Moulin Rouge

The Piccadilly Theatre

A choreography marvel of a show and production value that is off the scale! Ross Chisari slips into the role of Santiago like a glove, showing the incredible skills that swings have!

This is a sentimental show for 'Tab In The City', as it was the first show I saw when I moved to the big city! However, when my mum found out I was seeing this AGAIN without her, she was not very happy... Sorry mum.

If you haven't seen this show, then you SHOULD SHOULD SHOULD! Is it a masterpiece? Well, it's not theatre art, but it does have a great recipe that makes the show enjoyable for everyone. If you haven't seen Moulin Rouge the film before watching this, then I still urge you to watch it after; this is still on my to-do list! The score of the show is a mix of different modern songs; of course, it includes Lady Marmalade! The selection of well-known songs helps tell the tale. The songs include: Katy Perry's 'Firework', Rihanna's 'Only Girl in the World', the iconic 'El Tango de Roxanne' and some songs which are a mash-up of a selection of songs, a great example is 'Backstage Romance', and let me tell you that is a TREAT of a number. Whilst to the regular theatre go'er the songs can be a little cringeworthy, it's a great tactic to get more people to find their love for theatre, because they will know the songs! The quality of the production and how it is open to such a wide audience is what make the rating so high. If you manage to see this show without there being a birthday or hen party, it is very rare.

The storyline follows a young man, Christian, who has just moved to Paris from America and finds himself at the Moulin Rouge trying to convince the star of the establishment, the beautiful Satine, to allow him and his friends to show off some of their songwriting, using her as their singing vessel. The Moulin Rouge is struggling for money, and the owner, Harold Zidler, has just tried to set Satine up with the wealthy Duke to help convince him to give some money to the business... Satine thinks she's speaking to the Duke and thinks she's found her soulmate and a hero to save the Moulin Rouge. When she realises Christian isn't the Duke, this sparks the start of a tragic story of a love affair, and there is not one scene that isn't filled with drama!

The strongest cast members of this show are the ensemble; they are the backbone of this production and what make it such a high-quality show. Their ability to master the choreography and create the image of the Moulin Rouge on stage is incredible. They bring the magic to life. Let's just say if they were late to work and missed warm-up, they could do their bodies some real harm! Their dance technique and performance skills are of such a high standard that it's almost unreal. A huge mention to Ross Chisari, who usually plays Pierre or is a part of the incredible ensemble. For this performance, he played Santiago and what a show he puts on! He fully embodies the role; his comic timing and characterisation make the show fun and playful. 'Backstage Romance' was his big moment to shine, and he shone bright! His dance skills, acting and singing were immaculate. The fact that he slips into these different roles is incredible in the show! His on-stage relationship with Toulouse-Lautrec played by Dex Lee, who is his partner in crime, was a great contrast, and they are a powerful pair on the stage.

Moulin Rouge is an experience, and it transports you to Paris just for a few hours. The set is grand, big and colourful. It will blow you away. There are some insane set designs and moments within the show which will drop your jaw to the floor. They did not skip any details. It's a show that, whilst the content's quality isn't groundbreaking, the experience of being there and the huge audiences that it does bring in is what is so groundbreaking about the show. It is a bucket list show for theatre goers and is worth watching! So bring everyone you know, because there is something in it for everyone!

I still regret not buying the Moulin Rouge blanket... The merch selection was also brilliant.