Birmingham Hippodrome- until 15th November 2025
Reviewed by Emma Millward
5*****
Moulin Rouge! The Musical has arrived at Birmingham Hippodrome, becoming one of the first theatres outside of London to host the show. The production team have transformed the already beautiful auditorium into a spectacular red and golden hued backdrop for the show. A sparkling Moulin Rouge sign fills the stage, whilst the boxes are taken over by a working replica of the famous windmill and an exquisite blue elephant head. Before the show even began, dancers began to move across the stage and playfully interact with the crowd, and then the familiar notes of Lady Marmalade rang out and the crowd was ready to be entertained.
Based on Baz Luhrmann’s cult film, we follow the story of Christian (Nate Landskroner), an American songwriter who ventures to Montmartre to follow his dreams. He meets Toulouse-Lautrec (Kurt Kansley) and Santiago (Rodrigo Negrini) who introduce him to their bohemian lifestyle. They take Christian to the infamous Moulin Rouge to meet the courtesan Satine (Verity Thompson) hoping she can convince the owner Harold Zidler (Cameron Blakely) to commission their play. Zidler is relying on Satine to charm a rich aristocrat, The Duke (Josh Rose) into investing in the club. Satine mistakenly believes Christian to be the Duke and quickly falls for him. When Satine realises who Christian actually is, she is torn between her feelings and wanting to keep the controlling Duke happy for the sake of the club.
Verity Thompson dazzles as Satine. Nate Landskroner brings warmth and sincerity to Christian. The chemistry between them is apparent from their first scene together. Their vocal skills are also showcased throughout. Kurt Kansley and Rodrigo Negrini bounce off each other well as Toulouse-Lautrec and Santiago, and draw many laughs. Josh Rose played the Duke with just the right level of pompousness. Kahlia Davis, Summer Priest, Scott Sutcliffe and Ellie Jane Grant as the Moulin Rouge lead dancers provide comedic moments throughout and wow the crowd with energetic and sensual dance numbers sleekly choreographed by Sonya Tayeh. Special mention must be given to Cameron Blakely, who stole nearly every scene as the deliciously flamboyant Harold Zidler, especially during his hilarious curtain-call performance.
The show crams in over 70 songs, either in full, snippets or even as single lines. It’s definitely a well-packed jukebox musical. Songs range from songs by Adele, Elton John, Lady Gaga and Sia. The songs never feel out of place, although a few raise a knowing giggle from the crowd, especially when songs by artists such as Rick Astley pop up. Musical director Ben Ferguson and the talented band create a beautiful score that manages to flip from genre to genre without it feeling too jarring for the audience’s ears.
The direction by Alex Timbers is tight and maintains the hectic pace. The book by John Logan is not totally faithful to the original and does slightly alter a few of the storylines. The set design by Derek McLane is breathtaking, combined with the sultry lighting by Justin Townsend that showcases the magnitude of the sets, but also creates moodier lighting for the quieter Parisian backstreet scenes. The costume design by Catherine Zuber is exquisite, especially the bright Can-Can dresses during the finale
This show never aims to be subtle, it’s loud and a feast for all the senses. All in all, Moulin Rouge! The Musical is bold, beautiful and so very bohemian!