#taiw

So, all Vienna-based Mistos and Skimbles have the same act going during the first verse of Bustopher Jones.

Bustopher Jones always has some amount of chaos going on in the background, but it takes different forms in different productions. In London-based shows, Munkustrap takes charge, Misto assists him, and one or the other is low-key freaking out the entire time. In Broadway-based shows, Misto and Skimble compete for Bustopher’s attention and cause enough trouble that one wonders why Munkustrap doesn’t intervene. Vienna-based shows are similar to Broadway in that they focus on Misto and Skimble, but the dynamic is actually pretty different.

We begin with Misto sensing Bustopher’s arrival and getting excited:

Amsterdam Misto does some miming to tell everyone who’s here.

Paris Misto has a very sweet smile

Vienna Misto literally jumps for joy

Zurich Misto does what I call a Kitten Slide. Sometimes, kittens will slide around on the floor while crawling when really excited about something. Misto goes into Happy Kitten Mode when Bustopher shows up.

Skimble joins Misto and they usually greet Bustopher together with Most Gentlemanly Bows, but once again, Vienna and Paris are confusing.

Anyway, Misto just randomly seems to have the idea to pull Bustopher’s tail. Skimble notices him approaching Bustopher from behind and stops him.

Amsterdam Misto looks like he’s about to pounce

Paris Misto looks sneaky behind Bustopher, but it’s not clear what he’s up to, so Skimble appears to be overreacting.

Vienna is pretty straightforward

Zurich is pretty much the same as Vienna at this point, but there’s an added detail. Like with Gumbie Cat, Zurich is ever-so-slightly different. When Bustopher first appears, Misto and Skimble bow:

Then, Misto goes off into the corner and does another bow

He’s practicing his technique. But, Bustopher didn’t see it! Misto is mute, so he’s not sure how to get Bustopher’s attention. Pulling Bustopher’s tail is like tugging on someone’s sleeve and Misto doesn’t know that that’s considered impolite.

Vienna, Amsterdam, and Paris Mistos don’t have a clear reason why they want to pull Bustopher’s tail, but Zurich has this little background detail that gives him one.

Anyway, Skimble stops Misto, but when his back is turned, Misto tries again and is far more successful:

Amsterdam Misto is quick and proud that he managed to pull that off.

Paris Misto is really vague. He appears to briefly touch Bustopher’s tail, but Skimble reacts as if he pulled it. Maybe that’s Paris’ unique spin on the whole thing. Normally, Skimble is basically playing the straight man here, but in Paris, Misto is still being Bustopher Crazy, but Skimble is overreacting, so they’re on equal footing.

Vienna Misto pretty much tackles Bustopher. Jenny looks slightly concerned.

Skimble told Misto not to pull Bustopher’s tail, but he didn’t say how he was supposed to get his attention without doing that, so Misto goes ahead and does it.

I’ll end this by briefly mentioning how 1998 fits in with all of this. Both the Gumbie Cat opening and the antics during the first verse of Bustopher Jones originated either on Broadway or in Vienna. The only reason they’re in 1998 at all is because they cast a Broadway Misto in a mostly London-based production. Wherever London Misto and Broadway Misto differ, 1998 goes the Broadway route.

The joke with Gumbie Cat is between Mistoffelees and Munkustrap. 1998 had a Broadway Munkustrap as well, so the whole thing went down the same way it did onstage. But, the Bustopher Jones stuff is between Misto and Skimble. London Skimble doesn’t play as big of a role in this number. The result is that you have a Broadway Misto in what is otherwise the London version of Bustopher Jones, where Misto is normally more level-headed. 

This is why when Misto pulls Bustopher’s tail, he’s not really scolded for it. Munkustrap steps in and distracts Bustopher, which is what Skimble usually does after the tail pull, but he’s not quite as frantic and he never tries to stop Misto from pulling Bustopher’s tail in the first place. Munk is being London Munk while standing in for Broadway/Vienna Skimble, but not quite.