gabby's christening

once upon a time, there were 3 young, idealistic professional women and man (heehee) who wanted to change the world. they met in a coffee shop, of all places.



as the friendship deepened, so did their life plans.

two years ago, they had individual contracts drawn up and signed, each of these documents professing their top 5 goals in the next five years.

there's a fine if you don't get your goals realized - php30,000 (each) and it goes to a chosen charity.

guys, you have 3 years to go. :D

last sunday, we attended the baptism of mel's little angel gabby at the eugenio lopez center in antipolo.


the view was amazing




they gave away adorable cupcakes (they're as yummy as they look!)


and rosary bracelets


photo op with the lorenzo family


it was lovely to meet these ladies again (first time was during a wedding fair hehe)


welcome to the christian world, little gabby!


*all photos grabbed from mel's facebook page.

nina's 2nd

nina is 2. where has time gone??



the lovely family (minus ricky, who must be playing somewhere hehe)


the ninongs and ninangs came out to play. :)


the panyeros


betchay and moi


henny chicken


betchay outdancing the chicken


oh what fun! this party was a blast! well done, mr. and mrs. p! :)


me thinks we ought to have a shakey's party soon. wala lang, ang saya-saya dun e! :D

5 years ago, 3 filipino tourists in beijing were killed by a chinese man who ran amok and attacked them when they were disembarking their tourist bus

they were hacked to death!

how come we didn't hear of this???

http://houseonahill.net/a-note-from-a-cousin-in-law-about-filipinos-violently-killed-in-beijing-five-years-ago/

source: www.houseonahill.net

how crass can you get

source: House on a Hill

umiinit ang ulo ko.

Ten things the Philippines bus siege police got wrong

a friend sent me this link from BBC news asia pacific. read on.

A security analyst who has worked in counter-terrorism with the British Army and Scotland Yard, Charles Shoebridge, says the officers involved in Manila's bus siege showed great courage - but they were not properly trained or equipped for the task.

Here are 10 areas where, in his view, they could have done better.

1. Determination

AdvertisementPhilippine police end Manila bus hijack
The first officers who tried to storm the bus were driven out by gunshots from the hostage taker, former policeman Rolando Mendoza. "They showed great courage to go on board. It's very crowded, just one aisle down the middle of the bus. But once you get on board it's not unexpected you are going to be fired at. Squads like this have to be made up of very special people, specially trained and selected for their characteristics of courage, determination and aggression. In this case they acted as 99% of the population would have, which was to turn round and get out. They didn't seem to have the necessary determination and aggression to follow the attack through."

2. Lack of equipment

The police spent a long time smashing the windows of the bus, whereas explosive charges (known as frame charges) would have knocked in windows and doors instantly. "They had no ladders to get through the windows. They smashed the windows but didn't know what to do next," Mr Shoebridge says. "They almost looked like a group of vandals." Their firearms were also inappropriate - some had pistols, some had assault rifles. Ideally they would have carried a short submachine gun, suitable for use in confined spaces.

3. Lost opportunity to disarm the gunman

Mendoza's gun was not always raised There were numerous opportunities to restrain the gunman, Mr Shoebridge believes. "The negotiators were so close to him, and he had his weapon hanging down by his side. He could have been disabled without having to kill him."

4. Lost opportunity to shoot the gunman

The video of the drama also shows there were occasions when the gunman was standing alone, during the course of the day, and could have been shot by a sharpshooter. "You are dealing with an unpredictable and irrational individual. The rule should be that if in the course of negotiations an opportunity arises to end the situation decisively, it should be taken," Mr Shoebridge says. Either this possibility did not occur to the officers in charge, he adds, or they considered it and decided to carry on talking.

5. Satisfying the gunman's demands

"I wondered why the authorities just didn't give in to all of his demands," says Charles Shoebridge. "A promise extracted under force is not a promise that you are required to honour. Nobody wants to give in to the demands of terrorists, but in a situation like this, which did not involve a terrorist group, or release of prisoners, they could have just accepted his demands. He could be reinstated in the police - and then be immediately put in prison for life for hostage taking." The Philippines authorities did in fact give in to the gunman's demands, but too little, too late. One message promised to review his case, while he wanted it formally dismissed. A second message reinstating him as a police offer only arrived after the shooting had started.

6. Televised proceedings

The gunman was able to follow events on television, revealing to him everything that was going on around him. This was a "crucial defect in the police handling", Mr Shoebridge says. He adds that police should always consider putting a barrier or screen around the area, to shield the scene from the cameras and keep the hostage taker in the dark.

7. No element of surprise

It was clear to the gunman what the police were doing at all times, not only because the whole incident was televised, but also because they moved "laboriously slowly", Mr Shoebridge says. The police did not distract him, so were unable to exploit the "crucial element of surprise".

8. Safeguarding the public

This boy, a bystander, was hit by a stray bullet At least one bystander was shot, possibly because the public was allowed too close. The bullet from an M16 rifle, as carried by the gunman, can travel for about a mile, so preventing any risk of injury would have been difficult, Mr Shoebridge says, but a lot more could have been done. "When you saw the camera view from above, it was clear there was little command and control of the public on the ground," he says.

9. Using the gunman's brother to negotiate

Relatives and close friends can be a double-edged sword, Mr Shoebridge says. While they may have leverage over the hostage taker, what they are saying cannot be easily controlled. In this case, the gunman's brother was included in the negotiations - however, at a certain stage he became agitated and police started to remove him from the scene. The gunman saw this on television, and became agitated himself. According to one report he fired a warning shot.

10. Insufficient training

In some parts of the Philippines, such as Mindanao, hostage taking is not an uncommon occurrence, so the country has some forces that are well trained in the necessary tactics. The detachment involved in Monday's incident clearly was not, says Mr Shoebridge. After smashing the windows, one of the officers eventually put some CS gas inside, though "to what effect was not clear" he says. A unit involved in this work, needs to be "trained again and again, repeatedly practising precisely this kind of scenario," he says.

if you were venus raj, what would have been your answer?

i guess she could have answered and delivered more articulately. but still, making it to the top 5 is a great achievement in itself.



here are sample answers from my mentally acute (gay) friends.

sagot ni macron:

Mistakes are inevitable to every person, I myself included. However, I see this as an opportunity to identify my rooms for improvement to become the best person I could become. And this will not only raise the bar of my femininity but also helps define my purpose, dreams and goals in life. And this is the kind of woman, the whole world is celebrating with you right at this very moment. Thank you Las Vegas!

sagot ni tsarls:

"I've done a lot of mistakes, I am not perfect. However, I do not measure each of my mistake's gravity. I believe that what really matters is not how hard you fall, but how you stand up and learn from each of those mistakes. And each lesson will help shape and define you. And for me, every lesson learned from my mistakes made me who I am right now, a proud woman representing her country in this pageant."

mabuhay!

venus raj is 4th runner up

you make us very proud. :)

we can't blame HK

source: HK security bureau

yesterday

we had surprise visitors around 11am so i had to quickly prepare a snack - spaghetti haha! it was very good (sabi nila!), i just served it with toasted bread (with butter) and ice-cold coke. yum-o!

then we had to rush to serendra to have lunch with our gorgeous ninang SSi. we were an hour late! :( but all's well that ends well. we had so much fun catching up and enjoying good food!

at duo


this was my dessert ;)


a cupcake at the two serendra poolside after we walked ninang home


when we got home, we took a nap before i made dinner which was roasted chicken (thanks to my bestfriend, the turbo broiler!) and mashed potatoes which i made from scratch. yes, i had a 2 cheat days!

so how was your sunday? :)

if someone owns a piece of land, do they own it all the way to the center of the earth?

just wondering, in case we struck oil or gold or diamonds on the property. :)

found

had an atis tree before back home in roxas. but a typhoon destroyed it. :(

last sunday, we chanced upon an atis tree brimming with fruit. not yet ripe for picking but still.



so lovely.



more info on this fruit found here.

English: Sugar apple, Sweet sop
Tagalog: Atis

Small tree. 3 to 5 meters high. Leaves are hairy when young, oblong, 8 to 15 cm long, with a petiole 1 to 1.5 cm long. Flowers occur singly in the axils of the leaves, about 2.5 cm long, pendulous, three-angled, light green to yellow. Fruit is large, slightly heart-shaped, 6 to 9 cm long, the outside with polygonal tubercles. When ripe, the fruit is light yellowish-green, with a white, sweet soft and juicy flesh.

Parts used and preparation: Leaves, fruit and seeds.

Chemical constituents and properties:
The leaves yield an alkaloid, chloroplatinate.
Seed yields an alkaloid, neurtral resin, fixed oil.
Seed contains a yellow, non-drying oil and an irritant which kills lice.
The leaves, fruit and seeds are vermicidal and insecticidal.
The unripe fruit is astringent, used for diarrhea and dysentery and dyspepsia.
The bark is astringent and tonic.
Roots make a drastic purgative.

Uses: Salted bruised leaves used to hasten suppuration.

Fainting: Crush fresh leaves and place over nose. Infected Insect bites.

Pound and extract the juice from one unripe fruit and apply the juice directly on the infected bites, 3 times daily.

Lice infestation of the head:

Atis in the herbal treatment regimen:
(1) Shampoo hair with gugo bark or any commercial shampoo daily for one week; with “suyod” combing twice daily.
(2) For lice eggs (nits), apply hot vinegar for half an hour after shampooing; then “suyod” (fine combing) thoroughly.
(3) Bedtime, pound 1/2 cup of atis seeds and mix with 1/4 cup of oil. Apply mixture throroughly to the scalp and hair. Wrap the hair and head overnight. Shampoo in the morning and follow with fine tooth combing. Do daily for 3-5 days.
(4) Paste of the crushed seeds in water, applied to the scalp. The same used as abortifacient applied to the os uteri.

Nutrition: Eaten raw or makes a delicious ice cream. The fermented fruit used to make cider.

i hope we'll have enough space in our future backyard so we can plant a tree or two and grow herbs. can't wait. :)

locked out

for the first time, i left my keys at home.

so when i arrived after work, i couldn't get in. k will be late, and expected to arrive in 4-5 hours. and it started drizzling pa. what to do???

first things first. the helper and i tried to get the laundry and other things in between the gate's grills so i wouldn't have to carry them around haha! then off i went.

first stop, the salon next door. i did the works, hoping to spend most of the time there until k comes home.

not. they close at 8pm, so i had to stay somewhere else.

so where did my feet lead me?

charlie's, of course. :)


i couldn't finish the whole thing so i saved half for k (i did finish the fries though!)


i finished game 6 of the alaska-san miguel game (was rooting for alaska yeah!) and still k wasn't near the area.

a girl's got to do what a girl's got to do.

order banoffee pie for dessert.


but it wasn't as good as purple oven's. i'll stick to the frozen brazo de mercedes.

getting locked out wasn't so bad after all!

signed, sealed, delivered

today, k and i signed the second legal document (our wedding contract was the first) in our married life - a deed of sale for a lot in antipolo city.



after months of discussions and what-ifs, the deal finally came through.

all of us dream of building our dream home.

ours start today. :)

difficult

to say that you are difficult is an understatement.

you are scornfully arrogant and condescendingly proud.

wala nang ibang magaling, ikaw lang.

wala kang bilib sa pilipino. grabe. kasi naman, ewan ko ba bakit halos lahat ng kausap mong utility services e may palpak. skycable, pldt, meralco, condo staff, broker, helper, driver. karma ba yun dahil in the first place e masyado kang mayabang? "alam mo sa bansa ko di nangyayari yan" this and "sa bansa ko di dapat ganyan" that. you don't insist on living first world when you come to the third world. hello??

i've been working with foreign nationals for 6 years now and deal with them every day. lahat na yata ng nationalities nakasalamuha ko at lahat naman maayos kausap. of course both sides have to adjust as we come from multicultural backgrounds but never have i experienced this kind of attitude.

sampung buwan pa ang bubunuin kong kasama kita. haaaay.

15 minutes

that's all it took me to get to work today. no, make that 10. i woke up at 6:45 am, left at 7:25. no breakfast. i was a bad girl last night, indulged myself with fries, black angus burger, and banoffee pie. i'm supposed to be on a diet, and have been very good to my body for 2 days. absolutely no sweets, only fish and fresh fruits and veggies. sheesh. so i will have a slim fast drink this morning haha. and back to my diet.

wait, i'm rambling. 2 stoplights. that's all it takes to get to work. and i'm very thankful. i love where i live, and i love where i work.

but all that's going to change. starting today. because today, we finalize the land deal and sign all the papers. today, k and i will be surrendering our hard-earned savings to mr. marcelino ecle, who will make us owners of a lot where we will build our dream home.

and in a few months, my daily commute to work will never be the same. because we're going to live further from the metro. 15 minutes will be impossible (unless i get my own helicopter). by then, it would probably take me 45 minutes, or an hour, give or take.

i'm a city girl. and for the longest time, i refuse to live more than 30 minutes away from my work place. i used to live in paranaque and worked in ortigas. it took me hours to get to work and back. never again. imagine all that time i have been wasting, sleeping in the car or the bus. i had no energy when i got home and just went straight to bed. then i had to leave really early the next morning. what a cycle.

i know some people are used to this kind of set-up. k tells me he left for school/work at 5:00 am every morning when he was still living with his parents. and i admire their tenacity. but it's just not me. i would move heaven and earth to live closer to where i study or work.

but then again, i can always change my mind. :) i have been convinced that i will survive an hour's commute to and from work. it won't be that bad, k says. OK.

we'll see. :)

my birthday lunch with girlfriends

met up with my kumares to have lunch and bitch. hehe :D it's been a few months since we saw each other, so there was a lot to talk about. you see, we don't see each other often but we make sure to get together during life's milestones. and birthdays count a lot.



too bad gilda wasn't able to join us. and jojie too. we missed you both!

it's a funny story how we all met. the gym. yup, once upon a time we were gym addicts. we would work out everyday after work, and meet up during weekends to do marathon group exercises at fitness first. afterwhich we would go out to eat. how i miss those days!

it's been 10 years, i think! they are my gym buddies, kumares, abay sa kasal, advisors on life. and i love them dearly. :)

a collage


jojie's despedida


gilda's wedding


my wedding


see you again in 2 weeks! well, except for joj who is already in the US. we miss you terribly! :)

burger night

i promised to take 2 of my girl friends to charlie's


we finally did. here they are ordering their cheesesteaks (with extra fries please!)


enjoy card recognized here


we wanted to have dessert but the line was too long and we were not willing to wait. our feet took to cafe juanita which was just around the corner. we had the sticky toffee pudding, of course.


and while savoring every morsel of the pudding, we saw claudine barretto and raymart santiago. TV does add 20 lbs, ang payat nung claudine e. :D

ahhhh, the life. i love my neighborhood! :)

purple oven

i love dessert, and i'm so glad we're practically neighbors with purple oven! :)

they supply starbucks with banoffee pies and chocolate dome cakes. they have a whole lot of cakes and pastries available, so do check them out!





we finished my birthday 9-inch banoffee pie before i could take a decent photo hahaha! will make sure to take one next time!


serving instructions


if you're coming from ultra, turn right at oranbo drive. turn left at dunkin' donuts (before you hit shaw boulevard). purple oven will be on your left, about 3-4 gates down. the coffee shop is inside a tall white and gray gate. mamang guard is around to help you maneuver this tiny street, two-way naman sya.

if you're coming from shaw boulevard, turn right at oranbo drive (before you hit the big citystate building). turn right again at dunkin' donuts.

they offer delivery services too, so give them call.

Purple Oven
No. 63 St Peter Street,
Oranbo, Pasig City
Tel. nos. 631.4221; 910.1363; 910.1364

charlie's grind and grill, again!

black angus burger with yummy fries


frozen brazo de mercedes


see ya tomorrow, charlie's! :)

CATS in Manila - SUPERB!

after months of anticipation, we finally got to watch CATS at the ccp last sunday, 8 august.

see us roar!


it was a superb production! the costumes, lights, sounds and the cast were amazing!





inside the theater


the show tickets are not cheap, but it is worth seeing. some people even brought their kids and grandparents to experience this rare production.

i am not familiar with the musical itself (the biggest selling point for me was that lea salonga was part of it! she's my absolute favorite!) so i read up before watching. these info from wikipedia it will be helpful to know the gist of the story and know the different characters as the show is fast-paced with all the dancing and singing (most of the cast are foreign).

Cats is a musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot. It introduced the song standard "Memory".
It is currently the 2nd longest-running show in Broadway history and the 4th longest-running show in musical theatre history.

The musical first opened in the West End in 1981 and then on Broadway in 1982. Each time directed by Trevor Nunn and choreographed by Gillian Lynne, it won numerous awards, including both the Laurence Olivier Award and the Tony Award for Best Musical. The London production ran for twenty one years and the Broadway production ran for eighteen years, both setting long-run records. Actresses Elaine Paige and Betty Buckley became particularly associated with the musical. One actress, Marlene Danielle, performed in the Broadway production for its entire run (from 1982 until 2000).

Act I — When Cats are Maddened by the Midnight Dance
After the overture, the Cats gather on stage and explain the Jellicle tribe and their purpose ('Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats'). The Cats spot the human audience and explain how the different Cats of the tribe are named ('The Naming of Cats'). This is followed by a dance from Victoria the White Cat that signals the beginning of the Jellicle Ball and Munkustrap tells us that tonight is the night when Old Deuteronomy will choose a cat to be reborn into a new life on the Heaviside Layer.

Munkustrap appears and introduces Jennyanydots ('The Old Gumbie Cat'), a large tabby cat. She "sits and sits and sits" all day, while at night she rules over the mice and cockroaches, teaching various activities to them. Jennyanydots finishes, greets the other cats, but is interrupted. The music instantly changes, and The Rum Tum Tugger makes an extravagant entrance ('The Rum Tum Tugger'). The Tugger is a Tom with a wild mane and leopard spots on his chest. He is very fickle and unappeasable, "for he will do as he do do and there's no doing anything about it".

A shabby old grey cat stumbles out and looks around. It is Grizabella. All the cats back away. The cats sing of her saddened, unfortunate state ('Grizabella: The Glamour Cat'). Grizabella leaves and the music changes to a cheerful upbeat. Bustopher Jones, a fat cat in "a coat of fastidious black", appears ('Bustopher Jones: The Cat About Town'). Bustopher Jones is among the elite of the cats, and visits prestigious gentleman's clubs. A loud crash startles the tribe. Could this be Macavity? The cats run off the stage in fright. Hushed giggling signals the entrance of Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer, a pair of near-identical cats. They are petty burglars, very mischievous, and they enjoy causing trouble for human families ('Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer').

Finally, the Jellicle patriarch, Old Deuteronomy, shows up ('Old Deuteronomy'). He is a large old Cat that “has lived many lives” and “buried nine wives (And more, I am tempted to say – ninety-nine)”. He is the one who will choose which Jellicle cat will go to the Heaviside Layer. In most productions, at this point, the cats perform a song ('The Awefull Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles') for Old Deuteronomy. It is a story about two dog tribes clashing in the street and subsequently being scared away by the Great Rumpus Cat, a cat with flashing red eyes. After a few words from Old Deuteronomy on the destiny of Jellicle Cats and Pollicle Dogs, a second loud crash, presumably from Macavity, sends the alarmed cats scurrying. But Old Deuteronomy calls them back and the main celebration begins ('The Jellicle Ball'), in which the cats sing, dance and display their "terpsichorean powers".

After the Ball, Grizabella reappears, refusing to be left out of the festivities. Once again, she is shunned by the other cats, but that does not stop her from singing a short version of 'Memory'.

Act II — Why Will the Summer Day Delay — When Will Time Flow Away?
After the Jellicle Ball, Old Deuteronomy sings of “what happiness is”, referring to Grizabella. This message naturally goes over everyone's heads, so he sends the message again and Jemima (or Sillabub, depending on the production) sings it for everyone to hear, ('The Moments of Happiness'). Gus — short for Asparagus — shuffles forward ('Gus: The Theatre Cat'). He is the cat that once was a famous actor but now he is old and “suffers from palsy which makes his paws shake”. He is accompanied by Jellylorum, who tells of his exploits. Gus then remembers how he once played the infamous Growltiger, Terror of the Thames ('Growltiger's Last Stand'). He tells the story about the pirate's romance with Griddlebone and how he was overtaken by the Siamese and forced to walk the plank.

Back in the present, after Gus exits, Skimbleshanks is sleeping in the corner ('Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat'), a cat who is unofficially in charge of the night train to Glasgow. He is very clever and very important because if he is gone “the train can’t start”.

With a third crash and an evil laugh, the "most wanted" cat, Macavity appears. He is a “master criminal” and never is found at the scene of the crime. He is a horrifying looking cat and a “villain” of the Jellicle Tribe. Macavity shows up and captures Old Deuteronomy. As the other cats try to follow him, Demeter and Bombalurina sing what they know about Macavity, as they have had some sort of past with him ('Macavity: The Mystery Cat'). When they are finished, Macavity returns disguised as Old Deuteronomy. When revealed by Demeter, he fights with Munkustrap and Alonzo.

Rum Tum Tugger suggests that the cats find Mr. Mistoffelees ('Magical Mr. Mistoffelees'). Mr. Mistoffelees is black and small and can perform many feats of magic that no other cat can do. The magical cat succeeds in bringing back Old Deuteronomy. He is praised by all the cats. The Jellicle choice can now be made.

Old Deuteronomy sits down and Grizabella appears for the final time. Old Deuteronomy allows her to have a chance to address the cats. Her faded appearance and lonely disposition have little effect on her song ('Memory'). With encouragement from Jemima and Victoria accepting her always, the appeal succeeds and she is chosen to be the one ('Journey to the Heaviside Layer'). A large tyre rises up with Old Deuteronomy and Grizabella. Once at the top Grizabella finishes the journey herself. Old Deuteronomy gives his closing speech to the human audience ('The Ad-dressing of Cats') and the show comes to a close.

Principal characters
These descriptions, in alphabetical order, are based on more recent versions of the show, although there are minor variations from production to production.

Asparagus / Gus - The theatre cat. Old Gus appears only in his song, relating his lifetime of experience in the theatre, often including a dramatic performance of "Growltiger's Last Stand" where Gus plays the title character. During the rest of the show the actor is in the chorus as "Asparagus".


Bombalurina - A saucy red female. A Principal vocalist and dancer.


Bustopher Jones - A fat cat, a "twenty-five pounder." Dresses in a snappy tuxedo and spats. Respected by all, as the upper class "St James' Street Cat". In most productions, the actor playing Gus also plays Bustopher, though in early productions the part was handled by the actor playing Old Deuteronomy.


Demeter - A very skittish female cat, principal vocalist.


Grizabella - The former Glamour Cat who has lost her sparkle and now only wants to be accepted. Grizabella left the tribe when she was younger to see the world for herself; she has experienced the harshness of the world and is a pariah in the cats' society.

Griddlebone - A fluffy white Persian cat. Growltiger's lover in "Growltiger's Last Stand", where she sings "The Ballad of Billy McCaw" or the mock Italian aria "In Una Tepida Notte" (depending on production) with Growltiger. Almost always played by the actress playing Jellylorum. She does not appear in productions which omit "Growltiger's Last Stand".

Growltiger - A theatrical character Gus recalls playing in his youth, and who appears in Gus' memory of the production of "Growltiger's Last Stand". In some productions he is portrayed as a vicious pirate; in others he is more of a parody of a pirate. Does not appear in productions which omit "Growltiger's Last Stand".
Jellylorum - A female who watches out for the kittens, along with Jennyanydots. She has a close relationship with Gus. Named after T. S. Eliot's own cat. The actress who plays Jellylorum usually also plays Griddlebone in "Growltiger's Last Stand".


Jemima - A kitten interchangeable with Sillabub, though Jemima is used in most international productions. She is the kitten who sings the "Memory" refrain in "The Moments of Happiness" for Old Deuteronomy.


Jennyanydots - The old Gumbie cat. She sits all day and rules the mice and cockroaches at night, forcing them to undertake helpful functions and creative projects, to curb their naturally destructive habits.


Macavity - the show's only real villain. The character is a literary allusion to the Sherlock Holmes character Professor Moriarty. Usually played by the same actor as Plato or Admetus.


Mr. Mistoffelees - A young black tom with magical powers, which he doesn't know how to fully control. His signature dance move is "The Conjuring Turn", twenty-four fouettés en tournant. In the UK production, Mistoffelees has an alter-ego named Quaxo, who appears as a general chorus cat throughout the show, and is dressed slightly differently. Occasionally Quaxo is a separate character.

Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer - A pair of notorious cat-burglars. They are most commonly remembered for their featured dance number where at the end, they do a "double windmill" across the stage.


Munkustrap - The show's de facto narrator. A black and silver tom who is storyteller and protector of the Jellicle tribe. He is thought to be second in command after Old Deuteronomy.


Old Deuteronomy - The lovable patriarch of the Jellicle Tribe. He is very old and dignified.


The Rum Tum Tugger - The ladies' tom. His temperament ranges from clownish to serious, and often sexual depending on the production; however, he is always flirtatious, and usually portrayed as a feline equivalent of Mick Jagger or Elvis Presley, and recognisable by his wild mane.

Skimbleshanks - The railway cat. An active orange tabby cat, who lives on the trains and acts as an unofficial chaperone to such an extent he is considered rather indispensable to the train and station employees.


Victoria - A pure white kitten gifted in dancing. The "official" Jellicle Ball begins with her solo dance. She also does a Pas De Deux with Plato during the Jellicle Ball. She is also the first cat/kitten to touch and accept Grizabella.


Other characters - The more notable minor characters are as follows:

Admetus- a shy, ginger and white tom. The actor usually also plays "Macavity".

Alonzo - A black and white tom cat in most productions; in the Broadway and early European productions, he was depicted as being a black and gold tabby. Sometimes considered the third in command after Munkustrap as he also fights Macavity.

Carbucketty - The name was one of T. S. Eliot's ideas for cat names for a "knockabout cat." Sometimes interchangeable with the character of Pouncival.

Cassandra - A mysterious brown and cream Abyssinian queen, with a braided tail.

Coricopat - Male twin to Tantomile. Coricopat and Tantomile are often portrayed as psychic cats, as they sense the presence of danger before it becomes apparent to the other characters.

Electra and Etcetera - Tabby kittens who are fans of Rum Tum Tugger. Electra is dark and quieter, Etcetera is paler and hyperactive.

Ghengis or Gilbert - The leader of the crew of Siamese cats who contribute to

Growltiger's demise. Usually played by the actor who portrays Mungojerrie, Tumblebrutus or Coricopat.

Plato - Teenage male cat; the actor usually doubles as Macavity. He does a pas de deux with Victoria during the Jellicle Ball. Plato is somewhat interchangeable with Admetus.

Pouncival- a playful, tom kitten interchangeable with Carbucketty.

Rumpus Cat - A spiky-haired cat with glowing red eyes, as mentioned in "The Awefull Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles", seen as a sort of superhero figure among the Jellicles. Does not appear in productions which omit the song "The Awefull Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles". Usually played by Alonzo or Admetus.
Sillabub, the Broadway version of Jemima. Sillabub was a name created for the American productions due to possible racist connotations to "Jemima". The Japanese, Australian (in particular the Brisbane cast, who have Jemima as just a dancer) and Swedish casts include both Sillabub and Jemima as different characters.

Tumblebrutus - A playful young adult cat. Tumblebrutus is a brown and white tabby, characterized by a large, flame-like brown patch over his left eye. This energetic young tom is featured in many dance numbers and has many featured solos throughout the show. He is the Broadway version of Bill Bailey.

Tantomile - Female twin of Coricopat. The name was created by T.S. Eliot for a "Witch's Cat".

my favorite characters were rum tum tugger (we called him mick jagger. his bump and grind hip movements stole the show!)


the magical mistoffelees,


and of course, our very own lea salonga as grizabella.


all photos taken from the web, most of them from this link http://catsmusicalplay.webs.com/thecats.htm

overall, CATS in Manila is a must-see! catch it until august 22 at the CCP!

P.S. did i say that a sweet-sounding cat sang a verse from MEMORY in tagalog? that was a welcome surprise indeed, and earned a loud round of applause. :)