Old Deuteronomy
Encyclopedia
Old Deuteronomy is a character in T. S. Eliot
's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats
and its musical adaptation, Cats
.
In Eliot's original poem, Old Deuteronomy is described as an ancient, wise cat who has "lived many lives in succession" and is respected by the other cats and humans (and perhaps even dogs) in his environment. His name derives from Deuteronomy
, the fifth book of the Old Testament
of the Bible
, which shares the central element of law with the character (who is a magistrate).
Cats expands on the theme of wisdom by depicting Deuteronomy as the leader of the show's Jellicle tribe, providing comfort and guidance to the other characters. Deuteronomy also has the task of making the "Jellicle Choice" and choosing the cat who can ascend to the Heaviside Layer (Also spelled "Heavyside"). Much of Cats plot is fueled by this; several characters perform and try to convince Deuteronomy to choose them. At the end of the show, Deuteronomy is kidnapped by Macavity and restored by Mr. Mistoffelees
. He then persuades the other cats to listen to the outcast Grizabella
, selects her to be reborn, and escorts her to the Heaviside Layer.
More has been revealed about Old Deuteronomy's past than most of the other Jellicle cats, although how much of it is true is debatable. He is alleged to have been alive long before Queen Victoria was crowned and has been mated numerous times (supposedly, anywhere between nine and ninety-nine). Unfortunately, Old Deuteronomy has outlived his partners, but has had numerous kittens. Fans speculate that two of his offspring are Munkustrap
and the Rum Tum Tugger
, as these two are given the main lines of Old Deuteronomy. Some fans suspect that Macavity is also Old Deuteronomy's son, although anyone who pays enough attention to the film will notice that in the song about him Rum Tum Tugger alludes to all of the Jellicle cats being his progenies which would explain their almost god-like reverence of him.
Old Deuteronomy has three songs in Cats, including the final number, "The Ad-dressing of cats." He is traditionally played by strong lyric baritone
performers. In the 1998 video version of the musical, Old Deuteronomy is portrayed by Ken Page
, who also created the role on Broadway. In the original West End
production, and accompanying album, he was played by Brian Blessed
, who was also Bustopher Jones
. Old Deuteronomy was also played by Jeff Leyton in the West End production of 'Cats'. Currently, Old Deuteronomy in the world-wide tour is being played by Nathan Morgan, an American-born actor, who lives in New Jersey.
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 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 musical adaptation, 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...
.
In Eliot's original poem, Old Deuteronomy is described as an ancient, wise cat who has "lived many lives in succession" and is respected by the other cats and humans (and perhaps even dogs) in his environment. His name derives from Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy
The Book of Deuteronomy is the fifth book of the Hebrew Bible, and of the Jewish Torah/Pentateuch...
, the fifth book of the Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, which shares the central element of law with the character (who is a magistrate).
Cats expands on the theme of wisdom by depicting Deuteronomy as the leader of the show's Jellicle tribe, providing comfort and guidance to the other characters. Deuteronomy also has the task of making the "Jellicle Choice" and choosing the cat who can ascend to the Heaviside Layer (Also spelled "Heavyside"). Much of Cats plot is fueled by this; several characters perform and try to convince Deuteronomy to choose them. At the end of the show, Deuteronomy is kidnapped by Macavity and restored by Mr. Mistoffelees
Mr. Mistoffelees
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 then persuades the other cats to listen to the outcast 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...
, selects her to be reborn, and escorts her to the Heaviside Layer.
More has been revealed about Old Deuteronomy's past than most of the other Jellicle cats, although how much of it is true is debatable. He is alleged to have been alive long before Queen Victoria was crowned and has been mated numerous times (supposedly, anywhere between nine and ninety-nine). Unfortunately, Old Deuteronomy has outlived his partners, but has had numerous kittens. Fans speculate that two of his offspring are 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:...
and the 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....
, as these two are given the main lines of Old Deuteronomy. Some fans suspect that Macavity is also Old Deuteronomy's son, although anyone who pays enough attention to the film will notice that in the song about him Rum Tum Tugger alludes to all of the Jellicle cats being his progenies which would explain their almost god-like reverence of him.
Old Deuteronomy has three songs in Cats, including the final number, "The Ad-dressing of cats." He is traditionally played by strong lyric baritone
Baritone
Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
performers. In the 1998 video version of the musical, Old Deuteronomy is portrayed by Ken Page
Ken Page (actor)
Ken Page is an American cabaret singer and actor from St. Louis, Missouri, best known as the voice of the evil bag of bugs Oogie Boogie in Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas and the Kingdom Hearts series, and for playing Old Deuteronomy in the original Broadway and video cast of Cats.Ken...
, who also created the role on Broadway. 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, and accompanying album, he was played by Brian Blessed
Brian Blessed
Brian Blessed is an English actor, known for his sonorous voice and "hearty, king-sized portrayals".-Early life:The son of William Blessed, a socialist miner, and Hilda Wall, Blessed was born in the town of Goldthorpe, West Riding of Yorkshire, England...
, who was also 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....
. Old Deuteronomy was also played by Jeff Leyton in the West End production of 'Cats'. Currently, Old Deuteronomy in the world-wide tour is being played by Nathan Morgan, an American-born actor, who lives in New Jersey.
Sources
- Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, T.S. Eliot, Harcourt, 1982, ISBN 0-15-168656-4
- A Cat's Diary: How the Broadway Production of Cats was born, Stephen Hanan, Smith & Kraus, 2002, ISBN 1-57525-281-3