The Hunchback of Notre Dame at Paper Mill- Page 6

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 9:49pm

*Tsk-tsk-tsk*

Shame, that.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 10:01pm

His "Out There" is a complete let down due to the horrible acting choices (probably by the director/book writer) and horribly direction. I was totally underwhelmed by his performance until "Made of Stone" which he shined in. But that score is vocally tough. Not surprised he's called out.

[MeGustaJake]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 10:45pm

Hm, I thought his "Out There" was stunning and brave. I loved the direction he and Schwartz took his character.

[MeGustaJake]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 10:46pm

Hm, I thought his "Out There" was stunning and brave. I loved the direction he and Schwartz took his character.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 10:47pm

Word of mouth for this show is amazing. Lots of raves from people who have seen it already. And now I wonder if there's talk of a Broadway transfer??

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 3/17/15 at 9:42am

"I loved the direction he and Schwartz took his character. "

Uh, mentally disabled?



ACL: Many people in the business saw it this weekend and did not like it, myself included. Don't get ahead of yourself. Updated On: 3/17/15 at 09:42 AM

[nycgogetter]

Posted: 3/17/15 at 12:20pm

I took it as not mentality disabled, just deaf

[MeGustaJake]

Posted: 3/17/15 at 3:01pm

It is implied in the Hugo novel that Quasimodo is mentally challenged; I have seen other adaptations where he comes across as even more so... In the musical, he was portrayed as someone deaf and emotionally stunted. He is a grown man, but Frollo still treats him like a child (and worse)...

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 3/17/15 at 3:06pm

As I said before, I saw Arden's understudy, and he definitely played it like he had a mental disability, whatever you want to call it. He could not speak normally except in song or to the gargoyles, which made absolutely no sense to me.

I have not read the novel, but he was not portrayed that way in the movie.

Updated On: 3/17/15 at 03:06 PM

[Movidude742]

Posted: 3/17/15 at 9:01pm

I would not say menatlly disabled, but stunted perhaps. he has only experienced what Frollo has allowed him to. So yes he is more childlike than his age. And When he is singing his voice transitions from that almost Charles Laughton impersonation to a purely internal voice that had no impediment. The gargoyles are not actually talking, that too was all in his head, so again no impediment.

Made total sense to me

[Amusingmusic]

Posted: 3/17/15 at 9:40pm

Ditto EVERYTHING CurtainPullDowner said! "Someday" is my new favorite song and the ending of this show with the company and Arden is stunningly beautiful and so touching. I thought about it for days after seeing it. I so hope this show continues somewhere (hopefully on Broadway) because I want to see it again and again!

[gstrus2]

Posted: 3/18/15 at 3:53pm

New York Times review is in:
NY TIMES

[Bilbo3]

Posted: 3/18/15 at 4:47pm

What a boring review. But at least he commented on how terrible the narration is.

[Taryn]

Posted: 3/18/15 at 5:03pm

Always love seeing some nice casual sexism in the New York Times...

[lambchop2]

Posted: 3/18/15 at 6:06pm

"Gypsies are also outcasts in the Paris of the 19th century, and they are the particular bugaboo of Frollo, who becomes obsessed with scouring them from the city, even as (non-spoiler alert) he finds himself lusting after the beauteous, feisty Esmeralda, who rejects his advances. (For a woman who makes a living dancing erotically in the streets, and consorts freely with thieves and prostitutes, Esmeralda clings to her purity like a nun with a beady eye on future martyrdom.)"

Woah. I don't know what I was expected after reading your comment Taryn but it sure as heck wasn't that.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 3/18/15 at 8:41pm

Did he seriously say that Hunchback takes place in the 19th century?

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 3/18/15 at 11:32pm

So here's a serious question for all y'all. How do you think these reviews will impact Hunchback's future?

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/19/15 at 3:08am

Schwartz and Menken previously collaborated on Pocahontas--Isherwood of course is wrong that the film of Hunchback was their first collab (didn't they write a one off for some live action movie's credits as well?)

"They sound marvelous, too: One of the signal pleasures of the show is the rich choral singing."

I've never heard the term "signal" pleasures, before... Does he mean single pleasures?

Meh, another review from Isherwood I can't decipher. I guess... he kinda liked it? That's my take away, but he doesn't exactly go out of his way to offer any take away, as I think a review should do.

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 3/19/15 at 9:50am

Eric, Isherwood never offers anything more than a plot summary in his "reviews."

[Bilbo3]

Posted: 3/19/15 at 9:54am

"So here's a serious question for all y'all. How do you think these reviews will impact Hunchback's future?"

I think they will take it to Broadway and just cut the narration crap. Every review hated it.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 3/19/15 at 10:26am

"I think they will take it to Broadway and just cut the narration crap. Every review hated it."

Wouldn't be the least bit surprised....I mean Nicholaw finally dumped Babkak, Omar and Kassim as the Greek chorus when Aladdin got to Broadway.

Updated On: 3/19/15 at 10:26 AM

[ILuv2shop531]

Posted: 3/19/15 at 10:28am

Isherwoods's review very much came off under researched. If he had better done his research he would know Arden was purposely portraying Quasimodo with a "strangled slur", as in the Hugo novel the character was supposed to be deaf.

As for it transferring, this wasn't a horrible review just it didn't say much. Most of the other ones were mixed. I agree that some of the narration can go, but I did very much love this production, haven't stopped thinking about it since Saturday. I think and hope it will sell no matter what with the Disney name attached. This show needs to be seen by a wider audience, Page's performance alone is worth the price of admission.

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 3/19/15 at 10:55am

If the choice of this production was that Quasimodo is deaf, shouldn't they have hired a deaf actor? And shouldn't Michael Arden of all people know better?

[Eurotrash]

Posted: 3/19/15 at 11:02am

There was always a high probability that this show would not find favour with the critics, so let's hope the producers have already discounted that factor.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/19/15 at 11:32am

"Isherwoods's review very much came off under researched. If he had better done his research he would know Arden was purposely portraying Quasimodo with a "strangled slur", as in the Hugo novel the character was supposed to be deaf."

He shouldn't have had to do research to make that clear.