h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Over the past week, I've been happily soaking up the reactions to 'Catscratch', the simplified version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'Cats' staged by the Bradford University Society for Operettas and Musicals (BUSOM) last Thursday. We got off to a slightly shaky start, stumbling a little over the horribly complicated opening song 'Jellicle Songs For Jellicle Cats', but after that the show really took flight. In a shocking bit of typecasting, I was given the role of Gus, The Theatre Cat - an ageing character who hangs around theatres a lot, boasts of his past triumphs on stage to his drinking buddies, and claims to have had his finest thespian moment playing a fiendish villain. All of which describes me almost as well as it does the character.

I've had a lot of praise for my singing and my characterisation, and one comment in particular pleased me. Two other characters sing introductory verses about Gus before he appears, and one of the verses includes the line 'He suffers from palsy that makes his paw shake'. To reflect that, I kept my right hand trembling right through the song. Afterwards, one of my friends said that she'd noticed my shaking hand and thought it suited the character, but hadn't been sure if I was doing it deliberately or had just been very nervous. When you're so convincing that people aren't sure whether you're acting or not, then surely you're acting well.

Anyway, the show as a whole was a real success. The tickets sold out, the audience were noisily enthusiastic, and some talented new recruits did well in their first performances with BUSOM. We now go on to our traditional pre-Christmas concert, this year taking place on December 8.

The dilemma I now have is whether or not to take part in BUSOM's big project for the early part of next year: a production of Noel Coward's 'Kiss Me, Kate'. I know it has some great tunes in it, notably 'Too Darn Hot', but I've done some research and some of what I've read worries me. The show's gender politics sound questionable to say the least; I have to ask myself whether I'd feel comfortable inviting female friends to a show that concludes with a number called 'I Am Ashamed That Women Are So Simple'. Still, I haven't actually seen 'Kate' yet, and I plan to watch it on DVD before I make up my mind.

At least I know that I make a good cat. My parents came to see 'Catscratch', and they're still calling me 'Gus'.

*puts out a saucer of congratultory milk*

'Kate' is very good, saw a televised stage production on the BBC a few months back. I hate sexism but I think everyone knows the story so well that it seems like a good old love story.

Funny you should post that tonight, Pearl. I have warmed a lot towards the idea of appearing in 'Kate' after hearing and singing some of the great, witty songs in it during BUSOM's practice session tonight, and looking into the show a bit more thoroughly.

I think I took that 'Women Are So Simple' song badly out of context. As you'll know having seen 'Kate', it makes sense in the place it appears in the show. (For anyone reading this who's unfamiliar with 'Kate', it's in the play-within-a-play, as the female lead character performs in 'The Taming Of The Shrew', and it's funny because in the rest of the show she is actually anything but a doormat. It is, in any case, balanced with a very funny number called 'I Hate Men'.)

Anyway, BUSOM is a two-thirds female troupe, and our producer and musical director are both women. I'm sure they'll keep the levels of girl power in our production high enough. I'd still like to watch one of the DVDs of 'Kate' that we've been promised before finally committing myself, but I think I'll be at the auditions next week.

I'm trying very hard not to laugh at BUSOM with regards to feminism and therefore female body parts.

Forgive me, I'm a student.

It's not just students having a Pearl, it tickles me too

Ormy, go for it, it's a great show & very much of it's time. Every time I see it I imagine Katherine Hepburn & Spencer Tracey in it

, Pearl and Granny!

I am going for it. In fact, I went for it so much that I pulled a thigh muscle during the dancing part of the audition! I am now walking confortably again - but, very sensibly, BUSOM have given me a part that involves no dancing but some interesting acting: the Stage Doorman. During the same audition, I actually got praised for my singing by our infamously difficult-to-please Musical Director, which made my week. So she's adding a bit of extra singing to my role.

BUSOM is a great acronym, isn't it? We sometimes collaborate with our sister society, BUMS (Bradford University Music Society)!

Is there a Bradford University Undergraduates Book Society as well?

No. But I have suggested that we rename the theatre group Bradford University Theatre Troupe.