The film version shot Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman into the stratosphere and had us all singing Your Song on repeat back in 2001.
Now Moulin Rouge! is taking to the stage in London, opening for its UK Premiere at the Piccadilly Theatre in March 2021. Produced by Global Creatures, Moulin Rouge! The Musical is based on the Oscar-winning 20th Century Fox film by Baz Luhrmann.
Set in Paris in and around the famed Montmartre music hall and nightclub, the lavish story centres around struggling writer Christian and his love affair with Satine, a courtesan and dancer at the club.
It’s packed with French Bohemian glamour and romance, spectacular cancan dance performances and glorious songs, including the Elton John classic and a medley of famous love songs from U2 to Whitney Houston, performed on top of an elephant (yes, really, if you’ve not seen it).
It’s the sort of production you fall immediately and hopelessly in love with.
Paris, France- March 9, 2016: The Moulin Rouge by night in Paris, France. Moulin Rouge is a famous cabaret built in 1889, locating in the Paris red-light district of Pigalle
I saw the film version at a cinema in Canada and vividly remember, despite it being 18 years ago, turning to my cousin during an early scene where punters at the nightclub break into a spontaneous rendition of Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit while watching the cancan dancers and hissing “Oh my god – this is brilliant!” I was spellbound for the next two hours and (spoiler alert: this is not a love story that ends well) sobbed at the end.
The stage version won critical acclaim in New York after its opening on Broadway in July. It is directed by Tony Award nominee Alex Timbers, who is backed by a choreography and design team with multiple awards to its name.
“After ten years in development, and following the fantastic response to Moulin Rouge! The Musical in New York, we are thrilled to be sharing this musical with audiences in the UK. We can’t wait to bring the show to London!,” said producer Carmen Pavlovic of Global Creatures.
As in the film, Moulin Rouge! The Musical celebrates some of the greatest popular music of the last 50 years. The stage version includes many of the iconic songs from the movie and also features more recent hits released since 2001 to keep it current.
The Moulin Rouge! The Musical original Broadway Cast Album is available online – click here for more info.
As for the actual Moulin Rouge in 2019 – it’s still a venue for amazing cabaret, dance and music hall entertainment. Tickets for its Féerie show can be booked online at www.moulinrouge.fr .
And if you’re into celebrating stories of truth, beauty, freedom and love, register online now at www.moulinrougemusical.com as this is sure to be a sell-out.
