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?

This video is from The Muppet Show, episode 509 (season 5 episode 9) where Mulch plays Quasimodo and sings to his gargoyle girlfriend. Isn’t it adorable?

no release date as of yet for season 5 of The Muppet Show 

Frollo Puppet Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame Stage Show picture image

Frollo Puppet

The stage show of  Hunchback of Notre Dame at the Disney Parks is like a high school production where the show has a high budget but the cast isn’t really that talented. Wait a second that’s pretty much what this is. Expect  they’re actually college students interning (slave labor) there for the summer. So what is the stage show about?  All  it is a rehashing of the movie. That’s it. I’m basing this review off these videos which you can watch it HERE.  (I’m sorry for the pictures)

 

Frollo interrupting the couple in Notre Dame a.k.a Not Grope Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame Stage Show picture image

Frollo interrupting the couple a.k.a Not Grope

A Guy Like you Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame Stage Show picture image

A Guy Like you

Frollo finding out Esmeralda escape a.k.a Not Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame Stage Show picture image

Frollo finding out Esmeralda escape a.k.a Not Hellfire

 

 

 

 

 

 

But is the show bad? Yes, yes it. Everything that you love is gone, i.e Frollo. Well that’s not true Frollo is there and he gets line or two but there is not grope and no Hellfire basically what makes Frollo a character is gone. Frollo is just a plot point. Also they kept a guy like you over hellfire which seems like a big “Fuck-you” to audience.

 

Clopin's singnature pose Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame Stage Show picture

Clopin's singnature pose

But how are the other actors? Umm, not so good. We’ll start with the best, Clopin at least he can sing well. Though he strikes the same pose and hand movements over and over.

Phoebus... that is all Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame Stage Show picture image

Phoebus... that is all

Quasimodo with a plastic model Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame Stage Show picture image

Quasimodo with a plastic model Esmeralda

The Gargoyles... they get more lines than Frollo Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame Stage Show picture image

The Gargoyles... they get more lines than Frollo

 

 

 

 

 

 

Phoebus is meh. Quasimodo is forgettable. The gargoyles are annoying.

 

Esmeralda from the Stage Show of Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame at MGM Studios picture image

Esmeralda

And then there is Esmeralda. First off I  say this with out trying to be offensive but she sounds like she from a 30’s movies. Other than that her acting is weak and over-the-top and she’s not a great singer. I think she was cast for the splits she does during the dance.

Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame Stage Show Esmeralda's Kneepad image picture

Esmeralda's Kneepad

And she wears knee pads during the dance which I found hilarious.

 

Frollo Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame Stage Show picture image

Frollo he's too cool for this play

 

Frollo’s not even a character so he doesn’t count. But even still he’s WAY cooler even with no personality.

Djali as a Marionette Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame Stage Show

Djali as a Marionette.... where can I get one?

So the setting and the plot were okay. The whole puppet thing for the backstory was weird and a little silly. I mean I get why the did, because it’s Clopin’s puppet show, but to see a big Frollo puppet was too funny for me. I have a bad habit of laughing at puppet play even when that are suppose to be serious. Also Djali as a marionette was unnecessary. Actually Djali was unnecessary and that pains me to say.

 

Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame Stage Show Spire Turn during Out there picture

Spire Turn during Out there

Also I just want to mention that you know in “Out There” where the camera spins around Quasimodo while he’s on the spire yeah, they do that here except while the performer sings on a platform, two guys spin said platform around, it very silly and awkward.

 

More Puppets dolls Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame Stage Show picture image

More Puppets erm I mean Dolls

Basically  the whole thing a very rushed feeling and it over superficial, I mean it’s a appropriate, given that it’s in a Disney park. It’s flash and no substance. It subtracts too much from the movie and if their intent was to take that film and make it even more “Kid Friendly” why not do an after-story or sequel. Frollo doesn’t do anything cool here so who cares if he’s in the show. It at least could have been more interesting than seeing a water-down version of a classic story that Disney already watered down.

 

Getting the Lead out Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame Stage Show picture image

Getting the Lead out

On the plus side, I liked the extras and the lead pouring was cool.

 

In Season 4 episode 8 of The Nanny there is a reference to Hunchback of Notre Dame. It’s pretty obvious that they are refering to the Disney since it was topical at the time.

It starts with the Nanny, Fran Fine (Fran Drescher) complaining that her employer Maxwell Sheffield (Charles Shaughnessy ) isn’t taking her and his daughter Grace (Madeline Zima) to the movies. Maxwell’s buiness partner, C.C. (Lauren Lane)  chimes in by saying that Maxwell will go insane if he has to see “The Hunchback” agian and then the butler Niles (Daniel Davis) who hates C.C. retorts with “Well why don’t you quit”. If you watch the show you’d know that C.C and Niles are always insulting each other, so it’s a “cute” topical reference.

Reference starts at about 2:52
http://youtu.be/UXIu1HMhvxI

 

The Nanny has at least one more Hunchback reference but that is for another post