Joel 'The Retirement King' Morris
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He was like one of those automatons which danced around intricate clocks in stately homes; silver, delicate and precise. His movements were quick and perfect and he crossed the stage in leaps and turns of weightless grace. It was as though he possessed a kind of magic within him
that she had never known in anyone before.
- from a work-in-progress novel 'The Girl With The Sky Umbrella'
The night I first stage doored for Joel was actually the second night I saw the show in Wolverhampton and - Joel probably won't thank me for bringing this up - it wasn't really going so great at stage door for him at first! Don't get me wrong - I have total sympathy for people who don't stage door for Cats regularly and don't know the show and make-up and characters the way I do, I know it's hard to tell them apart at stage door sometimes and that is totally understandable, but the mistaken identity that night seemed harsh even by Cats stage door standards: Joel came out of the stage door and a woman gasped and stopped him to ask "Oh! Excuse me - were you the White Cat by any chance?" - I swear my heart stopped!! I'd already worked out he was Carbucketty and I was only at stage door to wait for him specifically, so I realised how bad this was on MULTIPLE levels! And I felt my stomach just drop at the confusion, watching it unfold in slow motion almost! Joel managed to tactfully smile and say "The white cat's a....girl...." and the woman explained she saw a smudge of white make-up and one of the cast girls ran off laughing at poor Joel's expense as he explained his cat was white and brown, and everyone was about to go on their way when out I jump. I have no idea what Joel thought when I leapt abruptly into his path and went "EXCUSE ME!" somewhat frantically - perhaps his heart dropped and he wondered "what next - am I Bombalurina? Demeter??" - but then I got to do that thing I so love doing at stage door and make a performer realise that, actually, someone out there was watching and cared immensely what they had done that night: "Were you Carbucketty?" - those big brown eyes of his went very wide and he gave me one of the best smiles I've ever seen before saying "YES!!" and I got to tell him how Carbucketty is my favourite and it felt so good. I'm not going to lie. He was SO appreciative and grateful, and he went off after his laughing friends going "Carbucketty's her favourite!! SERIOUSLY!"
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As things worked out, I never got to find out what Joel's replacement Carbucketty was like in the role - Jack Allen's tour-ending injury came just a few nights before I returned to see the show again in Llandudno, sadly, but that did mean that I was treated to the very talented, very superb super-swings Ryan Gover and Dane Quixall in the role for the shows I saw in Llandudno and Canterbury, loving their takes on the role and looking forward to seeing them in the part some more when I went back to the show in Birmingham in September. So, with that thought in my head, I went away to Seychelles for the summer...but whilst I was over there I heard rumours, rumours I hardly dared let myself believe...and what were those rumours? They involved one Joel Morris and the possibility that he had returned to the tour to save the day, resuming the part of Carbucketty once more. But I just refused to let myself hope that it could be true until I was in Birmingham and could see him with my own eyes - I didn't just didn't dare let myself believe it. I RAN to get a programme my first night in Birmingham - I tore that programme open and went right to the page where his headshot ought to be. And there he was! I let out an actual yelp of delight and danced across the foyer, running back to my mum, calling out "He's back! He's really back!" and scaring most of the rest of the people in for the show that night. And yet, I still didn't dare believe it until I finally got to see his gorgeous face in Carbucketty make-up once again. And once I'd seen that, I then proceeded to cry through most of Act One as Joel once more took my breath away as Carbucketty yet again. It was one of the most magical nights of my life, for sure.
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I made a promise on my final night seeing the show in Birmingham that - even though at the time I couldn't afford tickets to see them when they transferred to London - I would definitely be there to bring them cupcakes, just to let them know I was still supporting them, even from afar. To this day, the special Carbucketty Cupcake I made for Joel is probably one of my favourite presents that I've given anyone at stage door! I was so proud of it! And all the trouble I'd had getting the cupcake right was made more than worth it by Joel's adorable reaction when he saw it. "Oh my god! Look at him!!" - he was so thrilled and so kind me, so genuinely touched that I'd come all the way down to London just to deliver him a Carbucketty Cupcake - they were all touched by me coming down but I think Joel was probably one of the sweetest because he was showing off his cupcake and he was joking with Dane Quixall about sneaking me in backstage to be their mascot for the night! The dearest moment to me was when he told me "I'll do Carbucketty for you tonight - is there anything I do as Carby that you particularly like that you want me to put in specially for you?" - I was too overwhelmed with gratitude to tell me so I just reminded him that everything he did as Carbucketty was perfect to me! And with that, I was on my way home, every bit as happy as if I'd actually see the show.
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When the Palladium run ended, I truly believed I had forever said goodbye to Joel's stunning portrayal of my favourite character, but I suppose, after such a journey with Joel in that part to get to the Palladium, I should have seen it coming that their would be one last (possibly last!) twist in the tale! And that twist? It started with Joel sending me a message...and that message had me freaking out! He told me he was going to be Carbucketty again! Because guess what? The tour had an injury crisis during its European leg and they needed a Carbucketty, and when that happens? Who ya gonna call???!!! JOEL MORRIS!
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I’ve always found that the most beautiful people, truly beautiful inside and out, are the ones who are quietly unaware of their effect.
- Jennifer L. Armentrout