The Observation of Cats: Bustopher Jones
Munkustrap (Act 1, Act 2) • Tugger (Act 1, Act 2) • Mistoffelees (Act 1, Act 2) • Demeter (Act 1, Act 2) • Bombalurina (Act 1, Act 2) • Old Deuteronomy (Act 1, Act 2) • Grizabella • Macavity • Gus
Okay I'm not gonna lie, I absolutely drove myself insane for this one for arguably no good reason doing contextual research on this fella. Please tell me there's an early 20th century London history nerd out there who can tell me which of these places are real or not, and if there's any context I'm missing because EGADS my good Jellicles there are a lot of cultural references in this song/poem I feel either too young or too American for but I did my best lol! Please enjoy!
Bustopher joins the Jellicle Ball very shortly after Grizabella leaves, seemingly unaware of the drama and tension that just occurred. He looks at himself in the reflection of the enormous spoon/club he’s brought with him and twirls his mustache, then reacts with a little surprised/satisfied “ah” expression.
He purses his lips and nods matter-of-factly when Bombalurina declares that he is fat very flatly. His walk and posture are very formal and he gives a dainty polite wave to Bombalurina, Jennyanydots and Jellylorum. The girls boast of his weight and of his residence on St. James Street.
Everyone he greets, he stands at attention, heels together whenever they bow or wave to him. He turns and gives Asparagus a questioning look before broadly acknowledging everyone with a wave of his spoon-club.
He turns around with a big yawn/huff and continues to strut and posture across the stage. Described as a Brummell (reference likely to English regency era fashion icon and dandy Beau Brummell). He walks towards the queens but is cut off by Munkustrap, who then salutes him and he returns the salute.
He is then befuddled a moment by Mistoffelees playing with his tail, twirling his mustache again. Giving a grateful/dismissive hand wave to Skimble for brushing off the top hat he sits upon to begin his solo. He is surrounded by all of the toms (sans Tugger whose left) while the queens sit on the side.
He explains he visits the Senior Educational, and that you cannot belong to and to the Joint Superior Schools (unclear what exactly this means). He visits all sorts of places, some of them are real, most of them are not (or have such an ambigious name I couldn’t find the historical context after a little digging).
He goes further to imply, at least during (human?) hunting season he goes to Blimp’s instead of Fox’s, which implies Blimp’s belongs to the Senior Educational and that Fox’s belongs to the Joint Superior Schools. Although he says for a “similar” reason so the context may be slightly different.
He also frequents the stage/movie theatre for seafood, shrimp being obvious but winkle is another term for a mollusk.
He gives his gratitude(?) (not 100% what ben’son means) to the Pot Hunter. It’s capitalized so it’s probably a club or restaurant he visits but a pothunter is a type of hunter who only hunts for food and profit and not for sport.
Bustopher also makes reference to a bar/club called the Drones. The Drones possibly being a reference to a fictional club featured in various British short stories, usually comedies from the early 20th century prior to the publishing of the book of poems the musical is based on.
He exclaims one of his favorite meals is curry, and that the Siamese and the Glutton both serve it. I couldn’t find any restaurants/clubs irl. However there was a Glutton’s Club at Cambridge University attended to by Charles Darwin which had a reputation for eating unusual animals.
There was no such place as The Tomb (but there is an American restaurant/bar named after this poem that opened in the 60s!) but given Bustopher’s reaction to it he’s not fond of the place even if he does eat there. Typically on cabbage, rice pudding and mutton (his stomach is probably upset because cats shouldn’t eat two of those things!).
He grins and chortles as the rest of the cats sing his praises and look at him with delight and reverence. Briefly looking at Munkustrap right as the chorus ends. Criss crossing his feet to the music and accidentally nearly tipping himself over, twice thanks to momentum, rescued the first time by Munkustrap & Mistoffelees, the second just by Misto.
He recomposes himself, dancing and preening with pride at his rotundity, when Jenny exclaims “he’s a 25 pounder” with adoration he replies “or I am a bounder” to her with pride. Declaring his much celebrated heft is because of a well maintained routine. Insisting he’s still in his prime and has many years left to go. Politely patting the toms folded paws and either accidentally or purposefully knocking Pouncival over.
As the song concludes, he lines up his club-spoon and hits a pantomimed golf ball way out over everyone’s heads and into the junkyard. He removes the flower from his coat and gifts it to Jennyanydots nonchalantly, concluding the song with a “toodle-pip!” High-tailing at the first whiff of danger from Macavity.
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