Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer — Answers

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See question three. Loevestein Castle.
Image Wikimedia Commons

These questions are all about today’s date, March 22nd.

One

Born in 1948, this composer wrote the music for a musical based on a 1939 T.S. Eliot poetry collection. Three questions…

Who is the composer?
What is the title of the musical?
What is the name of the poetry collection?

Answers

Andrew Lloyd Webber;
Cats
Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats

Cats, a sung-through musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber based on T.S. Eliot’s poetry, tells the story of the Jellicle cats and their annual ‘Jellicle choice’. Premiering in 1981, it became a commercial success, running for decades in both the West End and Broadway, and sparking the mega-musical phenomenon.

Two

Canadian actor William Shatner, who was born on 22 March 1931, first appeared in the role of James T. Kirk in series 1 episode 1 of the original television series Star Trek in September 1966. What was the episode title?

Answer: The Man Trap.

William Shatner, born in 1931, is a Canadian actor renowned for his iconic role as Captain Kirk in the Star Trek franchise. He also starred in T.J. Hooker, Rescue 911, and Boston Legal, earning two Emmy Awards for the latter. Beyond acting, Shatner has released several albums and made history in 2021 as the oldest person to fly in space.

Three

Hugo Grotius, a Dutch jurist, scholar and diplomat, is often called the ‘father of modern international law’. Today, he is best known for escaping imprisonment in Loevestein Castle, Netherlands, on this date in 1621. His wife devised the escape plan; what was it?

Answer: Hidden in a wooden chest.

On this day in 1621, Hugo Grotius was smuggled out of prison in a chest. Religious tensions were high in Holland and Grotius, who favoured tolerance, made many enemies. Arrested and sentenced to life in prison in 1618, his guards grew careless, neglecting to inspect the large book chest he often received. His wife then devised a plan to smuggle him out using the same chest. The plan was successful and the couple later reunited in Paris. Grotius is also remembered for his extensive legal writings which earned him the title ‘father of international law’.

Four

Born in 1976 in New Orleans, Louisiana, this actress won an Academy Award in 2006 for her role in Walk the Line. Who is she?

Answer: Reese Witherspoon.

Reese Witherspoon, born on March 22, 1976, in New Orleans, Louisiana, is an acclaimed American actress and producer renowned for her roles in romantic comedies and films like Legally Blonde and Walk the Line — for which she won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of June Carter. Witherspoon founded Hello Sunshine, a production company dedicated to female-led literary adaptations, and is actively involved in advocacy for children and women.

Five

Born in 1641 in Antwerp, Spanish Netherlands (now Belgium), this Flemish Baroque artist became a leading court painter in England. He is also known for having a beard named after him. Who is he?

Answer: Anthony van Dyck.

Sir Anthony van Dyck, a Flemish Baroque artist, revolutionised court portraiture in England, notably painting Charles I. He was a prolific painter of portraits, religious and mythological subjects, and a fine draftsman and etcher. The Van Dyke beard is named after him.