Mr Mistoffeles: The Conjuring Cat

‘Presto! Away we go…’ and we are invited to marvel at the tricks of the magical Mr Mistoffeles the conjuring cat. We have already met Macavity the mystery cat, now it is the turn of another performer; and what a performer. His acts range from sawing his assistant in half to charming the lovely tabby on the roof. He is a smooth operator. This is how we may remember him from the original illustrations by Nicholas Bentley. Arthur Robbins presents us with a rather different character. His Mr Mistoffeles is an engagingly raffish cat, a regular showman with a twinkle in his eye, a way with the ladies – and the audience – adept at misdirection and legerdemain. These are illustrations for today, capturing the light hearted vigour of Eliot’s verse, removing any hint of pomposity and placing the poem – and the character- firmly where it belongs, in the hands of young readers.