Mr. Mistoffelees
Encyclopedia
Mr. Mistoffelees is a character in T. S. Eliot
's poetry
book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats
and its stage adaptation, Andrew Lloyd Webber's
popular musical Cats
. He is an important primary character, and one of the most popular of the show. He is also sometimes referred to as Quaxo or Misto by fans.
Mephistopheles
. However, the character is not sinister as the name implies, and instead is described by Eliot as being "the original conjuring cat", who is "always deceiving you into believing that he's only hunting for mice" — a mysterious quiet and small black feline capable of performing feats of magic and sleight of hand. These traits are portrayed as amusing, not fearsome or particularly deadly.
, Mistoffelees is a principal role and maintains most of the same attributes as Eliot's original character, although he is much flashier. He has his own song and an extended dance solo in the second act of the show, and, in most productions, also sings the "Invitation to the Jellicle Ball
" in the first act. In the original London Cast, Mistoffelees also sang "The Old Gumbie Cat"; and in the original Broadway production, he sang "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer". However, the song was reworked to allow those two characters to sing it. In some versions of the musical, he is given a second name, 'Quaxo'. Often his "chorus" version is known as Quaxo, and his special song costume is known as Mistoffelees.
Mistoffelees performs the most difficult choreography in the show, including 24 fouettés en tournant and dancers cast in the role frequently have extensive ballet
and gymnastic experience. Because the role's technical demands necessarily trump the performer's vocal abilities, the show permits multiple vocal tracks for the character--thereby allowing some dancers to sing quite a bit, while others do no singing at all. Unlike most of the other cats, he is not impressed by Rum Tum Tugger
, and Tugger sings his song for him. They appear to have some kind of love-hate relationship
.
Mistoffelees is frequently portrayed as being very close to Victoria
, Which is more often than not portrayed in a platonic relationship(i.e. Best friends, Siblings) and in some cases mates. They open the Jellicle Ball
together, and are often seen spending time together.
Mistoffelees's parents are not directly stated in the show, but his father is commonly believed to be Macavity
, as they share magical powers. Others believe him to be the Nephew or son of Bustopher Jones
, and/or brother to Alonzo
and Victoria
due to the colouring the four share.
One of the most commonly used pairings in the fan base is a slash relationship between Mistoffelees and Rum Tum Tugger
. In some productions Tugger kisses Mistoffelees after his line "The Rum Tum Tugger is a terrible bore". Some other popular pairings are Mistoffelees and Victoria, and Mistoffelees and Jemima, one of the kittens in the musical.
, Louie Spence
, Timothy Scott, Gen Horiuchi
, Lindsay Chambers, Ryan Patrick Ferrell, Chris Mackenthun, Shane Hall, Eddie Buffum, George de la Peña
, Guy-Paul Ruolt, and Connor Sweeney. In the 1998 DVD production
of the show, Mistoffelees is portrayed by Jacob Brent
, reprising his Broadway role. Guy-Paul de Ruolt portrayed the role in London and France. Julius Sermonia was the last Mistoffelees on Broadway when Cats closed on September 10, 2000. In 2010, the CCS Thespian production of Cats has Jake Burnham cast in the role of Mistoffelees.
hosted Saturday Night Live
in 2009, Bobby Moynihan
played Mr. Mistoffelees in a Save Broadway Sketch.
Mistoffelees is referenced in Tim Minchin
's free verse poem Perineum Millennium. The track is based on the works of T. S. Eliot.
Mistoffelees is also the name of the cat familiar owned by Penny Dreadful in the Mage: the Ascension
universe.
He is also mentioned as abusing Chris in the movie Team America: World Police
.
He shares the name of one of three cats in the Tim and Eric episode "Jazz", the other two being Skimbleshanks and Grizabella. Skimbleshanks is another cat from Eliot's book, while Grizabella does not make an appearance in the book. Both cats do however star in the musical Cats alongside Mr. Mistoffelees.
T. S. Eliot
Thomas Stearns "T. S." Eliot OM was a playwright, literary critic, and arguably the most important English-language poet of the 20th century. Although he was born an American he moved to the United Kingdom in 1914 and was naturalised as a British subject in 1927 at age 39.The poem that made his...
's poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
book 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....
and its stage adaptation, Andrew Lloyd Webber's
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...
popular musical 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...
. He is an important primary character, and one of the most popular of the show. He is also sometimes referred to as Quaxo or Misto by fans.
The Poem
Mistoffelees' name derives from the demonDemon
call - 1347 531 7769 for more infoIn Ancient Near Eastern religions as well as in the Abrahamic traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered an "unclean spirit" which may cause demonic possession, to be addressed with an act of exorcism...
Mephistopheles
Mephistopheles
Mephistopheles is a demon featured in German folklore...
. However, the character is not sinister as the name implies, and instead is described by Eliot as being "the original conjuring cat", who is "always deceiving you into believing that he's only hunting for mice" — a mysterious quiet and small black feline capable of performing feats of magic and sleight of hand. These traits are portrayed as amusing, not fearsome or particularly deadly.
The Musical
In CatsCats (musical)
Cats is a musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot...
, Mistoffelees is a principal role and maintains most of the same attributes as Eliot's original character, although he is much flashier. He has his own song and an extended dance solo in the second act of the show, and, in most productions, also sings the "Invitation to the Jellicle Ball
Jellicle cats
The Jellicle cats, or simply the Jellicles, are a type of feline mentioned in T. S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats.Introduced in his poem Song of the Jellicles, they were originally depicted by Eliot as common black-and-white cats whose daytime nature is peaceful, pleasant and restful...
" in the first act. In the original London Cast, Mistoffelees also sang "The Old Gumbie Cat"; and in the original Broadway production, he sang "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer". However, the song was reworked to allow those two characters to sing it. In some versions of the musical, he is given a second name, 'Quaxo'. Often his "chorus" version is known as Quaxo, and his special song costume is known as Mistoffelees.
Mistoffelees performs the most difficult choreography in the show, including 24 fouettés en tournant and dancers cast in the role frequently have extensive ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
and gymnastic experience. Because the role's technical demands necessarily trump the performer's vocal abilities, the show permits multiple vocal tracks for the character--thereby allowing some dancers to sing quite a bit, while others do no singing at all. Unlike most of the other cats, he is not impressed by 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....
, and Tugger sings his song for him. They appear to have some kind of love-hate relationship
Love-hate relationship
A love–hate relationship is an interpersonal relationship involving simultaneous or alternating emotions of love and hate. This relationship does not have to be of a romantic nature, and may be instead of a sibling one...
.
Relationships
While the show is quite unstructured in its portrayal of relationships and how they are portrayed, there are several quite common pairings and theories about them created by the fans.Mistoffelees is frequently portrayed as being very close to 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...
, Which is more often than not portrayed in a platonic relationship(i.e. Best friends, Siblings) and in some cases mates. They open the Jellicle Ball
Jellicle cats
The Jellicle cats, or simply the Jellicles, are a type of feline mentioned in T. S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats.Introduced in his poem Song of the Jellicles, they were originally depicted by Eliot as common black-and-white cats whose daytime nature is peaceful, pleasant and restful...
together, and are often seen spending time together.
Mistoffelees's parents are not directly stated in the show, but his father is commonly believed to be Macavity
Macavity
Macavity is a fictional character who is described in a poem in Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, by T. S. Eliot. He also appears in Cats, the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical.-In the poem:...
, as they share magical powers. Others believe him to be the Nephew or son of 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....
, and/or brother to Alonzo
Alonzo (cat)
Alonzo is a character in T. S. Eliot`s Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats and Andrew Lloyd Webber`s musical Cats. His name is mentioned first in the Naming of Cats. His actor sometimes doubles as the Great Rumpus Cat depending on the production....
and 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...
due to the colouring the four share.
One of the most commonly used pairings in the fan base is a slash relationship between Mistoffelees and 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....
. In some productions Tugger kisses Mistoffelees after his line "The Rum Tum Tugger is a terrible bore". Some other popular pairings are Mistoffelees and Victoria, and Mistoffelees and Jemima, one of the kittens in the musical.
Costume
Although the poetry is specific about his appearance being "Black/from the ears to the tip of his tail", the practicalities of stage costume mean he is usually portrayed as a black and white tuxedo cat (as seen above), as a pure black costume would be completely lost under stage lighting. He wears two costumes, a basic black hatched leotard with white chest and fluffy warmers through the majority of the show. However for his feature song, he has a far more glamorous black velvet and rhinestone costume, with a black jacket fitted with electric flashing fairy lights to make the most spectacular and magical entrance.Cast
Actors who have portrayed Mistoffelees onstage include Wayne SleepWayne Sleep
Wayne Philip Colin Sleep OBE is a British dancer, director, choreographer and panelist. He was a Principal Dancer with the Royal Ballet and has appeared as a Guest Artist with several other ballet companies.-Early life:...
, Louie Spence
Louie Spence
Louie Spence is a dance expert, choreographer and television personality who is currently the artistic director at the London Pineapple Dance Studios...
, Timothy Scott, Gen Horiuchi
Gen Horiuchi
Gen Horiuchi is a Japanese ballet dancer and choreographer. He was a principal dancer of the New York City Ballet and is artistic director of the Saint Louis Ballet Company.-Biography:Gen Horiuchi was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan...
, Lindsay Chambers, Ryan Patrick Ferrell, Chris Mackenthun, Shane Hall, Eddie Buffum, George de la Peña
George de la Peña
George de la Peña is an American ballet dancer, musical theatre performer, choreographer, actor, and teacher. He was born in New York City, New York, U.S....
, Guy-Paul Ruolt, and Connor Sweeney. In the 1998 DVD production
CATS (film)
Cats is a 1998 direct-to-video film of the long-running West End production of Cats, Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot. Lloyd Webber himself personally oversaw orchestration for the film and called on Gillian Lynne, the original show's...
of the show, Mistoffelees is portrayed by Jacob Brent
Jacob Brent
Jacob 'Jazzy' Brent is an American stage actor who is most famous for his role as the Magical Mr. Mistoffelees in the video production of CATS. He graduated from the North Carolina School of the Arts in 1991. Jacob also worked with the ALICE workshop, a musical based on Alice in Wonderland as...
, reprising his Broadway role. Guy-Paul de Ruolt portrayed the role in London and France. Julius Sermonia was the last Mistoffelees on Broadway when Cats closed on September 10, 2000. In 2010, the CCS Thespian production of Cats has Jake Burnham cast in the role of Mistoffelees.
In Popular Culture
When Neil Patrick HarrisNeil Patrick Harris
Neil Patrick Harris is an American actor, singer, director, and magician.Prominent roles of his career include the title role in Doogie Howser, M.D., Colonel Carl Jenkins in Starship Troopers, the womanizing Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother, a fictionalized version of himself in the Harold...
hosted Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
in 2009, Bobby Moynihan
Bobby Moynihan
Robert M. "Bobby" Moynihan, Jr. is an American actor and comedian who is currently a cast member on Saturday Night Live.-Early life:...
played Mr. Mistoffelees in a Save Broadway Sketch.
Mistoffelees is referenced in Tim Minchin
Tim Minchin
Timothy David "Tim" Minchin is a British-Australian comedian, actor, and musician.Tim Minchin is best known for his musical comedy, which has featured in six CDs, three DVDs and a number of live comedy shows which he has performed internationally. He has also appeared on television in Australia,...
's free verse poem Perineum Millennium. The track is based on the works of T. S. Eliot.
Mistoffelees is also the name of the cat familiar owned by Penny Dreadful in the Mage: the Ascension
Mage: The Ascension
Mage: The Ascension is a role-playing game based in the World of Darkness, and was published by White Wolf Game Studio. The characters portrayed in the game are referred to as mages, and are capable of feats of magic...
universe.
He is also mentioned as abusing Chris in the movie Team America: World Police
Team America: World Police
Team America: World Police, often referred to as simply Team America, is a 2004 action comedy film written by Trey Parker, Matt Stone, and Pam Brady and directed by Parker, all of whom are also known for the popular animated television series South Park...
.
He shares the name of one of three cats in the Tim and Eric episode "Jazz", the other two being Skimbleshanks and Grizabella. Skimbleshanks is another cat from Eliot's book, while Grizabella does not make an appearance in the book. Both cats do however star in the musical Cats alongside Mr. Mistoffelees.