When Quasimodo the Musical opens in Melbourne’s Capitol Theatre this weekend it will be the world premiere of a musical that has been decades in the making for its writer, Samuel Kristy.
As Samuel Kristy discovered, getting a new work produced in Australia is challenging. He sent out his material to hundreds of producers, with the same reply that the story has been done before. However, what makes Quasimodo the Musical unique compared with all the previous versions is that this is the Victor Hugo version of the story.
“This is what I call the raw, authentic, Victor Hugo version. It is not the imaginary version that someone’s come up with and left out subplots and left out characters and changed the characters’ roles,” Samuel Kristy explained.
The original story of the Hunchback of Notre Dame was written by Victor Hugo and published in French in 1831 under the title of Notre-Dame de Paris. It was then published in English two years later. The novel is a classic in French literature, but has also captured the attention of the English-speaking world. The story has been depicted in numerous film and stage adaptations over the past hundred years, but it was possibly Disney’s animated film of The Hunchback of Notre Dame that really shared this classic tale to a much wider audience. The film featured a score with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, and a star-studded cast providing their voice to the animations. The Disney film was adapted into a German language musical, making its world premiere in Berlin in 1999 under the title of Der Glöckner von Notre Dame (which translates to the Bell-ringer of Notre Dame). The musical ran for three years in Berlin and became one of the most successful musicals in the city’s history. It wasn’t until 2013 that an English language version of the musical was staged in Florida, USA. Numerous productions have followed in various parts of the world, but not without controversy. The Disney film was so different to the original novel that Victor Hugo’s descendants took Disney to court.
“Of course they lost because there’s no copyrights after 250 years,” explained Samuel Kristy.
For the next few minutes Samuel Kirsty explained many of the deviations in the Disney version from the original Victor Hugo novel. It was clear that Kristy knows this story intimately, and describes these changes to the story as being “atrocious.” Samuel Kristy decided he’d “sit down and write the authentic version.”
But how did it all start?
Samuel Kristy is now 75 years old, although he says he’s got the heart of a 25 year old!
“Let’s go back to 1976,” he started.
Samuel Kristy had just finished a law degree at Monash University. He was raised by a strict and dictatorial Greek father, who offered to help his son get a law business started, but under the condition that he give up his musical interests. Kristy had been involved with theatrical shows during his time at university, but his father considered this was for “girls and smoking hippies.”
Kristy pleaded with his father to allow him to continue with his musical love, telling him that he’d be a lawyer but music would remain his passion.
“So anyway, he took it so badly. He threw me out on the street with clothes, books, smashed photos on the footpath. It was in 1976. He threw me out on the street, didn’t want to talk to me, disowned me.”
Kristy explained his father had emigrated to Australia in order to provide a better life for his family. Coming from a life of poverty, his father had worked hard to provide an education for his children and allow them to live a better life. He feared that musical interests would result in poverty.
As he established his legal practice, Samuel Kristy was also playing the piano in a pub (in disguise!) to pay the rent.
By 1990 Samuel Kristy had established three legal practices and owned millions of dollars in property all around Melbourne.
“And I was still doing my music, I was still playing here, there and everywhere, and putting on shows,” added Kristy.
Then the recession it. Properties dropped in value and Kristy lost everything. By 1993 Samuel Kristy was penniless.
“But, of course, all I had was my father saying, I told you so,” explained Kristy.
“For two or three years I was jelly. I didn’t know what I was doing. It wasn’t the loss of the money, just the loss of my esteem. You know, I just felt that I’d done so much for society and society, it was just abandoning me. It was during that period, that I really didn’t know what I was going to do, because I’d lost all confidence in doing anything.”
Samuel Kristy had provided employment for many people, renovated properties in Melbourne, and even won awards.
“I’d achieved so much and then it all went in a flash – down to zero. I was on the dole queue crying, but not knowing what I was doing.”
A few years later Samuel Kristy realised life needed to change. He had two young daughters to provide for. Kristy returned to university and completed a Masters in Law at La Trobe University then started teaching at various colleges and universities.
He’d also started writing Quasimodo the Musical during that time. I asked Kristy what prompted him to adapt this particular story into a musical. He explained it’s not about how he came across the story, but rather how the story came across him. It was 1991, and Samuel Kristy was walking past the State Library when he decided to go inside. He had no idea what he was going to read but literally the first book that came off the shelf was The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo.
“It’s almost like it was heaven sent. It was a really old copy with all these drawings in it. I spent the whole day reading it and thinking, wow, this would make an incredible musical. It’s really about prejudice and being abandoned, and being misjudged and the whole concept of injustice, not only for Quasimodo but also for poor Esmerelda, and the abuse of women by men of power – all these current themes.”
Samuel Kristy thought the story would make a great musical, and started writing a musical adaptation. This was several years before the Disney film had been released. He spent the next ten years writing Quasimodo and then finished it with a double CD in 2001.
“I wasn’t happy with it, so I started again!” laughed Kristy.
It was another 19 years of writing to finally complete this latest version. After more than three decades, Quasimodo the Musical will finally have make its world premiere.
Renowned musical director, Peter Casey has heard Kristy’s work and said, “It’s magnificent and inspirational, with soaring melodies and orchestrations with much substance and potential.”
Kristy describes the music as being a cross between symphonic and modern.
“It’s got everything from jazz to blues, to Latin to big ballads. It’s exciting. It’s entertaining. It’s got funny moments.”
Samuel Kristy is confident he has written something now worthy to show the public. That was in 2019, but then COVID hit and delayed plans for another few years. Now, the big moment is finally here. The RMIT’s Capitol Theatre is a deliberate choice to stage this world premiere, incorporating the theatre’s stunning honeycomb roof lighting into the design of the production to create an immersive experience.
Quasimodo the Musical will feature the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Orchestra and a 50 voice choir, in addition to the star-studded cast including Josh Robson (Phantom of the Opera), Des Flanagan (Moulin Rouge) and Enya Angel.
Quasimodo the Musical is multi-dimensional, with a story true to the original novel.
“We’re all a big Quasimodo. Why? Because we are not perfect. We’re not imperfect. We’re somewhere between Heaven and Hell. We’re somewhere between good and evil. And this is what I wanted to capture. Victor Hugo’s theme is really about humanity and the way we misjudge people, the way we take appearance to be – you know, judge the book by its cover. The good seems great but it’s evil, the grotesque is absolutely beautiful inside and compassionate. I’ve given three dimensions to the characters, which no other production has done.”
Our conversation then turned to the lyrics Samuel Kristy has written for Quasimodo the Musical. It was apparent that every single line has been written with great care and consideration.
“It took this long because it’s been thousands and thousands of hours of rewrite and rewrite until I thought it was perfect. And even now, it’s not perfect, but it’s as perfect as I could make it. So, it’s not something I’ve thrown together for money. It was about transforming society, taking away prejudice. I’ve lived it. I’ve been at the end of being cursed and scorned and I know exactly how someone like a Quasimodo would feel. The disabled, the disadvantaged – I wanted to give them voice, because they most profoundly need a voice. Women who are vulnerable and misused by men of power, I mean it’s going on even now these days. So these themes are all so now, that you would not believe.”
Samuel Kristy explained there are hidden meanings throughout the story, but most importantly, it remains true to the original storyline and subplots.
“I really believe that it’s gonna hit people’s hearts because it’s authentic, it’s true, it’s real, it’s raw.”
Quasimodo the Musical is playing this weekend at the Capitol Theatre, 113 Swanston Street, Melbourne.
For more information and tickets: Quasimodo the Musical
Broadwest Productions proudly present the world premiere of a new musical in concert: Quasimodo -The Musical
The untold story of the Hunchback of Notre Dame is an exciting new Australian musical written by Samuel Kristy. Featuring lush orchestrations by Hamish Ander and under the Musical Direction of Andrew Wailes, this show features memorable characters, and a series powerful musical numbers dealing with the universal human issues of Love, Romance, Lust, Betrayal, and Murder. . . a stellar cast of some of Australia’s leading musical theatre soloists has been assembled to bring this wonderful new score to life. They will be joined by the acclaimed Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra. Starring Josh Robson as Quasimodo, Des Flanagan as Archdeacon Frollo, Enya Angel as Esmeralda, Michael Lampard (Clopin), Ben Clark (Captain Phoebus), Fem Belling (Sister Gadule), Paul Hogan (Lady of the House), Sean Hutton (Jehan) and Julee Johnson (Fleur De Lis).
