More Hunchback Stage Shows & live performances

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Earlier this week I looked at a preview of a stage version of the Hunchback of Notre Dame but this seem to be a trend. In my never ending quest for content I have found lots of articles on up coming Hunchback stage shows.

https://kingsheadtheatre.ticketsolve.com/shows/873488292/events (The one called Quasimodo was written in the 1960’s  by Lionel Bart who wrote Oliver Musical. It’s now finally being performed. It’s playing March 20th 2013-April 13th)

http://www.stltoday.com/suburban-journals/illinois/education/gchs-students-perform-the-hunchback-of-notre-dame/article_e88fa511-2060-507c-8cf8-2c1d6810fda6.html

http://www.examiner.com/article/foothills-christian-high-school-to-present-updated-version-of-hunchback (this one is modern day interpretation set in a high school)

Plus the one in Gilbert, Arizona that I mention in another post http://www.azcentral.com/community/gilbert/articles/20130103actors-youth-theatre-moving-gilbert.html?nclick_check=1

Also the Roland Petit ballet is gaining popularity. Plus the Ice Skating performances of Meryl Davis & Charlie White, and Yuzuru Hanyu. And Korean singer Iu recorded a cover of Age of the Cathedrals from Notre dame de Paris on her latest album.

So what does this mean? There is an increase of live performances using Hunchback as a source of late? Perhaps, I’m just noticing it more  and there is always  a number of Hunchback performances in the world or perhaps it is gaining popularity? What do you think is this typical or do you think Hunchback is gaining popularity?

The acting in the 1956 version of Hunchback

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Quasimodo (Anthony Quinn) & Frollo (Alain Cuny), 1956 The Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quasimodo (Anthony Quinn) & Frollo (Alain Cuny), 1956 The Hunchback of Notre Dame

The acting in the 1956 version of The Hunhcback of Notre Dame much like the characters lacks depth.

However like I said when I first started this version, I’m basing this review on the english dubbed version.

Esmeralda (Gina Lollobrigida) and Quasimodo (Anthony Quinn), 1956 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture

Esmeralda (Gina Lollobrigida) and Quasimodo (Anthony Quinn), 1956 Hunchback of Notre Dame

The only two actors who spoke their lines in English were Anthony Quinn and Gina Lollobrigida, so the bulk of the characters were dubbed. Which doesn’t help the acting style as there is a disconnect between the action and the vocals.

However the acting isn’t much better in the French version but it’s more natural so it is  slightly better than the dubbed.

 

Esmeralda (Gina Lollobrigida) with Phoebus (Jean Danet), 1956 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda (Gina Lollobrigida) with Phoebus (Jean Danet), 1956 Hunchback of Notre Dame

However, I don’t think the fault of the acting is entirely the actors/voice actors’ fault. I think the script and the director are to blame. I sense little or no joy in the direction of the movie and the script is pretty utilitarian.

Any energy or vibrancy in the performance is the actors trying to eject something into the lines. But overall the acting is underwhelming.

 

Esmeralda (Gina Lollobrigida), 1956 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda (Gina Lollobrigida), 1956 Hunchback of Notre Dame

Next 1956 Article – Costumes

Gina Lollobrigida as Esmeralda Hunchback of Notre Dame 1956 image picture

Gina Lollobrigida as Esmeralda Hunchback of Notre Dame 1956

High School to perform Hunchback

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On April 18th  2013, The King’s Academy will perform “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” Disney collaborated with the school to adapt the movie into a stage show. Now I’m basing this post on the preview.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyLZURia7go

 

First off, this is a high school performance so I’m not going to get into the singing or acting. I’ll just say what I find interesting and what I dislike. I will say that the singing is quite good in general .

This stage version seem to very similar to the german Der Glockner Von Notre Dame. Clopin doesn’t have a puppet, Frollo says that Quasimodo will hopefully “think like him” instead be of “use to him”, and Quasimodo sings “God Help the outcast.” Now I mention  in my Glockner review that I hated that Quasimodo is shoe-horned into that song,  depriving Esmeralda of her only solo song. But who knows, maybe she will this version, though I doubt it. My guess is that this show will follow the movie more than Der Glockner did. I can’t imagine a high school production killing Esmeralda but then again, I was in a High School production of Oliver Twist and Nancy dies, so maybe.  Unlike Glockner “The Court of Miracle” remains in the show but I think it doesn’t work with a full chorus that is trying to sound pretty. It should have been a smaller group singing more roughly.

Now some nitpicks, Clopin is pronounce wrong. It’s not “Clo-pin”, It’s “Clo-pan”. Disney got it right but perhaps the kid was nervous. But did he call Phoebus “Edgerick”?  I can’t respond to that? That is so wrong.  Did they change the name and think no one would know?  Who ever wrote shame.  Edgerick? What kind of name is that? Maybe I miss heard that.  Also, I personally don’t care for the chorus’ arm choreography. I get what they’re doing, it’s just silly. ‘

I hope the songs from Glockner are in the show mainly “Someday” and “Esmeralda.”

 

I can’t really review this since it’s a preview as I can’t see the full scope of the show and I really don’t like being overly critical to teenagers who can sing well.

 

If there a full version of play on youtube I will review it  more in depth but as I live no where here  Florida and lack the means to fly there I can’t see it live. But if you do,  visit here from more info. And then tell me all about it ^_~

The other Characters from the 1956 version of Hunchback

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Maurice Sarfati as Jehan, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame picture image

Maurice Sarfati as Jehan, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame

Jehan – The 1956 version is the first time Jehan is the irresponsible mooch younger brother of Frollo. He doesn’t do that much of interests. He makes a few comments, some goofy faces and interacts with everyone except Esmeralda.

Jehan’s overall point in the book was to show Frollo’s fatherly compassion and he doesn’t really do that in this version, in fact when Jehan dies we get no reaction from Frollo, it’s like “Oh my brother die, oh well”.

If Jehan wasn’t in the movie it would have made no difference except for the length would have been slighty shorter.

Jean Tissier as King Louis, 1956 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Jean Tissier as King Louis, 1956 Hunchback of Notre Dame

King Louis– This movie has the scene from the book where King Louis visits Frollo. He also rubs Quasimodo getting punishment in Frollo face. Had that been the all he did that would have been fine but King Louis is convinced by Frollo to suspend Sanctuary for a day. So King Louis asks a prisoner if this has ever been done before. This scene seems so unnecessary and Louis acts really callous to this prisoner.

I mean, I know he is suppose to be callous but there was no other way to show that? King Louis has to asks a prisoner who has been lock up in a cage for 14 years for advice? Who wrote this? Who thought this scene was a good idea? There is no precedence for this scene. Maybe if there was I could accept it but no. I wish they had kept this part like book.

Valentine Tessier as Aloyse de Gondelaurier, 1956 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Valentine Tessier as Aloyse de Gondelaurier, 1956 Hunchback of Notre Dame

Aloyse de Gondelaurier a.k.a Fleur’s mother – She has has two roles in this movie. Role number #1 to act as the representative for the upper class. As she remarks on how people hang witches all the time and evil Esmeralda is in Notre Dame.

And role number #2 to talk about Fleur de Lys. That’s it. she is not very interesting and she is sort of annoying. Though I find her less annoying than Jehan.

She probably has the funniest line in the movie. After Phoebus makes his date with Esmeralda in guise of making her leave the square to show Fleur that he loves her. Fleur de Lys says “he loves me as I love me” to which Fleur’s Mother says “and as your father loved me.”

We’re done looking at the character stay tune for the next article on the 1956 version

Hunchback Spotting; Jean de Florette

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For a while I have been thinking about films that has similar character types to The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Like movies that feature Hunchbacks, Gypsies, Obsessed creepy guys, etc.

One famous movie to feature a Hunchback in it is called Jean De Florette.

Gérard Depardieu and Yves Montand inJean De Florette picture image

Gérard Depardieu and Yves Montand inJean De Florette

It stars Gérard Depardieu as Jean de Florette who is a hunchback. Unlike Quasimodo he is not ugly, Daniel Auteuil’s character, Ugolin covers that as well as creepy romantic obsession in the second part Manon of the Spring (more on this in another post). The two films make up one story.

Gérard Depardieu as Jean with his wife Aimee (Elisabeth Depardieu) and Daughter Manon (Ernestine Mazurowna), Jean de Florette picture image

Gérard Depardieu as Jean with his wife Aimee (Elisabeth Depardieu) and Daughter Manon (Ernestine Mazurowna), Jean de Florette

So what is the movie about? Basically, a greedy landowner, Cesar Soubeyran (Yves Montand) and his nephew Ugolin want the property next to them. When the owner is killed in a fight his nephew Jean Cadoret, a tax collector and a hunchback, inherits the property. He moves in with his wife Aimee and young daughter Manon and tries to live off the land. But Cesar and Ugolin’s designs on getting Jean’s property push them to ruin Jean.

Gérard Depardieu as Jean De Florette picture image

Gérard Depardieu as Jean De Florette

The sequel Manon of the Spring picks off where Jean de Florette left off and it gives a reason for why Jean was a Hunchback that could be applied to Quasimodo. I won’t say what it is but it’s fun to think about what caused Quasimodo’s deformity.

 

A Real Flower; The 1956 Version of Fleur de Lys

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Danielle Dumont as Fleur de Lys, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame picture image

Danielle Dumont as Fleur de Lys, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame

Fleur de Lys in the 1956 version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame doesn’t have a big part, in fact she has a very small part as she in only in one scene and is only discussed in another. So she appears less in this movie than she does in the 1923 version. So why is she getting her own post?

Because I think she might be the most interesting and complex character in this movie. Which is a little sad.

Jean Danet as Phoebus & Danielle Dumont as Fleur de Lys, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame picture image

Jean Danet as Phoebus & Danielle Dumont as Fleur de Lys, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame

At first glance, Fleur de Lys might be consider a bitch. She baits Phoebus into recognizing Esmeralda and then orders him to make her leave the public square to prove that he loves her. Of course he uses that chance to arrange a meeting with Esmeralda so the joke is on Fleur de Lys.

Jean Danet as Phoebus & Danielle Dumont as Fleur de Lys, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame picture image

Jean Danet as Phoebus & Danielle Dumont as Fleur de Lys, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame

In her brief scene we know a few things about her, she loves Phoebus but is insecure and masks it but acting haughty, which I think is relatable. This also makes it believable when her mother says that she was deeply hurt by Phoebus‘ wanton behavior but that she also longs to see him. She is self-realized enough to know she is jealous but instead of letting it consume her, she confronts Phoebus. This make her not passive . Though her affections for Phoebus are a bit naive as she does believe that he chased Esmeralda as proof of his love and not used it as arranging a meeting.

Danielle Dumont as Fleur de Lys, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame picture image

Danielle Dumont as Fleur de Lys, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame

Perhaps being surrounded by characters that are less than 3-dimensional makes her seems more relatable and interesting than she is meant to be. Though maybe the beauty of her characterization is that she is only one scene so the film couldn’t muddle it. However for me she is most likable and the most real character in the movie.

Danielle Dumont as Fleur de Lys, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame picture image

Danielle Dumont as Fleur de Lys, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame

Next 1956 Article – The other characters that are there

Maurice Sarfati as Jehan, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame picture image

Maurice Sarfati as Jehan, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame