Synopsis

Victor Hugo's famous gothic novel traces the story of two babies swapped at birth in fifteenth century Paris under the shadow of Notre Dame cathedral. It is set in a period ruled by fear and suspicion and shows the damage that can be caused when ignorance and prejudice prevail. Out of this harsh backdrop evolves the story of a gentle but badly deformed hunchback adopted by a young priest (Claude Frollo) at birth. When Quasimodo's master falls under the spell of a beautiful Gyspy (Esmeralda) his world crumbles around him, he rejects his beliefs and tragic consequences result.

Act 1

Scene 1: The Gallows at Montfaucon.
Two years after the events of the story (1484) A visitor, searching for the body pardoned nobleman is given access to the ancient gibbet at Montfaucon. A guide reveals a hidden chamber and stumbles upon two skeletons clasped together in an embrace. One, a woman with fragments of white material around her neck, the other, a grotesquely deformed man who had not been hanged but had died embracing the woman. When they touched them, both skeletons crumbled into dust.

Scene 2: The streets of Notre Dame 1467.
A young mother has taken her beautiful baby daughter to some travelling gypsies to have her fortune read. The crowd are disenchanted with their lot and there is tension towards the gypsies who are generally mistrusted by most Parisians. The woman (Paquette La Chantefleurie) is oblivious to all this and the baby is passed around and admired. As the bundle is returned Paquette screams to see that her child has been replaced by a deformed abomination.

Scene 2a: Inside Notre Dame Cathedral later that day.
Paquette tearfully walks down the aisle of Notre Dame Cathedral placing the unfortunate child on the foundling stone so that it may be adopted by some charitable person as was the custom at this time. Local women ogle at the child proclaiming it too ugly to live. A young girl of six (Fleur-de-Lys) is particularly cruel to the foundling. Upon hearing the commotion a studious young priest (Claude Frollo) approaches the font accompanied by his young brother Jehan. Claude Frollo realises that God has chosen him to adopt the baby as his own and baptises him Quasimodo after the day on which he was discovered.

Scene 3: Outside the Great Hall of Paris; January 6th 1482 (16 years later) .
It is January 6th 1482 the first time that two public holidays "The feast of kings" and "the feast of fools" had fallen upon the same day. The former was to be celebrated by a newly commissioned 'mystery play' by Pierre Gringoire which was to be performed in front of the Cardinal Bourbon and the Flemish dignitaries who were guests of the court. The Latter had attracted the a coarser element who found much amusement in mocking the elite as they were carried past. Fuelled by the cold weather and the long wait for action, tempers are stretched until the play, at last, begins. The crowd find the play to be dull (apart from it’s author Gringoire) and upon the advice of Jacques Coppenole (a clerk from Ghent) overthrow the actors and begin a ‘Pope of fools’ competition in which the ugliest face wins. A passing hunchback (Quasimodo) is thrust on to the stage and the crowd are genuinely shocked at his 'natural' ugliness until they realise they have found their winner and parade him off as pope.

Scene 4: Later that evening on a street in Paris.
A beautiful young Gypsy woman (Esmeralda) dances alone on a street corner and soon attracts a small audience including Gringoire. Claude Frollo (now an Archdeacon) finds himself irresistibly drawn to her and asks a recluse in a nearby sanctuary (Sister Gudule .... formerly Paquette) about her. Gudule hates all gypsies having lost her only child to them and she curses the young dancer. A drunken crowd return still carrying Quasimodo so Frollo scolds them and sends them away. He then gives Quasimodo instructions to follow Esmeralda who becomes aware of a presence and runs. Gringoire, who has been searching for a place to stay thinks that Esmeralda is in danger but in attempting to stop Quasimodo is knocked, unconscious to the floor . Some passing guards hear the commotion and arrest Quasimodo, the handsome Captain of the Guards; Pheobus de Châteaupers escorting Esmeralda home.

Scene 4a: The Court of Miracles
As Gringoire awakens he realises he is lost and soon finds himself surrounded by beggars and vagabonds many of whom seem to have been cured of lost limbs and other deformities. He is informed that he is trespassing in the ‘Court of Miracles’ where the outcasts live and he must face Clopin Troullefou (King of thieves). Gringoire fails a simple test of balance and is sentenced to to hanged until Esmeralda saves him by taking him as her husband (according to the custom).  

Scene 5: The Courtroom at the Grand-Châtelet.
Maître Florian was the Auditor to the courtroom and on this day when the regular judge was ill disposed he acted in his place. Unfortunately, the auditor, like the defendant (Quasimodo) was completely deaf and upon realising this the audience begins to roar with laughter. Thinking that the defendant is causing this uproar deliberately Florian loses his temper and sentences Quasimodo to be flogged on the pillory.

Scene 6: The Pillory
Quasimodo is flogged and chastised on the pillory. The Paris peasants who the day before proclaimed him King, now laugh and jeer at him ignoring his cries for help. His master, Frollo passes by and fails to help him, only Esmeralda shows mercy by bringing him water.

Scene 7: The Pillory and a balcony above.
On the ground three charitable ladies and a young boy bring a cake to the recluse Sister Gudule. Mahiette asks about Gudule and the others tell her tale as her son (Eustache) samples the cake they are carrying. Above all this a group of young rich women are entertaining the eligible Captain Pheobus. He is rather bored by their airs and graces but plays along with it despite the distraction of Esmeralda below. Fleur-de-Lys (Now his fiancee) and her mother become concerned by the Captain’s wandering eye. Both sets of women become distracted by their own thoughts until they realise simultaneously that the object of their affection (the cake and Captain) have both gone.

Scene 8: Claude Frollo’s chambers in Notre Dame Cathedral tower.
Frollo is in a dilemma over his growing desire for Esmeralda and looks for answers in his books while his greedy brother, Jehan tries to bribe him in order to gamble and drink. Meanwhile Gringoire is now an entertainer and has been summoned by Frollo for information about Esmeralda. He shocks Frollo with the news that he is now Esmeralda’s husband but reveals that his wife is in love with Captain Pheobus and that she intends to meet him at La Fallourdeles inn that night. Frollo storms off to confront Captain Pheobus who is drunk and relishes a Challenge.

Scene 9: La Fallourdeles inn
Esmeralda is in love with Pheobus who seduces her, persuading her to remove the charm bracelet that she believes will bring back her mother. Frollo who has been spying on them is driven mad with jealous rage jumps out and stabs Pheobus in the back planting the dagger on Esmeralda who has fainted.

Act 2

Scene 1: The Torture Chamber.
Esmeralda is taught several ‘lessons’ by sadistic court torturer Pierre Torterue and confesses to the attempted murder of Pheobus (which she knows nothing about). As He demonstrates his instruments of torture on her he shows a real sinister delight in his work.

Scene 2: Esmeralda’s cell
Esmeralda (sentenced to die) is visited by Frollo who hides in the shadows. When Frollo reveals himself Esmeralda remembers his face from that fateful evening at La Fallourdeles and begs him to leave her alone. Frollo confesses his love and offers to save her life if she accepts him but she is repulsed tells him that she would prefer to die.

Scene 3: The Gibbet at the Place de Greve.
Esmeralda is transported from her cell to the Place de Greve to be hanged. She sees Pheobus on a balcony above and shouts his name, he ignores her pretending not to notice as he is accompanied by his fiancee Fleur de Lys and her society friends. A large crowd has assembled for the spectacle including Sister Gudule who curses the Gypsy from her sanctuary. Frollo approaches to hear her last confession and once more begs for her love and forgiveness. She refuses again and proclaims that she is ready to die, however in one dramatic moment, Quasimodo swings down to her rescue and carries her away to the Cathedral shouting for sanctuary.

Scene 4: The bell tower inside Notre Dame Cathedral.
Quasimodo brings Esmeralda food and tells her to rest, confessing that she is the only person ever to show him real kindness. Esmeralda sees Quasimodo as a kind, misunderstood soul confined to the bell tower by his ugliness and the cruelty of others. He tells her the names of all the bells (his only companions) and promises to protect her from the outside world which now shuns both of them.

Scene 5: The Court of Miracles.
Clopin Troullefou (King of Thieves) rallies his fellow vagabonds into rescuing their ‘sister’ Esmeralda from Notre Dame cathedral (where sanctuary only lasts three days). Most, However are too busy playing cards and drinking until Frollo’s embittered brother Jehan arrives with inside information and a plan of attack. A Gypsy fortune teller warns them that she sees death ahead but the mob, believing she means the enemy, pick up their hatchets and knives and march towards the Cathedral walls. There is a bloody battle in which the mob attacking the Cathedral are fended away by guards and by Quasimodo who throws burning wood and molten ash on them until non are left alive. During this mayhem, Frollo takes the opportunity to kidnap Esmeralda and remove her from Quasimodo’s protection.

Scene 6: The Place de Greve.
Frollo who now has Esmeralda as his prisoner shows her the Gibbet and gives her one last chance to accept his love or face execution. On her refusal he hands her to Sister Gudule while he goes for the guards. Esmeralda asks Gudule why she hates her so much and Gudule tells the story of her daughter and the amulet. Esmeralda shows Gudule her own chain and both then realise that they are long lost mother and daughter. Gudule breaks a weakened bar of her cell to hide Esmeralda from the approaching guards. The commander, Tristan l’Hermite is suspicious and questions Gudule but the watch Sergeant informs him that the recluse hates gypsies with a passion. The unexpected arrival of Captain Pheobus however, leads Esmeralda, still believing that he loves her, to reveal herself. Pheobus again shuns her advances and leaves the poor girl to be tormented and eventually hanged by the soldiers in front of her distraught mother and the distant watching figure of Claude Frollo.

Scene 7: The Place de Greve Gibbet.
Frollo is left on his own in a state of deluded madness. Quasimodo, searching for his missing friend is shown the body of Esmeralda causing him to cry out in grief. Frollo mocks him and admits that he, himself had caused all of this misery. Quasimodo finally loses control and attacks Frollo lunging a crucifix into his heart. The story is concluded as the grief stricken Quasimodo lies beside Esmeralda’s lifeless body waiting for his own death.

THE END

Musical Numbers

Act 1

Sc 1: The Tomb at Mountfoucon ...... The discovery

Sc 2: Outside Notre Dame ................ We all go down together.

Sc 2a: Notre Dame Cathedral .......... In my Life.

Sc 3: 1482 Outside the great hall ..... Mystery

Sc 3a: Esmeralda's dance ................. Into the flame.

Sc 4: The Court of Miracles ............. The Court of Miracles.
_______________________________I will take this man.

Sc 5: The courtroom .......................... Flog him, flay him.

Sc 6: The Pillory/ Balcony above ...... Cakes and captains.

Sc 7: Frollo's chamber ....................... Semper fedelis
_______________________________In my heart.
_______________________________The meeting

Sc 8: La Fallourdeles ......................... The seduction
_______________________________Semper fedelis (Reprise)

Act 2

Sc 1: The torture chamber ................ Let me be your mentor.

Sc 2: Esmeralda's Cell ...................... Wretched man
_______________________________In my life (Reprise)

Sc 3: The Place de Greve ................. March to the gibbet.
_______________________________Kyrie elleison.

Sc 4: The bell tower .......................... This atrocious hour

Sc 5: The Court of Miracles ............. Pick up your hatchets.
_______________________________Storming the cathedral.

Sc 6: Outside Gudule's cell ............... Revenge is your right.
_______________________________In my life (Reunion)

Sc 7: The Place de Greve .................. We all go down together
_______________________________All that I have loved.

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