Hunchback Album

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

Well, reading Lapine's English script, one walks away with the impression that, especially when compared to his character in the movie, Quasi is a little slow (as opposed to deaf, which seems to be an example of both Michael Arden adding something of his own to the part and more stuff thrown in from the novel). Some of the nuance of that is lost when you hear it in another language.

 

As for the TV movie, not much is known about it, but from what I remember, some of the stuff like "Flight Into Egypt" and the tavern song were originally written for it. I'd cite it, but the post that talked about it on Stephen Schwartz's website is now gone, along with the forum it was on.

[Scarywarhol]

I didn't go in expecting to miss the Gargoyle trio, but the non-choice of having the ensemble become gargoyles (sort of) exclusively to spout platitudes made me miss the Gargoyle trio.

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

Taking them out left a massive hole in the show, yes. And it's not helped (at least for me) by the memory of the fact that Lapine toned them down enough to make them work instead of being intensely wacky and feeling like they were grafted onto the product, as in the film.

[broadwayboy223]

I hope one day hunchback will go to Broadway. Perhaps with some changes. From the new version I really like Rhythm of The Tambourine as the intro to Esmerelda. I think the narration works for the intro would but prefer to see more Clopin. And unless they can re create the dramatic saving of Esmereleda and Quasimodo throwing the stuff from the tower i would say use narration there. One of the staging/direction type things I really liked was during the prologue when Michael Arden came out and put on the makeup and hunch for the character. I thought that was beautiful. 

[Amusingmusic]

This album was amazingly beautiful and the show was one of the best I've ever seen. The combination of the choir, outstanding performers and a lesson that everyone should listen to made the show unforgettable.  No one here cares about the German version since we can't see it now so it's a waste of time to make comparisons.  With all the crummy shows on Broadway I can't imagine why this show isn't there now!!

[Mr. Nowack]

Well there is a full bootleg with english subtitles of the German production on YouTube.

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

^ Indeed there is, and a fine one at that.

[Pan_Am_L-1011]

I LOVE the cast album. I loved the Berlin album and the Berlin show too, but I like this cast album far more than the German one. I think it's stronger, more refined and just more exciting.

I'm not sure why it's not going to Broadway. Some reviews I've read said it's still difficult for the audience to connect with these characters and feel emotionally invested in them. I do love the music. I wish they had done the full ending of the novel, when Quasimodo lays with the dead Esmerelda and starves to death. Quite moving in the novel how much he loved her. Still, this version is leaps and bounds better than the Disney film. The only thing I liked about the Disney film was the music. 

Best cast album I've heard since BOM.

[bwayobsessed]

Just for the record at the end of the papermill version Michael Arden read the last paragraph from the novel about the entangled skeletons between the Someday and Bells of Notre Dame reprises I guess they just didn't want to take up space on the cast album with the narration.

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

Pan_Am_L-1011 said: "Some reviews I've read said it's still difficult for the audience to connect with these characters and feel emotionally invested in them."

 

Well, yeah, when the creators suddenly want to be the new Les Mis and throw a bunch of characters and subplots at a streamlined version of the novel, ebbing the show of focus and consistency, that'll happen.

[bwayobsessed]

Those reviews are wrong, the play made me so frickin emotional both times I saw it 

[Mr. Nowack]

I think they really had to pick and choose and trim certain parts like mid-song dialogue for the CD to keep it one disc. It runs pretty much to the maximum 80 minutes.

[theatreguy12]

Just purchased and finished listening to it.  Truly amazing and lush recording of the show.

Hunchback may not have made it to Broadway.  Maybe it wasn't even intended to go there (as per the creators).  

Regardless, I feel privileged to have had the chance to experience it.  And having the cast recording will keep it alive.  Such an emotional ride.  It is a beautiful representation and homage of and to the show.

[tazber]

I finally got around to listening to the recording. It's beautiful. Full, lush, and emotional.

 

I caught the show at Papermill and found it be an overly dour and humorless experience.

 

It plays so much better on disc.

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

tazber said: "I caught the show at Papermill and found it be an overly dour and humorless experience."

 

Well, yeah, when you cut the comic relief, that'll happen.

[broadwayboy223]

I know we aren't supposed to mention them but is there a bootleg of the Papermill version? I've seen the one from La Jolla. Just curious to see the changes between productions. 

[tazber]

True.

 

I didn't miss the Gargoyles per se, but they definitely needed some comic relief.

 

Even Les Mis has the Thenandiers (sp)

 

It was oppressively grim. I appreciate that Schwartz wanted to go full on serious, but I feel like that it was a mistake with a property that was/is Disney.

 

No one walks in expecting....that.

 

Menken/Schwartz would have been much better served collaborating on something new that doesn't have the expectation of family show weighing it down.

 

For what it is however, the score is beautiful and the performances I saw were all fantastic. Micheal Arden, Patrick Page, and Ciara Renee were all first rate. 

 

The biggest problem, material aside, was the cramped staging. The Choir took up so much room. The sound was glorious and large, but it only served to highlight how small the playing area was.

 

 

[DigificWriter]

I started listening to this today, and just found out from my mother that a cousin of mine named Danny Taylor did the percussion for both the show and the album, which is neat.

[threetwoone]

For anybody who is interested, a new German cast recording of Der Glöckner came out earlier this week. It's a live recording of the same Papermill production that is currently playing in Berlin with the new material / edits translated into German. 

https://www.facebook.com/disneysdergloecknervonnotredame/posts/1584720428239278

It's not available online or at stores yet, but I went and picked it up at the the theatre this week and it sounds great. I think I might I like it better than the new English recording, actually.