Irish theatrical premiere of The Hunchback of Notre Dame in Clonmel was a ‘joy to watch’

Clonmel’s Kickham Army Barracks parade ground was the atmospheric  setting for a musical theatre spectacle last week - the Irish theatrical premiere of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. 

The production - which  featured more than 70 cast members, musicians, dancers and choir - was a joy to watch. It isn’t often you witness  a musical on such a grand scale and we have been starved of live theatre  for so long due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  

You can’t beat the experience of  a live show and attending the opening night of this Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz musical based on Victor Hugo’s famous novel  was a perfect illustration of this truth.  

The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which ran from October 26 to  October 29,  was an In The Open-Faoin Spéir community musical  produced by Clonmel Junction  Festival and funded by Tipperary County Council and the Arts Council. 

One of the show’s most impressive features  was the  set – a massive scaffolding construction built to resemble Paris’ Notre Dame Cathedral.   It was an imposing backdrop against which the tragic love  story  unfolded before an audience of 200 seated in covered stands.  

 But a musical is ultimately judged on the performances of its cast. The  lead actors – Riain Cash as Quasimodo, Jordan Freeman as the beautiful gypsy Esmeralda, Diarmuid Bolger as  Dom Claude Frollo, Paul Sheehan as Captain Phoebus and Conor Lonergan as Clopin – should take a well earned bow for their stellar performances. Cash threw every ounce of his energy into the physically demanding role of the hunchback.  

 The leads  were ably supported by a strong chorus of  young singers and dancers, who  are also all locally based.

Director Jack Reardon and his production team must be commended for accomplishing such a large and challenging production. Clonmel is certainly blessed with great talent. 

 It’s a pity it wasn’t possible to stage the  show  during the summer. Bad weather forced the cancellation of last Wednesday’s performance and disrupted last Friday night’s final show. It would be lovely to see the show  return   in a season of better weather.

Pictured below: Riain Cash in action on stage as the hunchback, Quasimodo, in last week's outdoor production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame at Kickham Army Barracks, Clonmel.  More pictures from the show are published in this week's print edition of The Nationalist now in local shops.