The Hunchback of Notre Dame

The Hunchback of Notre Dame is one of the rare Disney musicals which did not make it to Broadway, and so community theatre is likely the only place you will ever see it in Australia.

Co-Directors Anthony Halpin and Flynn Crewes filled the big barn that is the Rockdale Town Hall with an impressive set, a strong cast of principals and lively dancing from an engaging chorus.

At the top of the stage was a large stained-glass window which had light beamed through it and either side of the proscenium held tall cathedral walls. Unfortunately, the bells were a little too high in the ceiling to be properly admired.

It is a technically demanding musical story as it requires a fire, and characters to clamber down from the roof of a cathedral. Each staging challenge was met with nice choreography from Emma Harrison and simple but effective lighting effects.

Previous productions have featured a choir, but the directors improved on that, giving the chorus much to do as gargoyles and members of the congregation.

There are confronting aspects of Victor Hugo’s story – Quasimodo is publicly humiliated for his disability; women are treated poorly and there are the sinister actions of a controlling leader of the Catholic church.

A talented and engaging cast carried us through the epic. As the Hunchback, Daniel Wakeford displayed strong vocal prowess alongside Alyssa Bishara as the gypsy Esmeralda.

The stand outs were Declan Dowling as the evil Dom Claude Frollo and Jonathon Holmes ,playful as Clopin Trouillefou. Joshua Houston was dashing as Captain Phoebus.

A tightly playing 17-piece orchestra under the baton of Emma Snellgrove gave a rich sound to the score which is dramatic but lacks a kick ass hit song.

I get most excited about community theatre when I see productions not readily available elsewhere and done with passion and creativity. This production ticked all the boxes.

David Spicer