The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Dec 31

Workhouse Performing Arts

As the bells of Notre Dame sounded their final toll, Workhouse Performing Arts’ masterful production came to a chilling end.

Quite ironic, considering all of the fire involved.

But at a whopping runtime of 2 hours and 30 minutes, what was it about this production that made it stand out? And how dark really was it, compared to the Disney film?

Background

While Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame was released in 1996, the book it was based on was released more than a century earlier; Victor Hugo published his French gothic novel in 1831. While both versions revolve around the same tale, involving bell-ringer Quasimodo of 15th century Paris, they’ve got some pretty noticeable differences.

So where does the stage adaptation come in?

Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz, who wrote the songs for the Disney animated film, reunited to compose the score for Hunchback’s musical adaptation (which premiered in 1999). They decided to rework some of the movie’s iconic songs for the musical during this process, tweaking them in order to better match the mature tone of the original novel.

As a result, the musical still contains familiar numbers like “Out There” and “God Help the Outcasts,” but it follows an overall darker narrative. When brought to life on the stage, it makes for a haunting, impactful story.

This Production

The space of Workhouse Arts Center is a tad smaller than your traditional black-box setup, so the idea of a large-scale musical in such a scaled-back space might seem puzzling. While, yes, the 18-person cast certainly filled the stage, the intimate setting made for a powerful experience; and from a technical standpoint, every inch of the stage was creatively utilized.

Matt Litpak’s set, for one, impeccably transformed the space. Massive stained glass doors occupied the right side of the space, while an array of bells hung upon the back wall. A variety of platforms and stone railings were used throughout, and effectively transported audiences from the church to the bustling city streets of Paris. Paired with Hailey LaRoe’s gorgeous lighting, the space captured a variety of different moods; the stained glass glimmered beneath the stage lights during Quasimodo’s intimate scenes in the cathedral, but during Frollo’s most villainous moments, the stage was bathed in a menacing red.

Costumes were also incredibly effective, as members of the ensemble constantly pivoted from gargoyles to gypsies throughout the production. The gargoyle masks remained on set throughout the show, in fact, and each one was made with a different personality that the actors imbued into their characters. The gypsies’ outfits were just as entrancing, each adorned with jingling pieces and flowing skirts that accentuated the dancers’ movements.

Standout Performances

The ensemble served as the beating heart of this production, and each actor’s personality more than filled the streets of Paris. From the sharp movements of the gargoyles to the flowing dance of the gypsies, each character was remarkably unique from the last.

Not to mention the ensemble’s jaw-dropping vocals, which gave me goosebumps right from the very first number; props go out to music director Paige Austin for this one. By the time we’d gotten to powerful pieces like “Hellfire,” I felt like I was ascending. Truly.

Speaking of, who doesn’t love an incredibly flawed antagonist? Michael McGovern impeccably portrayed the complexity of Frollo, a priest whose woefully corrupt morals led to exactly that--corruption. His utter control over James B. Mernin’s Quasimodo was heartbreaking, which can be attributed to both actors’ performances; Mernin breathed genuine life and naivete into Quasimodo from the beginning. Not only did it make his character’s shattered view of the world all the sadder, but it also made his courageous stand during the latter half of the show well-earned.

Azaria Oglesby brought both strength and warmth to the character of Esmeralda. Her powerful vocals cut through the audience during heart wrenching numbers like “God Help the Outcasts,” and her swoon-worthy relationship with the hilarious Noah Mutterperl’s Captain Phoebus was impossible not to root for.

Shout out to Ariel Friendly, Stacy Yvonne Claytor, and Alicia Braxton (who filled the role of Narrator 2 at this reviewer’s performance); the trio served as prominent storytellers, and spearheaded the complex narrative with grace. They highlighted both the triumphs and dark tone of the story, and reflected a somber tone in “The Bells of Notre Dame” by gliding through scenes with flickering candles.

Direction

Since The Hunchback of Notre Dame was based on an almost two-centuries-old novel, it’s bound to have some outdated themes. Director EJ Jonas, however, took to the production by weaving in some timeless narratives to modernize the story.

Friendly’s role of Clopin Trouillefou, for instance, took a departure from the original script. While Clopin is traditionally performed as a male role, Jonas decided to portray Clopin as female in this production; transforming the King of Roma into a Queen of the Gypsies. As a result, Friendly’s playful smirks to the audience cemented the character’s commanding personality, and her moments of strength brought a refreshing feminist twist to the traditionally-male-dominated production.

Likewise, Rachael Fine wove a timeless narrative through this older story through her portrayal of Quasimodo’s mother. Even though her character technically dies during the first scene (spoiler alert!), Fine remained a ghostly presence throughout the story by enhancing pivotal scenes with movement. Her dance was incredibly entrancing, and by the end of the production, she’d tied Quasimodo’s character arc together with one tear-jerker of a full-circle moment.

All throughout, emphasis was placed on the warmth of kindness and the eclectic energy of Paris. It’s worth noting the direction taken to make this production stand out in particular, especially since it elevated the narrative.

Who is it For?

For lovers of the Disney movie, this adaptation elevates the iconic film and score to a whole new level of complexity.

Or, if you’re like me and yearn to have your heart shattered to pieces amid the gothic background of 15th century Paris, this show does just that!

… Well, not in the romantic sense you might be thinking. The contents of the show are cruel and revolting at times, but when layered with spell-binding vocals and flowing dance, it was impossible to look away. With every scene, there was a glimmer of hope.

From an age standpoint, I’d recommend this production for viewers 10 and up, considering the mature themes touched upon by the material. A scene of physical violence was particularly discomforting, as well as a moment of implied sexual assault (though nothing was explicitly shown, so it may fly over younger audience members’ heads).

This show ran for a total of 2 hours and 30 minutes, including a 15-minute intermission approximately two-thirds of the way through. Despite this, the production was constantly moving with ever-present musical numbers and emotional performances. I didn’t check the program once during the show, which really says something!

“The Hunchback of Notre Dame” continues performances through January 12th; visit workhousearts.org for additional information and ticket prices.

Madelyn Regan