Come one, come all down to the Moulin Rouge!
I had the pleasure of seeing Moulin Rouge on Broadway this month, and there is nothing else I can say other than it truly made my dreams come true (iykyk). But let’s be a little more descriptive than that.
After years of being a fan of the movie and listening to the Broadway Cast Recording, I was finally able to see the show live – and boy did it live up to the hype. The set, costuming, music, and performance all made for an incredible jukebox musical. And coming from me, a jukebox musical self-proclaimed hater, that is a compliment.
Let me first talk about the set and costuming. Walking into the theater, you truly feel immersed into the set. The hue of red lighting, the large iconic windmill looming from the stage, the immaculate velvet walls. It feels like the set designer thought of every detail to transport you to late 19th century France and walked into the iconic cabaret venue. If you were fortunate to snag front row seating, you were sat at tables that get the best interaction within the show, as the stage juts out into the first few rows and encompasses the tables like a true cabaret.
For the preshow, dancers and special performers traverse the stage setting the scene while the audience trickles in for the main event. Even as someone who sat in the last row, I felt the whole vibe and mood that the designers, composers, and choreographers created for the show.
Moving onto the main event, I must give a hats off to the cast. As much as I love the show, I will be honest in saying my main draw was the return of Derek Klena in the role of Christian. He truly captivates you in his performance with the rawness of his vocals and heart he portrays in the character. I felt every choice he made in the show felt natural in moving the story along effectively.
Another notable mention to the bohemians themselves, Toulouse and Santiago. Their comedic timing was impeccable and gave such a light air to their scenes that brought a much needed break from some of the more serious moments. I cannot forget to mention the pure talent that Courtney Reed is as Satine who takes you along her journey as a woman who loves to perform, but must cater to the early 20th century woes of a misogynistic era. Let me tell you girl, I felt you.
Overall, I would rate this version of the show a 9 out of 10. The only point deduction was taken off by the audience. There was a rude seat stealing debacle a few rows in front of me right before the show started during the pre show. The ushers did a fantastic job sorting that out, but come on people! It seemed that given the jukebox familiarity of the show it draws in an audience that does not always understand theater etiquette as many people throughout the show would look at their phones with – I swear – full brightness on. Don’t be rude guys.
In all seriousness though, if you are looking for a fun, sexy, yet heartwarming night out with friends or a date, go see this show! Bonus: Aaron Tveit, who was in the original cast, should be back very soon as well, and that is just as much of a treat as seeing it with Derek Klena!
