What's A Jellicle Cat?
The Plot

Despite what some people think, yes CATS DOES have a plot. And before I explain, the show is supposed to be left to your interpretation which is why most people "dont get it."

The setting is a junkyard in which a tribe of cats live. They are called Jellicle cats (a term created by T.S. Eliot who wrote the book of poems the show is based on). A Jellicle cat is a cat in the tribe (or anywhere I suppose) that has three different names as the song "The Naming of Cats" tells you. Also, these are the cats that gather together every year at their Jellicle ball to see who their leader, Old Deuteronomy will choose to go to the heaviside lair (or, catheaven). It is considered a big honour. And once the chosen cat finds the meaning of happiness in the heaviside lair, they can be reborn into a new Jellicle life. So most of the show is the cats preparing for the Jellicle ball and the Jellicle choice.

But there are other characters outside the tribe involved as well.

Grizabella: a cat who left the tribe to see the outside world (she was probably a popular cat before she left) and now wants to rejoin the tribe. But, since she'd gone in the first place, no one wants her around anymore except for the kittens who werent there when she left and dont understand why she is so strongly disliked. Grizabella comes back to see if she will be accepted again.

Macavity: My interpretation of Macavity is that, since he is the "bad guy" and tries to disturb the peace - particularly by kidnapping cats of the tribe (apparently he has captured Demeter and Bombalurina in the past) liek Old Deuteronomy. I think he disturbs the jellicles mostly because he is a criminal and enjoys taunting them and doesnt want Old Deuteronomy to make the Jellicle choice.

And there you have it.

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