#tod strike

[white-cat-of-doom]

A photo from Thalia Smith in honour of Swing Day yesterday, with all six of the Australia Tour Swings in action.

Thalia Smith as Bombalurina, Dominique Hamilton as Demeter, Aimee Jones as Jennyanydots, Xavier Pellin as Mistoffelees, Joe Miller as Munkustrap, and Tod Strike as Young Deuteronomy.

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Bows and show notes - Aussie tour Sunday 18/01/26 (6pm)

... yes I have to specify the hour because unfortunately for my tagging system I saw BOTH shows on this day so i have to find some way to keep them straight (insofarasanythingaboutcatscanbestraight). Here's the bows and notes from the matinee.

All cats are onstage again; covers are Dominique Hamilton for Demeter, Thalia Smith for Cassandra, and Tod Strike for Deuteronomy.

Also I swear Des' accent is more broadly Aussie when he's doing that charity speech than it is either when he's being full Tugger or full Des. His intonation is very soft and gentle when he's at stage door, and I think he semi-consciously modulates his tone to match that of the person he's speaking to. But when he's doing a speech while dressed as Tugger and bringing a bit of Tugger personality into it, he draws on that broader drawl to bring out the 'naughty boy' persona.

Today's shows were the first time I've seen Tod onstage (or even outside of his headshot photos)! He isn't the vocal powerhouse that Mark is, but he's actually more fun to watch. He has a lot of charm, and is a very present Deuteronomy, leaning into the warmth of the personality rather than the distant mysticism. There's a lot of personality there in every line which makes his speeches a lot of fun to watch. (Seriously, this might be the first time ever that I was preferring to watch Deut rather than everyone else while he listed things like pots of grouse and salmon paste and caviar and Strasbourgh pie.)

Also Todd (Gus) got extra silly in 'Pekes and Pollicles' today: when Jelly and Tugger stepped aside to reveal him on 'who should stalk out but THE GREAT RUMPUS CAT' he was still fiddling with his mask, and slipped it on hurriedly with a little 'oo! 😳' And he (deliberately on Todd's part, accidentally on Gus') so that it almost immediately slipped down over his face, leading to Gus stumbling blindly around the stage valiantly trying to deliver Rumpus' lines until Jarrod (Munk) grabbed his arm and led him back gently to safety. Then once he was out of Rumpus costume he had to relate the whole distressing incident to Deuteronomy and Jelly - I heard a sad little "... and then I couldn't see anybody!"

I've stage-doored a couple of times already but this was the first time he came out that way while I've been there, which was nice - I got to do the "hi that was really special to see, here are two points I liked about your performance" thing. Also chatted again to Gabriyel (who was again lovely) but this time I could take time to tell her all the interesting things we love about her Griz! Plus another far more casual chat with Tom (Skimble) about silly penguin-related shenanigans. ... but I was very aware not to keep any of them waiting because out of the corner of my eye I could see a scrimmage of love centred on certain faces that I recognised from former Cats productions with predominantly Australian casts (AaronEllieSuzieJazz) which was scooping up every cast member as they exited and thwarting every orchestra member who wanted to head out that way, so. I did not hang out long. 🤭

Stage door quotes of the night? It's a tie between Ellie Nunan squealing at Ed Smith how amazing he was and how he picked up that Munkustrap and just FLUNG him, and Tom pouting over how, following a week with so few cats onstage, "now I look around me when I'm doing my thing and I think WHO ARE ALL THESE PEOPLE there's too many cats here, I'm getting claustrophobic".

Cast is: Edward Smith (Admetus/Macavity), Rania Potaka-Osborne (Alonzo), Todd McKenney (Asparagus/Bustopher), Charlie Follows (Bill Bailey), Mia Dabkowski-Chandler (Bombalurina), Guy Pik (Carbuckety), Thalia Smith (Cassandra), Joshua Gordon (Coricopat), Dominique Hamilton (Demeter), Tod Strike (Deuteronomy), Gabriyel Thomas (Grizabella), Lucy Maunder (Jellylorum), Ella Fitzpatrick (Jemima), Leigh Archer (Jennyanydots), Timothy Haskayne (Mistoffelees), Jake O’Brien (Mungojerrie), Jarrod Draper (Munkustrap), Savannah Lind (Rumpelteazer), Des Flanagan (Rum Tum Tugger), Tom Davis (Skimbleshanks), Sarah Bourke (Tantomile), and Claudia Hastings (Victoria).

[rorycharles01]

Melbourne Trip 2026

I maaay have gone to Melbourne for literally a little over 24 hours just to see the last two performances of Cats there (in Alonzo cosplay!) - I was completely sleep deprived, having had my Sydney accommodation the night before fall through and only getting about an hour's sleep on the flight on Saturday morning, but it was SO worth it to see the tribe again!

for both shows we had Joe!Munkustrap (who was SO GOOD! I feel he reads a bit younger and more naïve than Jarrodstrap, and he also low-key sounds like Michael Gruber!), Tod Strike!Gustopher (so so funny - I had to bite my hand to stop myself from laughing as his Bustopher walk, also I love how much him and Lucylorum feel like father and daughter during Gus/Pekes and Pollicles), Amy Berresford!Demeter (gah, she was wonderful!!! I adore her Deme so much) and Thalia!Cassandra (I feel like she was more interactive with the audience than Chaska, which was interesting (/pos)!)

the cast basically all remembered me by name at stage door Sat night, which was so lovely! I gave Tim my WereCats Misto and rambled about my Misto lore and some of the Misto and Tuggoffelees blocking/chorey, and he said he loved the concept so much 🥹

Rania didn't see me until during Misto in the night show, and he got so excited, he even hissed at Claudia for giving me attention lol! but he made sure we got pics at the stage door.

I also just happened to be sitting next to Guy's old dance teacher/near his mum and got to chat to both of them which was really special!

anyways, have pictures!

[white-cat-of-doom]

Aimee Jones shared some photos from the last few months of the Australia Tour.

Covering Grizabella.

Covering Jellylorum, with Mia Dabkowski-Chandler as Bombalurina and Sarah Bourke as Tantomile.

With Dominique Hamilton covering Cassandra, Thalia Smith covering Bombalurina, and Ella Fitzpatrick as Jemima.

Covering Jennyanydots, with Dominique Hamilton covering Demeter, Joe Miller as Munkustrap, Tod Strike covering Young Deuteronomy, Thalia Smith covering Bombalurina, and Xavier Pellin covering Mistoffelees.

With Thalia Smith covering Tantomile.

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Australia tour media day - photos (3)

A few of the photos of 'Jellicle Songs' by Lara Jane Photography (you can see more at the source). Everyone's first cast except Aimee Jones as baby Griz, Tod Strike as young Deut, and Joe Miller as Asparagus

(Yes, that is Des Flanagan as chorus Tugger, and later in the Jellicle Ball as full Tugger - they did 'Gus' in between, so he had time to change.)

Australia tour, 19 June 2025. See the date tag for more clips.

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Australia tour media day (Jellicle Songs) - another one

Australia tour 19 June 2025. They performed 'Jellicle songs', 'Gus', and the end of the Jellicle ball.

Everyone's first cast (yes, even chorus Tugger) except young Griz, Deut, and Gus: Aimee Jones is covering Griz as Gabriyel is (presumably) still unavailable to perform, Tod Strike is covering young Deut so Mark Vincent can appear right after this for 'Gus the Theatre Cat' as old Deut, and for the same reason Asparagus is covered here by Joe Miller.

Source. See the date tag for more clips.

[aussietheatre]

[aussietheatre]