Bombalurina is a principal character in the

Andrew Lloyd Webber Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948), is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 21 musicals, ...

musical ''

Cats The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members of t ...

''. The musical is an adaptation of T. S. Eliot's 1939 poetry book ''

Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats ''Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats'' (1939) is a collection of whimsical light poems by T. S. Eliot about feline psychology and sociology, published by Faber and Faber. It serves as the basis for Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1981 musical '' Cats ...

'', and the character's name is given in the poem "

The Naming of Cats "The Naming of Cats" is a poem in T. S. Eliot's 1939 poetry book ''Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats''. It was adapted into a musical number in Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1981 musical '' Cats'', and has also been quoted in other films, notably '' Lo ...

". Bombalurina is a flirtatious, confident female and mischievous cat with a distinct red coat. The role was originated by Geraldine Gardner in the West End in 1981, and by

Donna King Donna King (born 1957) is an American dancer and musical theatre performer who appeared in Broadway musicals in the 1970s and 1980s and has lived and worked mostly in England since the 1980s. She is also an actress and has appeared in theatre ...

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

in 1982. In the 2019 film adaptation she is played by

Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bor ...

Character description

Bombalurina is a self-assured and generally well-meaning adult cat. She can be quite mean at times, particularly towards

Grizabella Grizabella the Glamour Cat is a main character in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical ''Cats''. Lonely and decrepit, Grizabella seeks acceptance from the other Jellicle cats but is initially ostracised. She sings the most famous song from the musical ...

initially, though she later comes to accept her. She is best friends with

Demeter In ancient Greek religion and mythology, Demeter (; Attic: ''Dēmḗtēr'' ; Doric: ''Dāmā́tēr'') is the Olympian goddess of the harvest and agriculture, presiding over crops, grains, food, and the fertility of the earth. Although s ...

and often watches out for her troubled friend; they also share an intense hatred for the villainous

Macavity Macavity the Mystery Cat, also called the Hidden Paw, is a fictional character in T. S. Eliot's 1939 poetry book ''Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats''. He also appears in the Andrew Lloyd Webber 1981 musical ''Cats'', which is based on Elio ...

. Bombalurina flirts with many male cats, particularly

Rum Tum Tugger Rum Tum Tugger is one of the many feline characters in the 1939 poetry book ''Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats'' by T. S. Eliot, and in the 1981 musical '' Cats'' which is based on Eliot's book. Rum Tum Tugger is a rebellious Jellicle cat wh ...

who rejects her during his musical number, but later relents and dances with her at the ball. The role of Bombalurina is dance-heavy and usually calls for a

mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano or mezzo (; ; meaning "half soprano") is a type of classical female singing voice whose vocal range lies between the soprano and the contralto voice types. The mezzo-soprano's vocal range usually extends from the A below middle C ...

range with a high

belt Belt may refer to: Apparel * Belt (clothing), a leather or fabric band worn around the waist * Championship belt, a type of trophy used primarily in combat sports * Colored belts, such as a black belt or red belt, worn by martial arts practit ...

Appearance

Bombalurina is usually depicted as a statuesque cat; she wears a spiked collar and her coat is red with black spots and a white chest.

Songs

She sings "The Gumbie Cat" with Demeter and

Jellylorum Jellylorum is a principal character in the musical ''Cats (musical), Cats''. One of the Jellicle cats, she is usually portrayed as a motherly caretaker and is principally a vocalist. The musical is based on the 1939 collection of poems by T. S. ...

. She has a small solo in "Rum Tum Tugger". She also appears in "Grizabella the Glamour Cat" with Demeter again, and "Bustopher Jones" with Jennyanydots and Jellylorum. Her biggest singing part is in "Macavity", which she sings with Demeter towards the end of the musical. (In the original version, she sings this by herself.)

Notable casting

The role of Bombalurina was originated by

Geraldine Gardner Geraldine may refer to: People * Geraldine (name), the feminine form of the first name Gerald, with list of people thus named. * The Geraldines, Irish dynasty descended from the Anglo-Norman Gerald FitzWalter de Windsor * Geraldine of Albania, th ...

in the original West End production in 1981, and by

in the original

production in 1982. When King left the show, the role was taken over by Marlene Danielle who would continue to play the role for the rest of the show's 18-year run on Broadway. On screen, Bombalurina was portrayed by

Rosemarie Ford Rosemarie Ford (born Rosemarie Poundford; 5 March 1962) is an English actress, dancer and television presenter. Television and film Ford is best known for her stint as the co-host of the BBC 1 game show ''The Generation Game'' with Bruce Forsyt ...

in the 1998 film version of the musical, and by

in the 2019 film adaptation.

References

Print sources