkowski was a legendary film, theatre, musical and voice actor, most known for his dubbing work, lending his amazing voice to many many characters in animated movies and popular cartoons

He starred in many stage productions, including the Polish version of Cats, where he played the role of Bustopher/Gus/Growltiger

[per-the-jellicle-magician]

And some more Damian Aleksander's Munk, this time from the 2007 run

Out of the 4 Warsaw Munks I think I have the most of his photos

[per-the-jellicle-magician]

Some more og run photos of Damian Aleksander as Warsaw Munk

Damian played Munk during the first premiere night and just like Tomasz Więcek stayed in the role for the whole Cats Warsaw run

As far as I know the 2 Pekes photos are from the premiere. The first photo and the one with mirror possibly are too, and if not then they are most likely from early January 2004. The 2 photos with PAP watermark are from one of the preview shows, probably so is the group one. The one with Agencja watermark is from a mid December 2003 rehearsal

[per-the-jellicle-magician]

Last but not least Warsaw Munk no 4 (or 3.5 if you're counting costume styles) aka Jarosław Derybowski

At some point he joined the cast as Macavity and became the third Munk in the 2007 run. Maybe even earlier but 2007 is the only year I could confirm

His costume is basically the same as Michał Norkowski's, the differences being consistently very meshy top (the pattern on it is the same and Michał wore the mesh version at least during the rehearsals), differently styled wig (it's generally the same shape tho) and plainer makeup (it's closer to Damian's version or to that one Michał photo)

All the photos are from the 2007 run bows

[per-the-jellicle-magician]

This is something for the mesh shirt lovers: Warsaw Munk no 3 aka Tomasz Więcek

He was one of the 3 og Munks and just like Damian Aleksander he was there as Munk for the whole Cats Warsaw run

The top 3 photos are I believe the only ones I've got of him from the og run. The left and middle one are from the Warsaw book, taken who knows when, and the right one is from early Feburary 2004. The other 4 photos are from the bows from the 2007 run

His look is quite different from the other two ogs and as far as I know he's the only one of the 3 to consistently wear a very meshy top (the other two do have photos in both versions but mainly in the opaque version)

[per-the-jellicle-magician]

One Warsaw Munk that I really want to highlight is Michał Norkowski, who was one of the 3 og casted, played Munk during the second premiere night and eventually left the cast sometime in second half of 2004 or in 2005

He is the Munk in the Warsaw boot and these 6 photos are honestly the only ones of him that I got (excluding the group shots). The top two are most likely from one of the previews or smth, all the other ones are from rehearsals ergo the changing makeup and wig

I'm quite confident it's him in all these photos (i'm sure of the third one cuz there's a clip of that moment where he sings), mainly cuz the costume, but none of them got any descriptions, the actors themselves look very similar and sometimes Warsaw do be Warsawing so XD

[per-the-jellicle-magician]

Some rehearsal time Myszołap/Munkustrap, with Damian Aleksander in the role

The photos from this batch are almost all like that XD

[per-the-jellicle-magician]

I love this photo from my stash cuz yeah yeah, every Warsaw Munk has an unique look and stuff, but here it's really on display just how much they differ

On the left as Munk Damian Aleksander, on the right Michał Norkowski, and between them Jakub Szydłowski as Tugger and Paulina Andrzejewska as Kocik Le Miau

It's rehershals time photo, end of December 2003, so of course costumes are like 95% finished XD

[per-the-jellicle-magician]

Damian Aleksander as Myszołap/Munkustrap

Taken after either an open rehearsal or a showing for the media

[per-the-jellicle-magician]

Unlike with the Pink Jenny I only got a few photos of the og Yellow Jenny aka the same Jenny that is in Warsaw boot

The main differences between them are the colours of: the wig (pink vs yellow), the hair rollers (pink and orange vs blue and green) and the eyebrows (amaranth vs light blue but later they both would get them in black)

Izabela Bujniewicz as Plameczka Pac/Jennyanydots, and possibly Wojciech Socha as Semaforro/Skimbleshanks

[per-the-jellicle-magician]

Few shots from Warsaw "Old Gumbie Cat" and "Bustopher Jones" with the Pink Jenny

Marta Smuk as Plameczka Pac/Jennyanydots, and most likely Wojciech Paszkowski as Bywalec/Bustopher

[per-the-jellicle-magician]

Another fav photo, Marcin Olszewski as Tymoteusz/Coricopat chilling on the roof during "The Ad-Dressing of Cats"

In the corner are in fact lyrics to the "Ad-Dressing" as the photo is from the Warsaw book and it features lyrics to 3 full songs and fragments of the rest

[per-the-jellicle-magician]

Another photo from the Warsaw book, this time from the ball

Tamtamila/Tantomile and Klaps/Tumblebrutus ft. Misto's right leg

As Tantomile Beata Staniek and as Tumble Michał Piróg

[per-the-jellicle-magician]

This is one of my fav photos from the Warsaw book (also one of the best photos there XD)

It's from the bows, with Tanto, Misto and Kocik front and centre

[per-the-jellicle-magician]

Initial Warsaw Demeter design by Dorota Kołodyńska, "one of the first designs that was to convince the English side of a Polish version of 'Cats'."

Notes around it say:

Top left:

- fur around the neck, extending down onto the costume

- type of a fitted dress with "????" at the bottom

Top right:

-"patchy" pattern. Combination of white, orange and black (?)

Bottom:

- too long narrow (??) pants. Fur ????

I don't know why this design ultimately wasn't used, but my best guess is that the concept just naturally changed and/or the design was modified to better fit the setting/actress/choreo/etc

There is a small chance that the Really Useful Company had something to do with it, as they apparently didn't like when the Warsaw designs got too similar to the regular Cats designs. This one does have a bit of a Rumpleteazer vibe in my opinion, especially the colours/pattern, so that potentially could have been a bit of a problem, but that's just my speculation

I'm not sure if the blue is an actual part of the design here, as it doesn't appear in that headshot drawing nor that colours note, plus the other designs showed in the book got similar artsy highlights at the edges too

[per-the-jellicle-magician]

Mefistofeliks my beloved 💖💖💖 He's such a creature and I love him so much 💖💖💖