Camilla
made her West End debut in the London version of Notre-Dame de Paris.
This musical has taken Europe and Canada by storm since 1998.
It's composed by Richard Cocciante, written by Luc Plamondon and
translated by Will Jennings. The show was directed by Gilles
Maheu, choreographed by Martino Müller and produced in London by
Michael White.
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Camilla
appeared at the Dominion Theatre from the first shows in
May 2000 until the final performance on 6th October 2001. She began as being Tina Arena's standby to play Esmeralda, and gradually became the principal Esmeralda plus understudied the role of Fleur-de-Lys. |
Notre-Dame de Paris is based on Victor Hugo's
novel "The Hunchback of Notre-Dame". It's the story of
the hunchback Quasimodo and his tragic love for the
gypsy Esmeralda.
Quasimodo, watching the world from
the spires of Notre-Dame, has fallen in love with Esmeralda, who sings and dances in
the square in front of the great cathedral. But Esmeralda loves Phoebus, the
handsome captain of the King's cavalry. Phoebus is
engaged to Fleur-de-Lys, a young wealthy socialite,
but is soon captivated by the exotic sensuality of the gypsy
girl.
Adding to this complicated emotional web is the lust Esmeralda inspires in the 
priest,
Frollo. It is Frollo who enslaved Quasimodo
and kept him in the cathedral. The priest's repressed carnal
desires and jealousy lead him to stab Phoebus in order
to get rid of his rival.
Esmeralda herself is falsely accused
of the attempted murder and flung in jail. Frollo takes
advantage of Esmeralda's plight and offers her
freedom in return for sexual favours. She refuses and, enraged,
he plots his revenge.
Quasimodo frees Esmeralda and hides her in his
realm, the belfry of Notre-Dame. 
But Clopin, the
leader of the refugees, and his people, misunderstand Quasimodo's
intentions and storm the cathedral to save the gypsy dancer. In
the chaos, Phoebus and his soldiers intervene to quell
the riot and Clopin is killed.
Thinking that the captain will save Esmeralda, Quasimodo allows Frollo
to hand his love over to Phoebus. But, in fact, Phoebus
has every intention of seeing Esmeralda hang. In his rage, Quasimodo
throws Frollo from the Belfry and sets out to save Esmeralda
once again. He is too late. Consumed with grief, the hunchback
takes Esmeralda to Paris' mass grave, where
he dies at her side.
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