Theatre Review: Moulin Rouge at the Bristol Hippodrome

Moulin Rouge

Where: Bristol Hippodrome

Dates: 26th June – 9th August

Timing: 2 hours 40 minutes (with a 20-minute interval)

Rating: ★★★★

“Just because you can-can, doesn’t mean you should.”

Life is for truth, beauty, freedom and love: or at least that’s what the bohemians would have you believe. Moulin Rouge arrived in Bristol with a bang for its stint at the Hippodrome last week, before the show continues on its world tour to Birmingham, Dublin, and Zurich.

I’ve seen and endured my fair share of jukebox musicals. Since Mamma Mia exploded onto the theatre scene in 1999, an incredible number of dubious productions have made their way onstage. I’m glad to say that Moulin Rouge! is not one of them. 

This show is of course based on the 2001 film from Baz Luhrmann, a kaleidoscopic confection of melodrama, glitter and of course, more pop hits than you could shake a baton at. Translating all of those wacky camera angles and celebrity cameos into a worthy ode to its source material was always going to be a difficult task. 

Moulin Rouge! mostly succeeds. The set design from Tony award-winning Derek McLane elevates the entire production: the set is open, and seductive, mysterious dancers lure the audience to gaze into the cavernous depths of the stage as they file in. This musical is by its very definition chaotic, but the frenetic scene changes are handled with slick efficiency.

The cast are the other runaway success of this production. Verity Thompson, Nate Landskroner and Cameron Blakeley lead the cast with panache, with Thompson’s vocals being particularly impressive as the tragic Satine. James Bryers brings some sexy Captain Hook energy to his role as The Duke, and Rodrigo Negrini’s dancing to Bad Romance/Toxic was a particular highlight. 

The cast and design unfortunately could not save the show from some poor musical choices. The more traditional, burlesque-leaning songs such as Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend excel in the sumptuous setting, so when you hear the opening lines of Firework, the dissonance is disconcerting. Some may argue that this is very much aligned with the original film, however with the opening lines of Chandelier, the show’s indulgent escapism disintegrates and leaves you in a sticky nightclub circa 2017.

Once you get past the regrettable inclusion of Sia and our favourite feminist astronaut, the show remains a great night out: just ask the two ladies next to us who seemingly got this show mixed up with Bingo Lingo at Motion. This show will make you want to sing along: but just remember, just because you can-can, doesn’t mean you should.

To experience Moulin Rouge for yourself, head to www.atgtickets.com to book tickets.