Rumpleteazer

Rumpleteazer is a character from Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical, Cats. Her name is spelled many different ways; some using an 's' instead of a 'z' (as in Rumpleteaser), while others swap the letters 'l' and 'e' (as in, Rumpelteazer). Rumpleteazer is used most often.

The role of Rumpleteazer was created in London by child star Bonnie Langford. In the initial Broadway transfer of the show, the role of Rumpleteazer was cut, the featured number performed by Etcetera and Coricopat as an entertainment for Bustopher Jones. However this was revised to the more normal running order of Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer being characters in their own right. The role that had been Etcetera became Rumpleteazer permanently.

Appearance
Rumpleteazer is often shown as an orange, black and white calico or tabby. She wears a string of Woolworths pearls around the bottom of her black-striped, orange neck, which was owned by one of the daughters of the family. She also wears a diamond collar, that may have once been an expensive bracelet from the family Rumpleteazer and Mungojerrie live with and often steal from. In most productions, she also wears a pair of tights and a garter for her featured song.

In Broadway and subsequent productions, her colouring is much more muted and comparable to Etcetera rather than the strong white/ginger/black colours of London/video influenced productions.

Personality
She is shown as a young, high-energy,mischievous character. Many productions show her as a teenager or kitten. Rumpleteazer sometimes joins the other kittens as they swoon over Rum Tum Tugger. She is rarely shown doing this in the film, but often in smaller productions. She also will sometimes takes Etcetera's hysterical squealing role if there isn't an Etcetera in the production. It is suggested that she live in a house with a family of the middle or upper class. Even though she gets into trouble no one (cats or humans) seem to hold a grudge against her.

Role

 * "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer. Male-female duo. Strong dancers with acrobatic ability and excellent voices. High baritone for Mungojerrie and high belt for Rumpleteazer. Lots of personality, young, full of energy, impudent and cheeky."

Rumpleteazer can be considered one of the main characters in the show; she shares a song with Mungojerrie (aptly named "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer") as well as having a role in "The Aweful Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles" in the film.

Relationships

 * Mungojerrie: It is an issue of much debate among fans as to whether Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer are siblings or mates. Many believe they are twins due to their near identical apperance, while others believe this to be a coincidence.


 * Jellylorum: Some fans believe Jellylorum is Rumpleteazer's mother.


 * Jennyanydots: Some fans believe Jennyanydots is Rumpleteazer's mother.


 * Macavity: Some fans believe Macavity may be Rumpleteazer's father.


 * Munkustrap: Some fans think they are mates.
 * Skimbleshanks: Some fans believe Skimbleshanks is Rumpleteazer's father.
 * Rum Tum Tugger: Some fans think that she is his sibling, just a fan or mates.

=Trivia=
 * In the original poem of Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer, Rumpleteazer was possibly intended to be a Tom cat.