Even without Kidman, Moulin Rouge oozes glitz and glamour
Moulin Rouge! Al Hirschfeld Theatre, New York ★★★★☆
The audacious director Baz Luhrmann has never been afraid of stylish excess, as his vibrant, often dizzying 2001 film
Moulin Rouge! demonstrated. And although this $28million (£22million) stage musical isn’t a seamless Broadway transfer, it’s still a lavish, rollicking production (from director Alex Timbers and book writer John Logan), which serves up some suitably splendid visuals and vocals.
The film, famously, had Nicole Kidman and Ewan Mcgregor as Satine and Christian bursting into contemporary pop songs as they fell in love in early 20th-century Paris. Boasting extravagant design and fast-paced editing, it was influenced more by music videos than musical theatre. Logan, an Oscar-nominated screenwriter, here attempts – not always successfully – a deeper dive into plot and character (references to Satine’s past as a prostitute feel slight and fail to add weight to the character), but he keeps the core love story in place.
Aaron Tveit is the earnest Christian, a poor, aspiring writer who falls for Karen Olivo’s sultry but worldweary Satine, the headline act at the celebrated Paris club. Although she returns his affections, Moulin Rouge owner Harold Zidler (Danny Burstein) is counting on her to satisfy the desires of the Duke of Monroth (Tam
Mutu), whose money Harold needs to keep the nightspot solvent.
A lot of the star power of this production lies behind the scenes. Capturing the lush aesthetic of the film, designer Derek Mclane outfits the Al Hirschfeld Theatre in red and gold, transforming it into the nightclub itself, with the windmill exterior on one side of the stage and a giant elephant on the other. As the audience take their seats, dancers wearing very little stretch and strike poses, setting the mood.
Choreographer Sonya Tayeh gives the bustling ensemble, awash in a rainbow of colours from costume designer Catherine Zuber, exhilarating, sexy dances – from the cancan and tango to jazz and hip-hop. Musical supervisor and arranger Justin Levine has pieced together a score containing 70 songs, both full numbers and excerpts.
Some of the music has been carried over from the film: Elton John’s Your Song, love theme Come What May and a sumptuous rendition of Nature Boy. More highlights come from tunes that hadn’t been written when the movie was released, such as Walk the Moon’s catchy Shut Up and Dance, Outkast’s pulsating Hey Ya!, and songs by Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, and Katy Perry.
Moulin Rouge! may not reach the dramatic heights of great Broadway musicals (Rodgers and Hammerstein have nothing to worry about), but it’s been playing to capacity crowds since performances began in late June. And why not? It’s fun, tuneful and entertaining, and that’s exactly what we need right now.
Booking until Feb 2 2020. Tickets: moulinrougemusical.com