Etcetera is a fictional character in Cats

Cats (musical)

Cats is a musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot...

, the musical play based primarily on T.S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats

Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats

Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats is a collection of whimsical poems by T. S. Eliot about feline psychology and sociology, published by Faber and Faber. It is the basis for the record-setting musical Cats....

. Primarily a dancer, she is one of the chorus line

Chorus line

A chorus line is a substantial group of dancers who together perform synchronized routines, usually in musical theatre. Sometimes, singing is also performed. Chorus line dancers in Broadway musicals and revues have been referred to by slang terms such as ponies, gypsies and twirlies...

 kittens in the tribe of the Jellicle cats.

Origins

Etcetera was originally an unnamed chorus kitten in the original Andrew Lloyd Webber

Andrew Lloyd Webber

Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...

 production of Cats. However, the role was soon given a name and a definite character.Her defining moment is at the end of Rum Tum Tugger

Rum Tum Tugger

Rum Tum Tugger is one of the many feline characters in the poetry book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot, published in 1939, and in the musical Cats which was based on Eliot's book....

's song, she is so overexcited by his charisma that she can not stop squealing until he physically quiets her, often by stuffing her mouth with his tail.

Character personality and appearance

Etcetera is cute, energetic, bouncy, girlish and immature - the epitome of kitten-ness personified. Among the other kittens - Victoria

Victoria the White Cat

Victoria is the white cat from the musical Cats, and one of the show's principal characters as well as a starring dance role. She was named after T. S. Eliot's favorite queen, Queen Victoria. As this is a very demanding role, requiring extensive ballet training, the actor enacting the character of...

, Electra

Electra (cat)

Electra is minor female feline character in Cats, a musical inspired by the T. S. Eliot's 1939 poetry book, Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. She is a dancer in the chorus line of "kittens" in the tribe of Jellicle cats.-Origins:...

, and Jemima

Jemima (cat)

Jemima is a principal character in the musical play Cats, written by Andrew Lloyd Webber using the poetry of T. S. Eliot. She is the youngest member of the tribe of Cats, the voice of innocence and wonder.-Character:...

 - she is the most infatuated with the main character, Rum Tum Tugger

Rum Tum Tugger

Rum Tum Tugger is one of the many feline characters in the poetry book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot, published in 1939, and in the musical Cats which was based on Eliot's book....

, despite her being too young. Etcetera is also friends with Rumpleteazer

Rumpleteazer

Rumpleteazer is a character in T. S. Eliot's book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats and Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Cats.-The Poem:...

.

Stage role

Etcetera plays a minor chorus character, with no solo dance routines. When the character is cut from an adaptation, the squealing role is usually given to Rumpleteazer

Rumpleteazer

Rumpleteazer is a character in T. S. Eliot's book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats and Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Cats.-The Poem:...

.

In the original Broadway production, Etcetera was included and played the role of Rumpleteazer in a puppet show put on to entertain Bustopher Jones

Bustopher Jones

"Bustopher Jones: The Cat About Town" is a poem from T. S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats and a song from the Cats musical which is based on that poem....

. However when the production was brought into line with other productions worldwide, Etcetera became Rumpleteazer full-time, and the role of Etcetera was cut.

In the 1998 video production, Etcetera swung on the flying trapeze during the prologue.

Portrayals

In the 1998 video, Etcetera is played by Jo Bingham.

In the final (2001) London cast, Etcetera was played by Sarah Jane Honeywell who was remarkably acrobatic, stealing the limelight during the Jellicle Ball scene by performing acrobatics throughout the auditorium. Honeywell was injured during the run up to the closing night, however returned to the stage for the final show, and performed her acrobatics while injured. During the interim period the role of Etcetera was often played by Summer Strallen

Summer Strallen

Summer Peta Vaigncourt-Strallen is an English actress who has performed various roles on stage and screen. Her most notable theatre credits include Meg Giry in the West End production of Love Never Dies and Maria Von Trapp in Andrew Lloyd Webber's revival of The Sound of Music at the London...

, wearing her own swing cat costume.