Review: MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL at Murat Theatre -- Their Gift Is Their Song
MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL is irresistible from start to finish.
No words in the vernacular can truly describe this experience. MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL is a splendid reimagining of the film that enchanted audiences back in 2001. It is sweet, sexy, sad, funny, intense, and the list goes on. MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL is irresistible from start to finish.
The Broadway stages have seen many film to musical adaptations, and with each one comes the pressure to match the film’s iconic moments and talents. In this case, the film’s headliners were Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor. How do you follow that? The musical’s creators came up with some ingenious ways to mimic the original glory of the film while making the musical its own entity. Primarily, they took the jukebox approach to a new level by making the entire show a seemingly endless merry go round of mash-ups that includes more modern songs. Add in radiant costume designs by Catherine Zuber, striking lighting design by Justin Townsend, and it’s no wonder it won so many awards when it hit Broadway. The results are intoxicating.
There’s no way to pull off this production without a robust and talented cast. Everyone on that stage was practically vibrating with energy from the moment the curtain lifted and even before. The individuals were captivating and the collective experience was exceptional. It’s also a very physical production with incredibly intricate choreography and fast pacing.
As always, there are standouts among the cast, but an argument could be made to list them all one by one because it truly was a combined effort and effect. But it would frankly be unfathomable not to mention Ariana Rosario as Satine, the Sparkling Diamond herself. Rosario brought together two truths about Satine. She is both a coquette and a victim. The switch from dazzling performer to vulnerable young woman was palpable. It’s also clear that she worked closely with Christian Douglas (Christian) to bring a touch of tenderness to the main love story. Their tight harmonies and forbidden love brought deep moments to contrast the glittering chaos.
In a story that centers on a troupe of enticing female performers, it was interesting to see the leading men draw the limelight. Apart from Satine, most of the female roles don’t lend themselves to considerable character development, but the sisterhood among the performers was clear. They had their moments in song and dance, and their dancing could have lit the stage on fire with its passion and intensity.
Among the men, Robert Petkoff as Harold Zidler was the consummate Master of Ceremonies. His boundless energy and insatiable desire for fun kept the audience clapping, laughing, and engaged. He, like Rosario, chose key moments to drop the performer’s mask and show the fear of a man who has been bested by his circumstances. He was magnetic.
Andrew Brewer as The Duke of Monroth was dark and debonair. You love to hate him, and you love to listen to him sing. You could see how easy it would be to fall prey to the seduction of comfort. And the endurance of diamonds. The Duke meets his match, however, not just in Christian but in Toulouse-Lautrec, played by Nick Rashad Burroughs. Burroughs is the champion in this story. Although life has not been kind to Toulouse-Lautrec, he fights for the ideals that matter more than all the diamonds in the world: truth, beauty, freedom, and love.
Join the fun, answer the siren call, and find yourself a seat at MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL. Tickets are on sale now and are selling fast. You can see MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL at the Murat Theatre in Indianapolis until January 19th. Don’t miss it – it’s spectacular. Spectacular!
