Why Moulin Rouge! The Musical is the sparkling diamond of the West End

It’s immersive

London’s Piccadilly Theatre transports you to the dark and decadent world of 19th-century Paris. However, the journey back in time (and across the English Channel) starts long before the curtains rise. In fact, it begins before you even step foot into the theatre. Standing on Denman Street, just off Piccadilly Circus, you can see the bright red windmill of the infamous Moulin Rouge spinning. (There’s also a smaller one turning just above its main doors, making it twice as impressive as the venue it’s based on!). It’s easy to forget that you are in the heart of theatreland, and not in the depths of Paris. (had you taken the wrong turn, and accidently ended up on the Eurostar at Kings Cross?) Inside the auditorium, deep crimson drapes decorate the ceiling, and a giant blue jewelled elephant looks on from the royal box. There are tiny details everywhere, the small lamps on the walls are decorated with gold gilded windmills, crystal chandeliers hang in dark corners. There’s another giant lit-up windmill facing the giant elephant, and a bright neon sign that dominates the stage. Behind the neon sign, that declares, if there was any doubt, that you were in the Moulin Rouge, giant concentric hearts loom large. It is a story of love and lust after all. Speaking of…

Sword swallowers, showgirls and smoking men (in both senses of the word) parade around the auditorium as you make your way to your seat. They walk across the stage, slowly dance on top of podiums, and drape themselves over bannisters and against the walls. A black shining platform cuts through the Can Can seats at the front of the auditorium, where the company members strut and shimmy inches away from you. The atmosphere is fizzing, and the anticipation grows. Then the lights go down, the show is about to begin.

The songs have been supersized

Justin Levine, the show's music supervisor, set himself up in a hotel closet (for the acoustics, he hadn’t had a breakdown) and recorded himself singing and playing demos of how music might be used in the show. He mixed the vocals on his laptop and sent them off to the Rolling Stones management, who had previously refused rights to the 2001 film. They were blown away by the energetic and electric tone, and immediately told him the musical could have the Stones catalogue for the show. Thanks to Levine’s impromptu recording studio session, the dastardly Duke now introduces himself to Satine with the Stones classic, Sympathy for the Devil.

Sympathy for the Devil is just one of the 70+ songs credited to 161 writers that take centre stage in the musical. As well the much loved, well-known classics, including Lady Marmalade, Because We Can, Come What May and Children of the Revolution new songs are added into the mix, with smash hits from Adele, Beyonce, Lady Gaga and Sia.

Incredibly, almost third of the musical’s numbers are used in just one song!  The epic mash-up Elephant Love Medley, features lines and arrangements ranging from a-ha’s Take On Me to Tina Turner’s What’s Love Got to Do With It.

It’s not restricted to one location

Just like the famous windmill, adaptations of the multi award winning stage show keep going on and on and on! In fact, from August this year the musical will have played in more than nine territories! Tres bon!

The world dominating musical began life as a month-long developmental workshop in New York City. Since then, the production has opened its red draped doors around the world. The first full length run of the powerful production opened in Boston in 2018. Due to phenomenal success the musical was extended before transferring to Broadway, where it is still running to this day.

It is currently playing on Broadway, the West End, performing a North American tour, and in Cologne, Germany. It opens in Tokyo and Osaka in June 2024 and premieres in The Netherlands in September 2024. Past productions have included Tokyo (2023), Seoul (2023) and a sold-out Australian tour (2021-2024).

It’s a multi, multi award winner

The mega musical has been nominated for more than 50 awards, including a Grammy for Best Musical Theatre Album.

The original Broadway production took home ten Tony awards, the most for any show at the 74th ceremony, including Best Musical and Best Direction. It was named a Critic's Pick by The New York Times, with Ben Brantley calling it ‘a cloud-surfing, natural high of a production.’ The production was also hailed ‘a thrilling burst of colour and chorus and nostalgia and bold reimagining’ by Erin Strecker.

The West End production was nominated for five Olivier and five WhatsOnStage awards, including Best New Musical, and took home the prize for Best Costume Design. It also won six BroadwayWorld UK awards including Best Musical, Best Choreography and Best Direction. The Telegraph praised the show, claiming it is ‘A divinely decadent fantasia that pulses with excitement’.

The audiences agree with the critics and have been flocking to the musical in droves since it first opened. In fact, 4% of the entire population of Australia have already seen the Sydney production, with the number growing by the day!

It is the diamond of the West End

Moulin Rouge! The Musical has been playing in London at the Piccadilly Theatre since November 2021, and has been the shining diamond of the West End ever since. The critically acclaimed, award winning show is directed by two-time Tony award winner Alex Timbers, with a book by Tony award winning playwright, John Logan. Dom Simpson left the missionaries at the Book of Mormon (where he starred as Elder Price in the Broadway and West End productions) to take on the role of Christian. He is joined by West End wonder Tanisha Springs (Groundhog Day, Thriller Live, The Prince of Egypt) as Satine.

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