By: Lim Yen Siu and Yasmeen Banu
“There’s always an extra edge when there’s, you know, people there. That edge makes a little magic sometimes,” said Matt Laurent, who plays the character Quasimodo, when asked about his feelings when he performs on stage. And magical it was. An emotionally charged story, Notre Dame de Paris is a beautifully told love story that has a tragic ending.
As a mesmerizing gypsy, Esmeralda, a character encapsulated by Alessandra Ferrari, captures the hearts of three different men: an outcast, a priest and a prince. Thus begins the telling of the darker side of love, where notes of betrayal, passion, sin, maliciousness, obsession, and at the end of it all, self-sacrifice, tugged masterfully at the heartstrings of the audience.
Originally a novel written by Victor Hugo – renowned author of Les Miserables – and readapted to modern times, the musical was wonderfully portrayed with powerful acrobatic movements interspersed with soulful ballads and hair-raising harmonies. The parkour-trained dancers will leave you in awe while the energy and sheer vocal power of the rest of the cast will take you through a musical journey that will at times leave you breathless, and at other times leaving you helpless as you share the pain and turmoil the individual characters’ experience.
Setting-wise, the intricate three-part stage was beautifully constructed and fully utilised by the experienced cast through expert staging and lighting techniques, which added to the drama of the musical.
Be a part of the magic by catching the show at the Marina Bay Sands Mastercard Theatres from now till 5 January 2014. Shows occur at 8pm from Tuesday to Sunday, with an added afternoon performance at 2pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Ticket prices range from $55 – $175 and purchasers even stand to win tickets to Paris! Check out http://www.notredamedeparis.sg/ for more details.
