Jennyanydots

"But when the day's hustle and bustle is done, then the Gumbie Cat's work is but hardly begun."

- "The Old Gumbie Cat"

Jennyanydots is a featured character in the musical Cats. Known among the tribe as the "Gumbie Cat", she spends her days lazing around, but come nighttime, she gets to work running the household while the family are asleep.

Personality
"Motherly, Controlling, Contented"

- Three Words

Jennyanydots is a kind, doting, motherly character. She has a vested interest in the well-being on not only the other Jellicles, but rats, mice and beetles. She seems to be well versed in knitting, crocheting, tatting, and (if her creation of a the Beetle's Tattoo is any sign) choreography.

She spends the day sitting on "anything that's smooth and flat". She is less active than the younger cats, but watches everything going on around her with fascination and enthusiasm.

Gumbie Cat
Jennyanydots is introduced in a song titled "The Old Gumbie Cat". The term was made up by T S Eliot for a type of cat. In a letter to a friend, Eliot wrote:

"So far in my experience there are cheifly [sic] 4 kinds of Cat the Old Gumbie Cat the Practical Cat the Porpentine Cat and the Big Bravo Cat; I suspect that yours is a Bravo Cat by the looks of things."

- Eliot, 4 November 1934

Role
"Jennyanydots is the 'Gumbie Cat'. Motherly, an Edwardian 'do-gooder'. For this role, we require a character actress and very strong singer (to high Db) who must have strong tap dancing skills. Great comedy skills and good movement needed. Playing age 25 – 45."

- Casting Calls

Jennyanydots plays a fairly large role in the musical. She has her own song and has lines in a variety of others songs. She also sings the solo introducing Bustopher Jones. She is often seen scolding the younger cats when they misbehave, and trying to keep them all in line, including keeping them away from Grizabella, but in the end she is one of the cats to finally touch and accept her. In some 1980s/1990s European productions, notably those based on the Vienna production, Jennyanydots plays Griddlebone rather than Jellylorum taking the role.

In the original London production, Judi Dench was intended to play Jennyanydots as well as Grizabella. The story of how Elaine Paige replaced her as Grizabella is well known, but at the same time Myra Sands stepped up from an ensemble role to become Jennyanydots throughout the show. Myra was originally slated to play a role named Electra who would sing what later became Demeter's part in "The Old Gumbie Cat" and Jennyanydots' part in "Bustopher Jones". After Myra took over the role of Jennyanydots, the original Electra costume design was re-named and became Jennyanydots' ensemble costume, indicating that Jennyanydots was originally not slated to have an ensemble presence, much as Bustopher Jones is not seen other than in his solo.

Appearance
Jennyanydots is a gingery tabby with white markings. Her unitard is orange, black and white, her wig is often a bright ginger in London-based productions, but a softer mix of ginger, blonde and brown in others. Her ears are formed by rolls in her wig, rather than the more usual tied ears or the suggestion of ears in a fan shape.

Jennyanydots' song costume consists of an enormous, rounded knitted coat with a spotted pattern and a hat. Underneath she wears a fringed orange, yellow and white fringed tap costume.

Fandom
For fandom headcanons and theories, CLICK HERE.