Piccadilly Theatre, 15/12/2021
Spectacular, spectacular! Moulin Rouge! The Musical has finally made its way across the pond from a successful opening on Broadway to grace the West End with its presence. With climbing ticket prices following increased demand, it is quickly becoming the hottest show in London. Luckily, we managed to see the show between Covid closures in December and had an amazing time; but will it run for 50 years? Read on to find out our 5 reasons to see Moulin Rouge! at the Piccadilly Theatre in the heart of London’s West End.
1. It’s a completely immersive theatre experience
The Piccadilly Theatre has had quite a makeover with the hosting of Moulin Rouge! The front of the theatre supporting those bold red letters and cute little working windmills is the tip of the iceberg. Inside, the dress circle bar has a pianist playing show tunes before entering the auditorium, where you are transported right into Montmatre as the padded velvet walls and deep red drapes hanging from the ceiling cover anything of the original theatre decor. Each side of the auditorium has a ‘bar’ the actors use in the pre-show, which above either has the notorious elephant and windmill fans of the film will recognise. The design of the theatre truly is breathtaking, and that’s before the show has even begun! The set throughout is impressive, completely changing the feel of the auditorium as the story progresses.
2. The energy from whole cast
Moulin Rouge! may well have the strongest opening sequence of any show we have seen. The first 15 minutes or so are absolutely mesmerising and such an explosion of music and choreography. The set, the costumes, the dancing. It’s all absolutely outstanding. The pace of the show and the energy from the cast doesn’t slow at any point; the audience are carried from scene to scene via the momentum of the whole show. The larger “full cast” numbers like ‘Backstage Romance’ and ‘El Tango De Roxanne’ showcase the cast’s abilities as performers perfectly.
3. The story is quite different from the film
It must be remembered that this show is based on the 2001 film of the same name, giving it a fresh interpretation and adapted for the stage. Events you remember from the film may not happen in exactly the same order, and some set pieces have been changed (or removed such as the dining scene with the Duke and Zidler). Between us, Kayley is a huge fan of the film and John hardly knew it going into the show. We both went in with open minds and were blown away. One way the stage show has improved is how the Duke is written to be much more of a threatening character and less of a laughing stock as he was in the film.
2. You’ll see some of our best West End stars and some new faces
This show really does boast a range of talent in the cast. From Olivier Award nominated Clive Carter (Come From Away) and Jason Pennycooke (Hamilton) to Pop Idol champion Zoe Birkett (Rock of Ages), this show is packed with performers who have so many strings to their bows. Not only that but our leading man Jamie Bogyo is making his professional debut in the most popular show in town. His performance as Christian is excellent as he encapsulates the naive nature and love obsessed traits of the character. When we saw the show, Tanisha Spring was on as Satine who was absolutely phenomenal, she commanded the stage in every scene and her prowess resonated the whole time she was on stage. This show is far from short of talent, it’s absolutely brimming with it.
5. It will have you feeling all the emotions
From the moment the show begins your heart is in your mouth. The awe-inspiring performances from the cast have you completely transfixed throughout. The blossoming love between Christian and Satine is undeniably infectious and the love that is felt for Satine by her friends and Zidler as her condition deteriorates is truly heartbreaking too. As Christian works up into a love and absinthe infused frenzy before the show’s gut-wrenching conclusion, the emotion in the auditorium is pensive as the audience goes through Christian’s emotional journey with him. The encore is bound to have you up out of your seat dancing and applauding the well-deserved bows from the whole company.
Moulin Rouge! The Musical really is as spectacular as people are saying. The entire show is captivating and is such an amazing experience we were dumb with wonderment and can see this show staying in the West End for years to come. Ticket prices are high, but it is worth the price, plus there’s more affordable seats in the upper circle with a great view. Don’t miss out on this fantastic show, go see it because you can can can!
The Stagey Couple 