While a good portion of 2016 has sucked, Hunchback of Notre Dame related news has been ok throughout the year especially in the musical area

Quasimodo as the King of Fools Topsy Turvy Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quasimodo as the King of Fools Topsy Turvy Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

First thing that is fairy big in 2016 is that the Disney movie turned 20 years old.

Hunchback of Notre Dame Cast Recording Album picture image

Hunchback of Notre Dame Cast Recording Album

Then there were a lot with the American version of the  Disney movie. The cast album for the Papermill’s version came out and while the show didn’t go to Broadway it did go to regional theaters. So far it has been performed at the Ogunquit Playhouse in Maine, which I can say was great. Also Utah’s Tuacahn Amphitheater,  California Music Circle of Sacramento had a deaf actor playing Quasimodo.

The show was also  performed on the international level at Frederica Theatre in Denmark. There should be more international performance in 2017 like at Budapest Operaetta. Next year there should be casts.

There was all an amateur cast version done in Nevada over Thanksgiving. Read more Here.

But it’s wasn’t all about the Disney musical, The Joseph Rowntree Theatre in York put on a production that reference the 2016 political climate like character named Governor LeTrump. Read about it here.

Hiba Tawaji as Esmeralda & Jay as Clopin 2016/2017 Notre Dame de Paris picture image

Hiba Tawaji as Esmeralda & Jay as Clopin

Then of course there is the other big Hunchback musical adaptation, Notre Dame de Paris. It started the year with the a French cast in Korea and a return of some of teh original Italian cast for another run of the Italian version. The biggest news for Notre Dame de Paris was the show’s return to Paris with a new cast though with some veteran of the show like Daniel Lavoie reprising his role as Frollo. The show announced it was going to have a production tour around Quebec.   

Sadly there have been no movie related news which is weird since that Max Ryan movie was supposed to start filming this past year and nothing. The only thing is that the role of “The Giant” is no longer listed on the IMDB page but there is still Advisor, thief, cripple, vagrant and Spike. I have no idea what any that mean but oh well we’ll just have to see with that one.

There of course there are the Hunchback news story that are referential. The big one was Rebecca Dann who suffers from Kyphosocollosis, which causes a huge curve in the spine,  won a photography contest and met Stephen Hawkings. Her self-portrait was called “I’m Fine” and it showcased her.  Read More Here

Hopefully 2017 will have more Hunchback news, hopefully movie related news but musical news is just as good.

Before we end the year let’s have a fun poll

 

Which of the Hypothetical casting ideas from 2016 was your favorite? Or which one of these casting would you most what to see actually happen? Just leave a comment.

Rupert Grint for Quasimodo 

Anna Kendrick for Esmeralda

Michael McElHatton for Frollo 

Francia Raisa for Esmeralda 

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau for Phoebus

Freddie Highmore for Gringoire

Sarah Bolger for Fleur de Lys

Gemma Arterton for Esmeralda

Terrance Zdunich for Gringoire

Gigi Radics for Esmeralda

Hmm, only one Frollo this year, we’ll have to at least double that in 2017.

Hunchback of Notre Dame at Ogunquit Playhouse Maine picture image

Hunchback of Notre Dame at Ogunquit Playhouse

If you follow TheHunchblog on Facebook then you might know that last week on July 28th I went to see Ogunquit Playhouse’s production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. I do feel very lucky that I got to see it although I do live relatively close to Ogunquit Maine.

Ad of the Ogunquit's production of Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Ad of the Ogunquit’s production of Hunchback of Notre Dame

First off, in center area of Ogunquit, which is a nice beach town, promotions for the play were everywhere, which is common. Above is the one I took a picture of as it was the closest to the car near where I ate lunch but there were tons, I wish I could have taken more picture. Also I went to a matinee show so there were a lot of older people but there were children sitting behind me. The show was nearly sold out but there were a empty sits most noticeably next to me.

Also they had two signature cocktails, The Quasimodo and the Esmeralda. I tried both and as I’m a super light-weight when it comes to drinking I felt those drinks later, no worries though I wasn’t the driver. Alway I did end preferring the Quasimodo to the Esmeralda. Oddly the Quasimodo was green and I don’t really recall what was in aside from pineapple juice and the Esmeralda was blue with a peach vodka and lemonade, it had a spicier taste. Also they give you the glasses a souvenir so that is cool.

One more thing. as I was leaving I did see a few of the actors mostly the extra but I did see the guy who played Clopin, Paolo Montalban, leaving and walking off down the street. I didn’t say anything because  I’m criminally shy and I don’t really like to bother people.   So the show itself?

My Ticket and program, Oguinquit Playhouse Hunchback Notre Dame picture image

My Ticket and program,

 

So what did I think? Al lot of the nitpicks I had about the show were the same ones I had to Papermills/La Jolla version as this version isn’t much different. That being said, I am a touch more forgiving as musical plays are meant to be seen live and not  in a tiny frame size on a computer.  So while I can’t compare the versions in terms of plot and decision related to the plot I can discuss the performer and the production designs.

I will say this, the costumes in the Papermills/La Jolla were a bit better. Esmeraldas’ costume in those version read more like her Disney costumes. That is not to say the Ogunquit costume were bad, they were fine. Esmeralda wore mainly pink, her corset was pink and her skirt looked green but in picture is read more as blue. Her dance costume was more Indian in style. It was  pink choli top with a green skirt with a high slit and she wore legging.  You can click here for press pictures. Also I didn’t love the fact that Frollo was in white the whole time but that is a nitpick. Though black is Frollo’s color in the book and most version follow suit. I did like Clopin’s costume more in this version though especially his Feast of Fools robe.

Also it bear mentioning that Quasimodo in this version doesn’t not put any make-up on his face to convey the deformity and instead the actor did the work. Not sure how I feel about this since I have been hard in the Papermill and the La Jolla versions on this aspect. But I will say in the moment I didn’t mind it plus the stage sits kinda of level with the sits so I probably couldn’t have seen it otherwise. It’s a mixed feeling though.

 

Broadwayworld Ogunquit Playhouse Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Broadwayworld Ogunquit Playhouse Hunchback of Notre Dame

I did like the stage set up more in the version. While the stage is small it really didn’t feel as cluttered as the   Papermills/La Jolla versions.      I think it’s because they used the sides more and the choir was above most of the action. They also had a smaller congregation group and they seems to have set roles as part of the architecture. I’m not sure if that was the same in the Papermills/La Jolla versions but that might be a perk of seeing it live instead of in a tiny Aspect ratio.  They also used a moving platform that was painted like the floor of Notre Dame but in less contrasting  colors. While it wasn’t as accurate to the eddfice it was easier on the eyes.  The simplifying of  the sets made it  better for the space and made it easier for the eye to rest.

Not all the stagecraft was better, I did prefer Aphrodisius coming out as a stained glass window in Papermills/La Jolla version but again nitpick. Also the molten lead was handled better in those version as well but this version got rid of the confusion run through the Gallery of kings so it’s a trade-off.

Ogunquit Playhouse Hucnhabck of Notre Dame picture image

Ogunquit Playhouse Hucnhabck of Notre Dame

 

The acting and the performances were good across the board. I can’t complain there. I will say that while the Frollo seemed younger than is typical, he did get more angry in Hellfire than Patrick Page did.  All in all, I’m very happy I got to see the show and if it’s playing in a theater near  you do  go see it.