A company of more than 50 people will take to the stage for the UK professional premiere of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, coming to the Prince Edward Theatre later this month.
Ben Joyce will star as Quasimodo, with Zachary James as Claude Frollo, Christine Allado as Esmerelda, Dex Lee as Captain Phoebus and Adam Strong as Clopin.
The role of Quasimodo will be BSL interpreted on-stage by Oliver Hewing.
The cast is completed by Lois Mia Chapman, Davide Fienauri, Caleb Lagayan, Emma Lloyd, Anna Marya Smith, Fanja Parent and Aaron Rahn. There will also be a 20-piece choir from London Voices.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame has music and lyrics from the 1996 animated film by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz and additional songs written for the musical by Menken and Schwartz, a book by Peter Parnell and will be directed by Jonathan O’Boyle with musical direction by Alan Williams.
The concert will have choreography by Mark Smith, lighting design by Jamie Platt, costume design by Alice McNicholas, sound design by Sound Quiet Time, casting direction by Harry Blumenau, production management by Toby P Darvill for Production Solutions Group and creative signing consultation by Kevin Jewell.
The orchestra includes Jonathan Lee (leader; violin), Laura Melhuish (violin), Ciaran McCabe (violin), William Hillman (violin), Millie Ashton (violin), Rebecca Bill (violin), Rachel Robson (viola), Elaine Ambridge (viola), Nerys Richards (cello), Dave Hornberger (cello), Adam Higgs (double bass), Jack Reddick (Flute/Piccolo/Clarinet/ Soprano Saxophone), Hannah Lawrance (Alto Saxophone/Clarinet), Janey Miller (Oboe/Cor Anglais), Alice Lee (Baritone Saxophone/Bass Clarinet/Bassoon), Russell Bennett (Trumpet I/Piccolo Trumpet); Angela Whelan (Trumpet II/Flugelhorn); Chris Augustine (Trombone/Bass Trombone/Euphonium); Anna Douglass (French Horn); James Turner (Drum/Percussion); Alan Berry (Keyboard I) and Mark Etherington (Keyboard II).
The Hunchback of Notre Dame first opened in Berlin in 1999, with a book by James Lapine, under the German name Der Glöckner von Notre Dame. it ran for more than 1,200 performances and was seen by 1.4 million people. In 2014, a new version premiered in San Diego with a new book by Peter Parnell and additional songs from Menken and Schwartz. This version has gone on to be produced by multiple US regional theatres and has had productions in Japan and Germany.
The London production at Prince Edward Theatre will have three performances, 3pm and 7:30pm on Sunday, August 17, 2025, and 6pm on August 24, 2025. Tickets here.
Top image: (L-R) Ben Joyce, Zachary James, Christine Allado, Dex Lee and Adam Strong (headshots supplied)