Wherefore art thou Ro-meow? Cat Upstages the Star-Crossed Lovers

Romeo, Juliet and Ginger? Somehow it doesn’t have the same ring to it, but theatre-goers in Turkey were offered the chance to witness a quick feline rewrite of possibly the most famous death scene of all time. Romeo and Juliet may be the tale of star-crossed lovers, but on this occasion the stars were eclipsed by a four-legged scene-stealer - perhaps we could even call him Shakespurr. Regardless, there is Romeo, prone on the floor, having killed himself believing that Juliet was already dead. Juliet, too, is in position - seemingly dead but soon to awake. Then a ginger cat wanders on to the stage and decides that he (most likely, most ginger cats are) is going to change Shakespeare’s most famous play to suit himself. To paraphrase the Bard, “Though this be madness, yet there is meowthod in’t.”

Walking nonchalantly from the wings, he headed straight towards Romeo. Perhaps there was something in Romeo’s hair that fascinated him, but the cat settled to play with Romeo’s mop as if he had discovered a new toy. It was a case of paws before cause, and the feline seemed determined that all the world’s a stage - and all the men and women merely cat toys. Juliet felt obliged to intervene, but each time Romeo was moved, the cat duly followed. Like a furry Mercutio, he refused to exit, proving that discretion is not always the better part of valour.

How the actor playing Romeo kept a straight face, I do not know, let alone stay “dead” on the floor of the Capulet tomb. One can only imagine him thinking, “To purr, or not to purr, that is the question.” Meanwhile, Ginger appeared convinced that “a plague o’ both your cathouses” was less important than investigating a particularly interesting hairstyle. Had Shakespeare foreseen such a moment, perhaps he would have written, “Parting is such sweet sorrow - but not as sweet as chasing a dangling lock of hair.”

At least they saw the funny side of it all - the cat was carried on to the stage afterwards to greet his audience. He received a warmer reception than many leading actors, proving that some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust a-paw them. I do not know the exact whereabouts in Turkey of this particular performance, but I suspect it was Istanbul. The city has so many cats that live on the streets that it is sometimes called Catstanbul. Perhaps Ginger heard that there was going to be fish for supper. Or perhaps, like Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, he simply wanted a larger role. Either way, while Romeo and Juliet may have been doomed by fate, this particular performance was delightfully interrupted by a cat who clearly believed that brevity is the soul of wit - and that every tragedy deserves a little comic relief. After all, what's in a meow? That which we call a cat would steal the show by any other name.  I'm really sorry for all the poor cat puns.  Watch below.

 Images have been enhanced for clarity.