Review: MOULIN ROUGE THE MUSICAL Is A Visual Spectacular At The Denver Center

I can safely say a lot of us musical nerds have been waiting far too long to see Moulin Rouge as a Broadway production, and thankfully the stage production does not disappoint.

Currently playing the Buell Theatre with the Denver Center for the Performing Arts on its national tour, Moulin Rouge is immediately an experience from the second you enter the venue. With a bit of preshow action onstage, the show starts immediately starts operating and a 10 and stays up there the whole time.

Similarly to the movie, we meet Christian (Conor Ryan), a writer being introduced to a cortisan named Satine (Courtney Reed) working at the famed club, where she's known as the Sparkling Diamond. She mistakes him for the Duke of Monroth (David Harris) who has been set up by owner Harold Zidler (Kent Overshown) to pull his club out of financial ruin. Of course, Satine falls for Christian and their love must exist in the shadows while they simultaneously perform a production the parallels the action in their own story.

In the original movie, many of the songs are covers or mashups of familiar love songs. It's almost as if the movie watched Glee and thought "YES, THAT!" while being adapted for the stage. It's a little campier yet remains true to the film's musical ideals. The iconic "Elephant Love Medley" for example isn't quite like you remember it, it feels like infused about 50 more songs. And Satine doesn't sign "One Day I'll Fly Away"...rather it's Katie Perry's "Firework" (sans the plastic bag moment, which i wished would have happened.)

The book by John Logan is likely the show's weakest spot, in contrast at least. There's a lot more energy given to the bohemian artist lifestyle, and smaller characters are far more fleshed out emotionally. But it feels as if they give you just a bit of dialogue before diving right back into the visual spectacles.

I don't recall the last time I saw a musical that paid such attention to featuring a ton of bright colors in thier lighting (design by Justin Townsend). Similarly, the set design (by Derek McClane) gorgeously provides the shows with layers of details scenic moments that keep your eyes wide.

I expected to leave a bit of a hater, but Moulin Rouge (like its done cinematically for the past couple decades) sucked me right back in. While I don't necessarily need a Broadway show to feel big and loud, Moulin Rouge gave me all that and more.

 

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