I met a theatre cat on Friday night, and he was typically imperious and gracious about accepting the admiration that is naturally his due. Strictly speaking Mr Rochester is a gallery/theatre cat, as the venue is both, but the same attitude seems to work for both the gallery space and the theatre space.
Mr Rochester highlighting the promotional table at the Tap Gallery
Rebecca de Unamuno on stage with Mr Rochester at Comedy on Tap
The Tap Gallery does not offer Mr Rochester quite the majestic splendour that surrounds Marzipan, the celebrated Astor Cat in Melbourne, but the artworks are no doubt far more avant-garde. Neither does it offer quite such densely packed history as the Roman ruins in which thousands of cats roam freely, supported by a cadre of cat lovers – but I’m sure Mr Rochester enjoys having the limelight to himself. The Tap Gallery does however offer a diverse program of theatre, cabaret, music and art exhibitions under Mr Rochester’s supervision, which he seems to thoroughly enjoy.
Anybody else know a theatre cat or two? There used to be a few around Sydney in some of the older suburban cinemas, but I’m not sure whether they still have cats or even whether those cinemas are still in operation. I hope some of them are.
Categories: arts & entertainment, Life
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I always wanted to own a bookshop with a bookshop cat. Until I worked in a bookshop that is and discovered how much *work* it really is to run one. Would love to meet a theatre cat.
There used to be a bookshop cat at Books On King (Lege et Lacrima), in Newtown. I came to know this by being in the shop once when another customer came in and asked the owner if they could see Shakespeare. I was puzzled by this, because it was a small shop and the Shakespeares were easy to find. The owner pulled a box out from under his desk and there lay Shakespeare, a fat marmalade tabby who was very grumpy to be disturbed.
There also used to be an art supply store cat in the old art supply store where the Granny Square is now. The cat liked to sleep in the window display, so the owners had put up a sign saying “Do not tap – the cat is real”.
No-one else seems to have a theatre cat yet, so: Our vet is managed by Louie, who’s a tuxedo missing an eye. He’s very relaxed about all the coming and going dogs and cats, and in winter keeps warm on the printer.
There is, or at least used to be a cinema cat at the Astra in St Kilda. Looks very comfortable. There are some bookshop cats just down the road from the Astra in Penny Sybers second hand bookshop on Chapel st.
Dylan, do you mean the Astor in Chapel St? That’s the one where Marzipan lives. I was about to mention Penny Syber’s very comfy bookshop cats, but you got there first. 🙂
I met a quasi-doctor’s cat in St Kilda, who I mentioned in a thread a few weeks back. She doesn’t live at the practice, she’s a visitor, but now I keep an eye out for her every time I go there.
Mr Rochester is beauuuuuuutiful.
AquaotQ, lots of vets have residents cats – they use them for blood donations 🙂
@Rebekka – seriously?
The Astor theatre has tweeted that Marzipan has passed away.
Astor Theatre ?@astor_theatre
Farewell Marzipan. It is with much sadness and heavy hearts that we inform you of the passing of Melbourne’s most beloved feline, Marzipan.