Robert Petkoff and the cast of the North American tour of “Moulin Rouge! The Musical”, Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
Moulin Rouge!, Baz Luhrmann’s kinetic and hyper-stylized musical extravaganza, swept me off my feet back in 2001. Jukebox musicals are ubiquitous now, but I wasn’t used to popular songs being anachronistically wedged into a storyline. And that story—a dying Parisian courtesan falling in love with a penniless musician while being betrothed to a tyrannical duke—was told with such an exhilarating fusion of full-on camp and utter sincerity. The film’s elephant love medley seemed the pinnacle of the form, pulling from a dozen songs in only four minutes.
In the more than twenty years since that film’s release, the well of pop hits has deepened and the creators of Moulin Rouge! The Musical have drawn extensively from it. There are, wow, so many songs! The music credits list 75, though some feature in the show for only a verse or two. The film was already a lot, and this production (in a tour presented by Mirvish) is, astonishingly, more! I was once again swept up in the flamboyant spectacle.
John Logan’s book for this stage adaptation follows the story pretty closely. One of the most striking additions is an established relationship between the dying courtesan Satine (Arianna Rosario) and the artist Toulouse-Lautrec (Nick Rashad Burroughs). Giving them history makes their dynamic more compelling while also expanding the story to suit the needs of an extended running time. It also creates a bittersweet camaraderie between Toulouse and Christian (Christian Douglas).
I greatly appreciate how queer this re-telling is, filling the raucous numbers with gender-defying outfits and sensual pairings to satisfy all persuasions. Harold Zidler himself (Robert Petkoff), intensely charismatic impresario of the Moulin Rouge, is something of a gay icon here. Is he my favourite character now? Possibly. His rendition of Sia’s “Chandelier” during an absinthe-fuelled hallucination is a whole mood.
Musically, there’s a lot of exciting new arrangements of familiar tunes. There are the standards from the film, like the “Roxanne” tango. Of the many surprising additions, I was quite taken with the second act opener—a stunning mash-up of “Bad Romance” and “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This).” Rosario’s “Firework” is the most stirring solo vocal performances of the show.
Director Alex Timbers’ staging is—as corny as this sounds—a visual feast. Derek McLane’s scenic design offers plenty of luscious settings. Though projections are present, scintillating embellishments to Justin Townsend’s garish and evocative lighting design, they aren’t relied upon too heavily. An array of textured flats, fabrics and furniture ground each environment. The neon L’amour sign, in that distinctive Coca-Cola font, hanging whimsically in the night sky is one of several iconic visuals from the film that appear here. The concentric heart-shaped frames in varied textures are dizzying, especially in the foremost rows of the theatre where their massive scale overwhelms.
Catherine Zuber’s collection of gorgeous costumes augment the period-ish attire with contemporary embellishments that pop. Flashy can-can dresses are featured prominently, of course. Of the many stunning looks, I am particularly obsessed with the top-hatted men in exposed-shoulder tuxedos—a ridiculously sexy getup, of which I got a satiating eyeful.
Speaking of sexy, while Douglas’ Christian (our leading man) is suitably endearing, Danny Burgos’ Santiago (an Argentine playboy) is more, uh… compelling. As is Andrew Brewer’s evil Duke. Though it’s not uncommon for villains to have a certain edge on their good guy counterparts, the Duke’s persona in the film was not nearly so flattering. Don’t get me wrong, we do hate how he treats Satine in the later half of the story, but at first, he doesn’t seem a bad catch at all.
Sonya Tayah’s tight and entrancing choreography completes the lavish gestalt, urgently pulling us into this intoxicating, fancifully escapist take on 19th century romance. Women in love dying tragically of consumption! Bohemians fighting for Truth, Beauty, Freedom and Love! The Eiffel Tower! Yes, Moulin Rouge! The Musical is unapologetically schmaltzy and extravagant. If you’re up for that, enjoy!
Moulin Rouge! The Musical
running November 19 to January 12, 2025
CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre (244 Victoria St)
running time: 2 hours, 35 mins (includes intermission)
The cast of the North American Tour of “Moulin Rouge! The Musical”, Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman