Demeter

Demeter is a main character in Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical, Cats. Her name is given in "The Naming of Cats".

Appearance
Demeter is black and gold with a white bib, and wears gloves instead of arm warmers, giving her a more elegant look. Her wig is often wild and fluffy. In some productions, she has larger patches of red/ginger among the gold and yellow tones. Her costume demonstrates her conflict - she is both an elegant queen, ladylike and beautiful, and a tortured, skittish, unhappy soul. She is usually portrayed as a adult or young adult.

Personality
She can be very skittish and cautious when Macavity is around. It is implied she had a past with him and is now paranoid as she always seems to know when he is around. This seems to be confirmed by Cats Choreographer Gillian Lynne in behind the scenes footage seen in on the Cats special edition DVD.

She seems to know Grizabella and may have been close to her in the past, possibly they are related, or she simply identifies with her remorse. Some fans have speculated that Grizabella at some point also became involved with Macavity, which might explain the look of disgust on Demeter's face in the film. She usually runs off to Bombalurina in uncomfortable situations, such as when Grizabella or Macavity are nearby. It is possible that their time spent with Macavity simply overlapped. In some versions such as the film, She shows no interest in outgoing, vain toms such as Rum Tum Tugger; this may explain her interest in Macavity.

Role

 * "Bombalurina's best friend, and sings the other half of the Macavity duet. Excellent dancer/singer. On the one hand neurotic and wild, on the other very intuitive. Minimum height 5'4. Playing age: 20 - 30."

Demeter sings in the backing group in "The Gumbie Cat" with Bombalurina and Jellylorum, and has many small solos throughout the show.

Her biggest part is in "Macavity", which she sings with Bombalurina. She is the focus of Macavity's attack - he appears disguised as Old Deuteronomy to infiltrate the tribe. Demeter is the only cat to realise it was him. At one point in the London production, lines of speech were added to clarify the action in the show, and Macavity said to Demeter  "I'll back for you!" while kidnapping Old Deuteronomy. The fight between Macavity and Munkustrap is to prevent him carrying Demeter away. In some productions, starting from Broadway, Munkustrap is knocked out of the fight early on, and it is Alonzo who takes the majority of the fight. In these productions it is often suggested that Demeter and Alonzo are a couple. Otherwise Demeter is generally paired with Munkustrap after Macavity's attack.

She is one of the few cats to attempt to welcome Grizabella and sings part of Grizabella the Glamour Cat, but cannot bring herself to fully accept her until after "Memory".

Relationships

 * Alonzo: In some productions they appear to be mates.


 * Bombalurina: Many fans believe Bombalurina and Demeter are sisters.
 * Grizabella: Some fans believe Grizabella is Demeter's mother.


 * Jemima: Many fans believe Jemima is Demeter's daughter, possibly by Macavity


 * Macavity: It is implied in the show Demeter and Macavity may have once been mates; others believe he kidnapped her and did unmentionable things to her.


 * Munkustrap: In some productions Munkustrap and Demeter are mates.


 * Electra: some believe she is the mother of Electra by Munkustrap


 * Victoria: some fans believe she is the mother of Victoria by Macavity


 * Mistoffelees: some fans believe she is the mother of Misto by Macavity

Song
While Demeter sings in a variety of songs, she has the largest role in Macavity: The Mystery Cat, sung by her and Bombalurina following his abduction of Old Deuteronomy as an explanation of his personality and crimes.



Cast and Performance Trivia

 * She is usually played by a mezzo soprano  or alto singer.


 * Demeter's dance takes on some complicated movements in the Jellicle Ball along with the Rum Tum Tugger, Alonzo, Munkustrap, Rumpleteazer and Bombalurina.


 * The part of Demeter was originated by Sharon Lee-Hill in the West End production and by Wendy Edmead in the original Broadway production. In the Cats video she is played by Aeva May.


 * Vicki Noon appeared as Demeter in Cats during a Washington (state) tour.


 * At this moment in the worldwide tour, she is played by Lisa Kuhnen.