#freya rowley

[and-magical-cats]

On this week’s episode of ‘I Love the Cast of Cats (2019)’....

(x)

[itsmyregularcat]

O R A M G E

I am not sure what could be so important about the colour orange my good sir.

Anyway, stan Big Orange.

[elle-sendort]

Look at all these chickens kittens (part 1)

[phaona-studio]

In the CATS movie, did you see the one background kitten who looked way more like Bombalurina than Taylor's design? She was super cute and my favourite! 😍♥️

Edit: Apparently her name is Jellylorum... Like why??? For example Electra would have been better because she's also a kitten in the original show. Why not Electra? (Or Baby Bomba? 🤩)

[white-cat-of-doom]

My favourite blog is accepting asks? Yes! Can you tell us your top 9 Cats performers? Idc which Cat they play.

(sorry if this is something you've stated before)

First off, THANK YOU SO MUCH! I am honoured that I am your favourite blog! You really should find someone better than me.

You put a smile on my face!

This is going to get a bit long, but here we go.

I have one person who is my absolute favourite performer (and person), Noaimh Morgan, who was Rumpleteazer in CATS (2019) and in the UK International Tour 2018. I went into the reasons in a separate post, if you curious as to why.

Just look at her! I LOVE HER SO MUCH! (This is my tablet wallpaper if anyone cared). She is an absolute joy in the 2019 movie, and is my favourite character in that film. She is part of the reason why I am in this fandom.

Now in no particular order, eight other wonderful performers in CATS:

Susan Jane Tanner - Original London Cast (1981-1982) Jellylorum/Griddlebone and CATS (1998) Jellylorum

She IS Jellylorum, and one of my two favourite Jellylorum performers. She originated the character in London, and I adore her singing voice and the ways she portrays Jelly. She is so kind and gentle! Some people dislike her in the 1998 film due to her singing and the fact she is older, but those people are very much wrong. In my opinion she is underappreciated in CATS.

Here is a photo of her from rehearsals in 1981. I love this darker Jelly design! I wish I could find more detailed pictures of it.

Bonnie Simmons - Original Broadway Cast Jellylorum/Griddlebone (1982-1992)

My other favourite Jellylorum, and my favourite Griddlebone. I ADORE her singing and wish I could have seen her perform! This is some footage of her as Griddlebone that I would recommend anyone watch, as Growltiger's Last Stand on Broadway was an EVENT.

Another very underappreciated performer, considering she was the third longest serving original cast member in the original Broadway production, behind only Susan Powers (1982-1997) and Marlene Danielle, who stayed for all 18 years until 2000!

Phyllida Crowley Smith - London (1992-1993) and CATS (1998) Victoria

My favourite Victoria perfromer. She is so beautiful as Victoria, and her dancing and movements are so graceful! I do not think there is anyone better than her as Victoria, even if they are more technically trained.

She is so pretty and I love her!

Hannah Kenna Thomas - UK Tour (2014), Palladium (2015-2016), UK International Tour (2018-2019), Vienna Revival (2019-Present) Victoria

My second favourite Victoria performer, Hannah is someone who I believe loves being in CATS (which I very much appreciate). She is absolutely gorgeous as Victoria and perfectly embodies the character.

Being a part of the Vienna revival always makes me wonder if she can speak German at all. Regardless, that Vienna 2019 promotional video of her performing the White Cat Solo lives in my mind at all times.

Freya Rowley - UK Tour (2013) Swing, UK Tour (2014) Tantomile, CATS (2019) Jellylorum

I feel in love with the tall, orange background Cat in the 2019 movie, who is beautiful and cheerful! Freya initiated my love for Jellylorum, even if she is the most unconventional Jelly to have ever existed.

She is so pretty and is my second favourite character in the movie. She is always so happy and having fun, all while never being the center of attention.

Lili Froehlich - Broadway Revival (2016-2017) Electra

Another person who is beautiful and so incredibly cute! I love her, and she brings such positivity to her primary role of Electra, and the other roles she covered.

Immensely talented as well, she served as a dance captain in the Broadway Revival, and was an assistant choreographer in the US Tour 6.

I admire Lili as well, as she helped me figure out and become more comfortable with my sexuality, as she showed me that not everything is straightforward to figure out, and there is a fluidity to that may change in the future.

Eloise Kropp - Broadway Revival (2016-2017) Jennyanydots

She has such a fantastic charm to her performance and is a phenomenal tap dancer! Eloise and The Old Gumbie Cat performance is one of the better parts of the revival changes, although I still adore the standard Gumbie performance.

I mean, look at that smiling face (and that AMAZING Jenny design)! Eloise has made me fall in love with Jenny!

Jo Bingham - London (1991) Etcetera, London (1992) Rumpleteazer, London (1997) Demeter, CATS (1998) Etcetera

A trailblazer and a personification of absolute joy mixed with chaos, Jo Bingham took a character and them her own. She did what she wanted in the 1998 film and it does not look like anyone involved had more fun than her.

I wish I could have seen Jo perform as Demeter! We never had the chance for her to sing in the 1998 film and I NEED to hear her sing Macavity!

Thank you so much for the ask!

[white-cat-of-doom]

Since I have seen some posts regarding it, here is my copy of the press kit for Cats (2019), along with some other promotional excerpts and items from before the movie was released.

The press kit is 111 pages in total, with the first 66 pages devoted to the history of Cats, background information regarding the physical aspects of the movie like the set, character profiles, cast profiles, and profiles into those involved in creating the movie. It is essentially a written behind the scenes for the movie. The remainder of the press kit is basically the credits for the movie typed up, which is nice to see, given the amount of individuals involved to create it and make it a reality, although a rushed, not-quite-finished-but-what-the-hell one.

Surprisingly, no information or personal profile is mentioned for Naoimh Morgan (Rumpleteazer in the movie and 2018 UK International Tour), aside from two brief sentences in the Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer character profile! There is no mention of Zizi Strallen (Tantomile, 2014 UK Tour Demeter, Mary Poppins in the UK musical) or Daniela Norman (Demeter) aside from character credits! Unsurprisingly, Freya Rowley (the wonderful Jellylorum, 2014 UK Tour Tantomile and swing extraordinaire) is only mentioned as a character credit. WHY IS THERE NOTHING ELSE ABOUT THEM?! They have a personal and character profile for Danny Collins (Mungojerrie) and other 'lesser' casts members like Jonadette Caprio (Syllabub), Jaïh Betote (Coricopat), and Bluey Robinson (Alonzo), so it a bit shocking not include the four women mentioned above when every one (aside from Daniela) was previously involved in Cats, and they all play fairly large roles and named characters! Sad omissions, but not the first or last as you will see for these wonderful actresses and written promotional item for Cats (2019).

Owning this press kit has helped me understand why there is such a disparity of praise between cast members of the movie. Without any mention in this press kit, seemingly the most informative piece you would find for the movie, how is anyone going to receive praise for their respective performances? This is also seen in Tom Hooper's two hour droning commentary of the movie (a 'bonus' feature that is a waste of everyone's time). Nothing is mentioned about so many cast members! The smaller roles are the ones that make this movie fantastic! GIVE THEM CREDIT! GIVE THEM PRAISE! GIVE THEM RECOGNITION! I will now demonstrate:

FREYA ROWLEY IS A TALL ORANGE CAT WHO IS IN EVERY SCENE DOING SOMETHING! WHY DID YOU NOT MAKE HER SING, SHE WAS JELLYLORUM, AND SHE HAS A BEAUTIFUL SINGING VOICE!

NAOIMH MORGAN IS THE BEST RUMPLETEAZER AND CAN PERFORM BOTH ARRANGEMENTS OF THE SONG AND THE DOUBLE CARTWHEEL! SHOW ME SOMEONE WHO HAS DONE BOTH VERSIONS OF THE SONG PROFESSIONALLY AND PERFECTLY!

DANIELA NORMAN IS A WORLD CLASS BALLERINA WHO GAVE YOU A DISTINCTIVE PERFORMANCE AS A GREY DEMETER! LOOK AT HER DANCE IN THE MOVIE!

ZIZI STRALLEN HAS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL SINGING VOICE AND PROVIDED YOU WITH A DISTINCTIVE PERFORMANCE AS TANTOMILE! SHE IS HAPPY AND CHEERFUL!

So anyways,

Otherwise pictured are some German promotional advertisements that the seller through in with the press kit, a small Polish poster advertisement, and the December 2019 edition of Parade magazine devoted to Cats (2019). The magazine also gives a small behind the scenes glimpse into the movie, but it is rather brief.

[itsmyregularcat]

Here, have Freya Rowley (2019 Jellylorum) as Cassandra back during the 2013 UK tour.

[and-magical-cats]

Tom Clark’s selfies with the Cats 2019 cast ✨😸 (x)