Buzz
Fans of the musical Cats may recognize its source material—T.S. Eliot’s whimsical poetry collection, Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats. This charming work features a cast of unforgettable cats, such as the elusive criminal Macavity, the unpredictable The Rum Tum Tugger, and the enchanting Mr. Mistoffelees.
According to The Guardian, Eliot once dreamed up another intriguing feline: Cumberleylaude, a “Gourmet Cat” with a taste for luxuries like “salmon, duck, or fine French wines.”
Eliot conceived Cumberleylaude following a dinner with his friend Anthony Laude in 1964. In a letter of gratitude, Eliot praised the meal and revealed his inspiration for a new character: “Cumberley, an exceptionally refined eater, yet a graceful and elegant cat.”
Eliot composed three six-line stanzas, detailing the cat’s refined tastes: “He meticulously selects his dining spot, / Dressing appropriately if time permits,” Eliot penned. “Only the finest will suffice, he insists, / Whether craving salmon, duck, or costly French wines."
The poem remained unpublished and was discovered inside a book after Laude’s passing in 2003. It was auctioned alongside the letter on eBay in 2006, though Eliot reportedly retained a copy for himself.
Recently, the poem made its debut in print within The Sunday Times. It will also feature in a forthcoming edition of Eliot’s works, released by Faber & Faber on November 5. Could Cumberleylaude one day grace the Broadway stage?
“We’re hopeful for Cats to return to Broadway next year—so anything’s possible,” Andrew Lloyd Webber, who became aware of the poem in 2008, shared with The Sunday Times.
