The Hunchback of Notre Dame
1985
by Andrew Dallmeyer, after Victor Hugo
directed by Gerry Mulgrew
The famous allegorical story played as a black Gothic farce. Set against the backdrop of a sackcloth and Meccano cathedral, the gargoyles of Notre Dame come to life and entertain us with a grotesque and pathetic pantomime, creating image after stunning image of comic ferocity. High above this bedlam, in the towers of the cathedral, Quasimodo the hunchback, and the Angel Gabriel accompany the events with a wondrous and absurd symphony of celestial music played on gongs, bells, cymbals, bombarde, saxophone, shaum, balalaika and drums.
Reviews
This disconcerting, but absorbing and brilliantly staged play will upset audiences who expect clear cut styles and precisely differentiated categories. This is a company with an approach to theatre that is entirely their own. They copy from no one. The acting is of a uniformly high standard, and of a style which fits perfectly with this unique form of theatre. Joseph Farrell, The Scotsman
..its thrilling and dangerous swings of mood between tragedy and farce are slimly held in place by Steve Kettley’s clever, atmospheric music and Tam Dean Burn’s powerful, authoritative performance as the lust-wracked Archdeacon Frollo. The whole piece comes close to doing full justice to the emotional and ideological weight of Hugo’s story
Joyce McMillan, The Sunday Standard
This disconcerting, but absorbing and brilliantly staged play will upset audiences who expect clear cut styles and precisely differentiated categories. This is a company with an approach to theatre that is entirely their own. They copy from no one. The acting is of a uniformly high standard, and of a style which fits perfectly with this unique form of theatre.
Joseph Farrell, The Scotsman
Cast