The Hunchback of Notre Dame at Paper Mill- Page 7

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 3/19/15 at 12:34pm

^ Exactly. It wasn't clear at all.

[Michael Kras]

Posted: 3/19/15 at 7:03pm

"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?"

Not necessarily. If a real deaf actor can't meet the demands of the production, they shouldn't cast a real deaf actor. (I'm saying this without having seen the production, assuming that, since Arden was cast and not a real deaf actor, casting a non-deaf actor was a necessity in terms of the production's demands).

[rooftopbeer]

Posted: 3/19/15 at 11:50pm

Updated On: 3/19/15 at 11:50 PM

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 3/20/15 at 9:38am

Why would you assume a deaf actor couldn't meet the demands?

[Michael Kras]

Posted: 3/20/15 at 9:58am

Because I'd like to assume that it's the reason they cast a non-deaf actor, even though that sadly probably isn't true.

[darquegk]

Posted: 3/20/15 at 5:01pm

A deaf actor couldn't likely meet the demands because the character's concept is to go back and forth between the difficulty with audible speech and the freedom of soaring singing, traversing between the two points sometimes within the same sentence.

I can think of several wonderful deaf actors. What I can't think of are any who are virtuosic singers, simply because the training for speech is difficult and rigorous enough, let alone adding song to that. At worst it would be unintentionally laughable to some- at best, I fear it would become almost a freak show element: "come see the deaf singer, it's so inspiring."

[Fan123]

Posted: 3/20/15 at 5:19pm

(Digression) I must admit I'd never considered the possibility of singing when deaf (which I almost misspelled as 'signing when deaf', duh). From some quick Googling, some performers have successfully done so, partly due to hearing aids and/or training and experience before their hearing deteriorated. I suppose theoretically a person born deaf could naturally have perfect pitch and learn technique... although I'm sure I wouldn't bother if I couldn't enjoy the music myself.

Opera eg: http://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2007/sep/29/weekend7.weekend2

Jazz eg: http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-deaf-jazz-singer-20150112-story.html#page=1

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 3/20/15 at 6:32pm

Ya put it beautifully, darque. I wasn't sure how to put it myself.

[thedrybandit]

Posted: 3/21/15 at 1:56am

I just got back a couple of hours ago from Hunchback and Quasimodo definitely has a line where it's made very, very clear that living with and ringing the bells have caused him to go mostly deaf, and that he's learned to read lips. I'm not sure how reviewers could have missed that on opening night, unless it was snuck in afterward.
Personally, I loved it. I had some issues with it, but overall I'm a huge fan of this production.
Oh and because I saw some questions about length earlier in the thread, the show started at 7:09 and ended at 9:39.

[peacelovemagic1]

Posted: 3/21/15 at 7:16pm

Just got back from seeing the matinee performance, and I was absolutely blown away. It is one of the most emotionally moving shows I've seen, and I cried several times. Michael Arden and Ciara Renee are both incredible talents, with Arden moving between the strangled and harsh voice and the inner voice of Quasimodo, at times even in the same sentence. I won't spoil anything, but the ending is so powerful, and I am glad they have chosen to stay closer to the book. The standout songs for me were Hellfire, God Help the Outcasts, act one and act two finales, and Made of Stone. Patrick Page is also an incredible Frollo, bringing both the good and bad sides of Frollo to light.

[bwayobsessed]

Posted: 3/21/15 at 11:31pm

I also saw todays matinee and was completely blown away! I am not someone who gets emotional but i had tears in my eyes after the final chord of Bells of Notre Dame and there were several other points in the show where I couldnt breathe, it was so beautiful. The entire audience loved it. Disney would be utterly stupid to not bring it to Broadway in the very near future. Everyone has already praised the three leads for their perfection so it seems silly to say more but they are absolute perfection. Michael, Ciara and Patrick each bring their parts to life with a prowess that is stunning.

The show was so amazing I literally didnt care about the issues, like they are easy to overlook with a story and score this powerful. I think that breaking Topsy Turvey up with Rest and Recreation and Rhythm of my Tamborine. It doesnt allow the number to crescendo and I figured that number could easily be a show stopper. I also wish Balancing Act wasnt cut from Berlin, it gives Esmeralda and Clopin more suitable introductions. I didnt mind Flight to Egypt but I also didnt love it. I wish what Quasimodo sang at the end was the real meat of the song, that was beautiful. It made Quasimodo powerful and want to save Esmeralda which makes his heartbreak even more tragic. I think the order of events should be more like it was in Berlin (although obviously in a place of miracles wasnt in the berlin production): In A Place of Miracles, Made of Stone, Someday, Finale. Having In A Place of Miracles and Someday right next to each other spends too much time focusing on Phoebus and Esmeralda. Also the transition from Someday to the Finale in Berlin was so beautiful. I feel that going back to Quasi after Someday killed the dramatic action. Overall, I feel that the pyre scene was very lacking in intensity. I think Quasi should have actually swung from the rope in some way and I wish he could have held Esmeralda in front of the rose window.

But regardless. GO SEE THIS SHOW!! It is absolutely breath taking and amazing. There are so many emotions and stunning performances. I see many tonys in this show's future.

[BroadwayBrat]

Posted: 3/22/15 at 12:55am

I saw today's matinee and thoroughly enjoyed the show. The ending is powerful and it stayed with me for a while.

Yes, there is room for some tweaking, but I think this is Disney's best stage adaptation by far.

[RemlapLBC]

Posted: 3/22/15 at 12:27pm

Just my 2 cent review, which is of San Diego, not Papermill. The first act seemed to run like a Disney Theme park show, It was just a parade of song after song. (Although I did get chills when the overture and Bells of Notre Dame started.) At intermission, we were saying it was good, but not great. Then the second act. Wow, we were all blown away.

I would second the try to go see it, except I'm sure it will transfer. It doesn't have a large technical set. The only thing I see stopping is it Broadway Union rules on the choir. I don't have a clue what they are, but assuming the pay would be much higher on Broadway then at the Papermill & La Jolla and there are a lot of choir members.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 3/22/15 at 1:03pm

This may or may not be a longshot but what do you folks think are the chances of Alan Menken trying to get the show recorded regardless of whether it transfers or not.

[owenblinky]

Posted: 3/23/15 at 6:57pm

The NY review times hit the nail on the head, the staging of the finale is atrocious and should have been the first thing they made sure to get right. Hopefully the powers that be will listen to the mountain of reviews criticizing these stupid choices and fix it for Broadway.

What really irks me is that the crappy direction is from nepotism. Stephen Schwartz put the needs of his son's unimpressive career before the needs of the show.

I am curious to hear the audio of the finale detailing Quasimodo's death though. Also curious about the size of the orchestra, it sounds much richer in the promo video on the paper mill website.

[little_sally]

Posted: 3/23/15 at 7:03pm

I saw this last night and enjoyed it very much, especially the score but this needs a lot of work if it's going to come to Broadway. I know the plot is very dark, which is to be expected, but I do feel like there needs a bit of comedy in it. Put the gargoyles back in the story! Quasimodo talking to the "statues" didn't really work for me, nor did the narration.

[mattyp4]

Posted: 3/23/15 at 7:18pm

Add my voice to the chorus of people who loved this show. I saw it Friday night & I can't stop thinking about it. I may be biased b/c Hunchback has long been one of my favorite Disney films, but this show totally exceeded my expectations.

Yes, there were a few missteps. Like there were some questionable blocking & the narration device may have been a bit overused (though truthfully I didn't really have a problem with it), but those are minor quibbles. I loved the performances. Michael Arden's Quasimodo broke my heart. And the score sounded GORGEOUS, especially with that choir!

I loved the changes that were made, making it truer to the book (and darker than the film, which is already pretty dark). That includes going back to making Quasimodo hearing impaired, which people have discussed here. I loved Arden's interpretation though, which included some slight use of sign language. (Not a lot. Just a few instances here & there. Enough to make it seem like Quasimodo maybe thought up a few signs to help him communicate with people. It was touching.)

I hope this show transfers to Broadway so more people can see it. But I also really hope it gets a recording, regardless of a transfer. I want a cast album so bad! I have the 1999 German cast album but it's not the same!

And if/when it does transfer, I really hope they bring over the choir, despite some union restrictions that other posters have brought up. It would be a big mistake to not have them. (But if they don't make it to Broadway, I hope the show gets recorded soon-- WITH the choir!!)

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 3/23/15 at 8:07pm

I don't think anyone was confused that he was deaf--- the line about the bells was clear. But it didn't explain all of the issues with his character. There was a lot going on that wasn't clear. Like my earlier post about his mental disability.

Honestly, everything can be blamed on Scott Schwartz's awful direction.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/23/15 at 8:10pm

NOOO don't bring back the gargoyles!

I sorta expect this will get a cast album regardless of a transfer? isn't the gossip that Disney wants to at the least market it for regional productions?

[Bilbo3]

Posted: 3/23/15 at 8:32pm

The way they did the Gargoyles in the German production was excellent. This production should be taking notes from Der Glockner. People forget, the Gargoyles weren't really the problem with the critics of 1996, it was the song "A guy like you" that they had a problem with.

[little_sally]

Posted: 3/23/15 at 8:43pm

Well, the "statues" as they are now do not work for me.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/23/15 at 8:48pm

A Guy Like You was a mess, but I think their anachronistic humour fit poorly in general. I do agree that they more or less worked in Berlin.

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 3/23/15 at 8:58pm

Nearly everything that was changed for this production more or less worked in Berlin.

[Princeton Returns]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 5:39am

I disagree, I thought the gargoyles worked well here, if at times a few too many of them. I also disagree about it needing more comedy. The comedy in it was one of the issues I had with it, on one hand they are trying to take the serious approach like the book , distancing themselves from disney. On the other they add silly humour like the headless statue and making the king a joke character against frollo who is serious. Patrick Page is really the only one on stage whose character and performance is consistent and has any gravitas.

I definitely like that they went smaller, it's an intimate story and Berlin was too overblown. And there is much to like, but the book and direction need a lot of work for a broadway or west end audience. There was a lack of build up in the relationships so when things happen you don't care like you should. It feels light, like a disney show usually is. It's like they didn't have the confidence to go the grown up route completely

The end death is poorly staged, embarrassingly so with what happens at the back of the stage. And why couldn't quasi actually swing to rescue esmerelda that short distance instead of being carries

The constant narration didn't bother me as much as it does others, but it was unnecessary at times

[TheatreKid3]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 5:51am

From the videos I have seen of DER GLOCKNER, I loathe the physical production. While the projections may have been stunning, I hated the whole moving cubes thing. It was extremely ugly and, in my opinion, did not serve the story or fit the period whatsoever. I am also okay with the cutting of the gargoyles. I think the way they are portrayed now is even more powerful and dramatic. Realizing how they are portrayed here as figments of Quasi's imagination, I was surprised to see this concept was still true when I revisited the animated movie. No one actually ever sees or interacts with the gargoyles but Quasi, so it drove that heartbreaking idea even more home for me.

I never thought I'd see the day where people would critique Disney Theatrical by saying they needed to be MORE Disney.