The highly anticipated and much delayed ‘Moulin Rouge’ is finally open and ready to entertain us – and what a show it is, and isn’t.
‘Moulin Rouge’ has the razzle, the dazzle, super amazing sets, the famous windmill, great costumes etc. and there’s a huge elephant in the room – literally and figuratively.
While the blue elephant overlooks the stage, the other elephant is the book (written by John Logan and which is based on the Baz Luhrmann 2001 film musical of the same name), which is very thinly stitched together by pop songs, and a love story that’s a bit weak, acted and sung by two leads who don’t quite give us what we want and crave. It’s a show that should be larger than life but actually just gets by with it’s sets, lighting, choreography, orchestration, sound, venue and especially the supporting cast.
One can’t help but notice that ‘Moulin Rouge’ is similar in style to ‘Cabaret,’ which has stolen all the thunder.
The Moulin Rouge is in threat of closing down, and it’s compere and director Harold Zidler (the wonderful and funny Clive Carter) strikes a deal with the Duke of Monroth (an ok Simon Bailey) who promises to invest in the Moulin Rouge to save it from financial ruin. This is in exchange for part ownership of the club, and possession of its star chanteuse Satine (Liisi LaFontaine – a perfect name for a theatre actress). But you see Satine has fallen in love with penniless songwriter Christian (Jamie Bogyo). Nonetheless the show must go on. While the Moulin Rouge performers pretend to create a new show for the Duke to impress him, complications abound from every angle, but the excellent back up cast (including Jason Pennycooke and Elia Lo Tauro as Christian’s mates) makes you forget the weak and unbelievable storyline in the show that brings us 74 pop songs (Chandelier, Firework, Single Ladies, Bad Romance) that thread the story together, giving you a sense of deja vu (‘& Juliet’ does it so so much better, and original).
There are lots of memorable moments in the show (Lady Marmalade in the opening number, and the set is just simply delicious and amazing – Paris skyline, romantic themes including an endless wall of hearts, the fabulous Moulin Rouge sign) so all of this is worth the price of admission (tickets range from £49 to top tier £225). While LaFontaine might be trying a bit too hard, and Bogyo, starring in his first West End musical, is not quite West End ready. But, yes, it’s nice to be back in the theatre again, and ‘Moulin Rouge’ just about ticks that box! Enjoy!
Review by Tim Baros