Jennyanydots
Encyclopedia
Jennyanydots is a fictional character in the musical play Cats
. She is an old Gumbie cat who teaches the mice music, crocheting and tatting
. During the day, the family thinks she is lazy because she sits around doing nothing ("She sits, and sits, and sits, and sits. And that's what makes a Gumbie Cat...") but when they go to sleep, she goes to work, forcing the mice to learn music, crocheting, and tatting. She even thinks the cockroaches need employment to counter their destructive habits, and so she created a beetles tattoo, teaching them how to tap dance. She is also very protective of the kittens and she will not let any of them touch Grizabella
when she shows up. Jennyanydots and Skimbleshanks
are often portrayed as mates.
The song about Jennyanydots is entitled "The Old Gumbie Cat" and is sung mostly by Munkustrap
. Near the end of the song, before the tap dancing, Munkustrap removes Jennyanydots's "fat suit", revealing a bright orange and yellow flapper style costume underneath.
Like Jellylorum, Jennyanydots is a motherly cat, often be seen with Bombalurina and Jellylorum , and often sings with them she has her own song about her complete with her own tap-dance.Jennyanydots also sings the song "Bustopher Jones" with Bombalurina.
Jennyanydots was portrayed by Myra Sands in the original West End
Production in London
. The role was to have been played by Judi Dench
along with Grizabella, but when Dench had to withdraw, Sands as her understudy took over Jennyanydots. On Broadway she was created by Anna McNeely. Jennyanydots is portrayed by Susie McKenna in the CATS video. In the worldwide tour at this moment she is played Jennifer Cohen.
Cats (musical)
Cats is a musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot...
. She is an old Gumbie cat who teaches the mice music, crocheting and tatting
Tatting
Tatting is a technique for handcrafting a particularly durable lace constructed by a series of knots and loops. Tatting can be used to make lace edging as well as doilies, collars, and other decorative pieces. The lace is formed by a pattern of rings and chains formed from a series of cow hitch,...
. During the day, the family thinks she is lazy because she sits around doing nothing ("She sits, and sits, and sits, and sits. And that's what makes a Gumbie Cat...") but when they go to sleep, she goes to work, forcing the mice to learn music, crocheting, and tatting. She even thinks the cockroaches need employment to counter their destructive habits, and so she created a beetles tattoo, teaching them how to tap dance. She is also very protective of the kittens and she will not let any of them touch Grizabella
Grizabella
Grizabella is the "Glamour Cat" in the musical production Cats. She does not appear in T. S. Eliot's work Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, but she is a prominent character in the stageplay. It appears that she is the feline version of the woman mentioned in T.S...
when she shows up. Jennyanydots and Skimbleshanks
Skimbleshanks
Skimbleshanks is a cat character in T. S. Eliot's book of poetry Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats and in Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Cats....
are often portrayed as mates.
The song about Jennyanydots is entitled "The Old Gumbie Cat" and is sung mostly by Munkustrap
Munkustrap
Munkustrap is a Jellicle cat, named in T. S. Eliot's poem "The Naming of Cats". He is a principal character in Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Cats.-The musical:...
. Near the end of the song, before the tap dancing, Munkustrap removes Jennyanydots's "fat suit", revealing a bright orange and yellow flapper style costume underneath.
Like Jellylorum, Jennyanydots is a motherly cat, often be seen with Bombalurina and Jellylorum , and often sings with them she has her own song about her complete with her own tap-dance.Jennyanydots also sings the song "Bustopher Jones" with Bombalurina.
Jennyanydots was portrayed by Myra Sands in the original West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
Production in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The role was to have been played by Judi Dench
Judi Dench
Dame Judith Olivia "Judi" Dench, CH, DBE, FRSA is an English film, stage and television actress.Dench made her professional debut in 1957 with the Old Vic Company. Over the following few years she played in several of William Shakespeare's plays in such roles as Ophelia in Hamlet, Juliet in Romeo...
along with Grizabella, but when Dench had to withdraw, Sands as her understudy took over Jennyanydots. On Broadway she was created by Anna McNeely. Jennyanydots is portrayed by Susie McKenna in the CATS video. In the worldwide tour at this moment she is played Jennifer Cohen.