“Welcome to the Moulin Rouge”: Moulin Rouge welcomes new cast to the Piccadilly Theatre

Truth, Beauty, Freedom and Love. These are the things that Moulin Rouge encapsulates throughout its performance. The production was quick to capture audiences and soon became one of the most coveted tickets on the West End and this continues to this day.

The audience is immersed into the glamourous and sexual world of the Moulin Rouge as soon as they step into the auditorium. It is astounding how they have transformed the theatre, with strings of fairy lights, a giant elephant, and the iconic red windmill. It is an easy way for free promotion as audiences instantly grab their phones to show the world the rouge paradise they have entered. All this immerses you into the world as well as the slight pre-show of the actors walking around the space and interacting with each other.

By the time the show starts, the audience are already filled with excitement, and the show does not disappoint. Immediately, the stage is filled with can-can dancers, flowy skirts, sparks of fire and more. Everything about the show’s production is precise from the immaculate set design which varies from the Moulin Rouge to the dirty streets of France, to the costumes that are gorgeous and extravagant. The lighting design of this show also must be commended. A single spotlight can make a small movement fill the stage, the different shades represent the different emotions and atmospheres of the story. This combined with the sound design and choreography makes the show impact you as an audience member, it makes moments stay with you as you leave.

The choreography of the show is truly amazing. The way the girls can bend and stretch their limbs is remarkable and so true to the traditional dances of the Moulin Rouge. The show also goes from style to style, from can-can to tango to contemporary, etc. The highlight of the dancing has to be the opening of Act 2 called “Backstage Romance”. It is one of the best openings of a second act and is extremely fun to watch. The choreography holds such an intensity, yet all the moves are precise and clean, with the number ranging from slow to fast, from group work to a sultry tango/rumba vibe, it is truly fantastic. All of the show's choreography is well-thought out and you can tell that even just the slightest moment has meaning behind it and tells the audience something. If you watch someone different each night, you will get a unique experience, exploring different characters and background stories.

Jamie Muscato stars as Christian, our love-sick bohemian. He is a delight in this role and his singing has improved even more since Heathers. Every note was dream-like and effortless which is perfect for his character. However, it’s his acting that also showcases why this is his best role. He embraces the quirks of Christian, the shy and loveable dork that he is and then gives us the most gut-wrenching portrayal of his Act 2 arc that hits the audience right in the heart. His “El Tango De Roxanne” was an absolute showstopper, the applause after was as thunderous as everyone's heartbeats as he stole everyone’s breath with his raw emotion and incredible vocals. The choices he made throughout the number show that he has put thought into making Christian his own and therefore he was able to shock the audience. 

Moulin Rouge set, photo taken by Matt Crockett

The sequence from “Chandelier” to “El Tango De Roxanne” to “Crazy Rolling” is the highlight of the show for Christian, watching his character break apart, all whilst belting these intense numbers. He is the ‘Sparkling Diamond’.

Melissa James stars as Satine, the actual ‘Sparkling Diamond’, the star of the Moulin Rouge. Her performance was gorgeous. Her smile is extremely captivating and contagious which makes it even more gut-wrenching when she goes through the rough sections of her story. The contrast from her ‘Sparkling Diamond’ persona and the actual Satine is heart-breaking but astounding. The power she holds when she’s performing is perfect for the character.

The one flaw in the production is parts of the plot. It is understandable that the plot is written rather ironically and with a lot of satire, alike the movie, however, the musical suffers the same issue which is that it switches between satire and very serious moments and sometimes it is hard to decipher for the audience. For example, “Firework” which is meant to be Satine’s emotional ballad, can be seen as quite funny initially due to the clunky way that it is introduced, especially with the new TikTok trend of cheesy jukebox musicals. The storyline of Satine’s illness is also mentioned briefly and forgotten about until the plot needs it again which in turn makes the audience forget about the underlying issue too. This is vital as it is a major plot point that drives most of the second act's climax. Some of the soundtrack can also be seen as quite cheesy and the constant mashing-up of songs works on occasion but sometimes it can feel like the producers are trying to fit in more songs than the audience or actors can handle into one number. 

In general, the production is more impressive than its soundtrack, and the atmosphere of the show is a once in a lifetime. It is one of the most fun-filled theatres on the west and if you can get tickets, you should. It is an instantly amazing night out.

 

Moulin Rouge is currently running at the Piccadilly Theatre.

You can book tickets and find out more at https://www.moulinrougemusical.co.uk/