The Barn rings in summer with Disney’s ‘Hunchback’
AUGUSTA, Mich.–Clang the bells and light the fires! The Barn Theatre here opens its 71st season with a soaring musical version of that darkest of gothic tales, The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Based on the Victor Hugo novel, with music and plot adaptations from the Disney animated film, the stage musical carries the Disney name but is not light entertainment. The story deals with complex emotions and even the title character’s heroics are horrifying. There’s lots of sadness here and very little of the animated version’s comedy.
But the Barn’s large, talented cast, led by guest star Robert Newman, tackles this daunting drama with devilish delight. The Alan Menken score, performed by the Barn’s seven-piece orchestra, is overpowering, and Stephen Schwartz’s catchy lyrics will haunt you out the door.
Newman, an Emmy-Award winning star of television’s daytime drama “Guiding Light” and frequent Barn guest, excels as Dom Frollo, a Notre Dame priest who takes in a deformed gypsy infant and raises him in the secrecy of the cathedral’s bell tower. Although he has an affectionate relationship with the boy, Frollo is the villain of the story. He despises the immigrant gypsies and blames witchcraft for the desire he feels toward gypsy dancer Esmeralda. Newman’s deft portrayal keeps the character vulnerable and relatable even as he wreaks havoc against the gypsies. The role also gives Newman a chance to show off his rich, thundering singing voice which was particularly powerful in “Hellfire.”
Samantha Rickard is quite fetching as Esmeralda, the curly-haired temptress who gives a delightful tambourine dance with the help of a chorus of tambourine players. Her character is both tough and caring, and her singing is downright delicate at times. Great touch on “God Help the Outcasts.”
Jonnie Carpathios, a second-year apprentice, is quite believable as Quasimodo, the hunchback bell ringer. Kudos to make-up and costume for helping to make him seem monsterish, though his sweet soul is so easily identifiable.
Jamey Grisham is well cast as the handsome military captain who defies Frollo’s orders and develops a relationship with Esmeralda. But one of my favorite characters of the evening is the gypsy leader Clopin, portrayed with a mischievous spark by Barn regular Eric Parker.
Director Hans Friedrichs makes good use of the omni-present set of wooden stairs and stone columns framing a mostly open stage. The backdrop becomes cathedral, town square, tavern or streets of Paris furnished mostly by the large cast who can be gypsies, nuns or medieval citizens. Using masks and stick-puppet statues to portray the gargoyles and statuary of Notre Dame was effective and gave the chorus members significant roles to create.
Nevertheless, producing such a sweeping story on a simple stage requires a great deal of imagination on the part of the audience, and some serious coordination on stage. Some scenes were successful, such as the rhythmic movement of a bench with accompanying sound effect to create the illusion of battering down a door. But the drop of a bolt of cloth to symbolize pouring molten lead got snagged in the fly on opening night. Some props added authenticity such as the old rakes and pitchforks to accent the angry mob. But the fake torches were anemic and not up to the Barn’s usual professional standards. Likewise some of the fight scenes and scuffles went off without a hitch while others were awkward and needing polish.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame is an ambitious show and a great way to launch the summer theater season.