Review: Moulin Rouge! (Birmingham Hippodrome / World Tour)

Review by Clancy Haynes

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In the early 2000s, I had settled into a quiet and peaceful way of life. My wild child days of the 90s were over and I had yet to meet my husband and start our family. Some calm years were needed and some calm years I had. I had always been a bit of a film buff, so I took out a subscription for one of the first unlimited cinema tickets schemes and boy oh boy, did I get my money’s worth out of it. Several times a week, I would visit the (then) UCI cinema on Broad Street in Birmingham and watch whatever was available. At weekends, it would be two or three films a day. You name it, I saw it, probably more than once.

When the trailers played for Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 film Moulin Rouge, I knew that it was my sort of film. It wasmy sort of film. In fact, it was so my sort of film that I think I saw it in excess of 20 times at the cinema! Fast paced, fun song choices, joyous performances, frenetic camerawork, sumptuous costumes and sets – it was an incredible cinematic experience. When the stage show was announced nearly 20 years later, I was only surprised that it had taken that long to happen. Now on a world tour directed by Alex Timbers, Moulin Rouge! The Musical has arrived at the Birmingham Hippodromein the most spectacular fashion.

For the most part, the stage show follows the same story as the film, with some minor changes made that make narrative sense for the production. This is a story about truth, beauty, freedom and love. As we are reminded in a moving rendition of ‘Nature Boy’, “The greatest thing you’ll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return,” and that is the lesson Christian, a young, perhaps naïve, songwriter, does, indeed, learn. He arrives in Paris, penniless but full of hope, and is swiftly taken under the wing of artist Toulouse-Lautrec and his merry band of bohemians. They hatch a plan for Christian to obtain the artistic patronage of the Moulin Rouge’s sparkling diamond, Satine, who in turn, initially mistakes Christian for the wealthy duke she must seduce in order to save the venue and its staff from ruin. Much comedy ensues, until Satine and Christian genuinely fall in love and embark on a secret affair that, inevitably, ends in tragedy. A simple story, often told, but probably never as sumptuously as in this production.

As you enter the auditorium, you step into 19^th Century Paris as a patron of the famous Moulin Rouge, with the eponymous windmill and famous elephant flanking Derek McLane’s breathtaking stage of red and goldconcentric heart portals. Performers create sexy, burlesque tableaus and even an eye watering sword swallowing moment, adding to the feeling that you have been whisked back in time to a bohemian Montmartre. The set design in this show is stunning and I don’t think I have ever seen anything as good. The Hippodrome’s huge stage has seamlessly become a Parisian street, at least three incredibly distinctive apartments, the Paris skyline and the Moulin Rouge itself, with beautifully created backdrops and period accurate furniture adding depth and detail to intimate scenes and ensemble moments alike. Justin Townsend’s lighting was also impressive and, while its bright, multicoloured energy may not be for the faint hearted, it was dazzlingly impressive while at its most frantic, but alsobreathtakingly beautiful in its use of spotlights during more intimate moments in the show.

If you visit this show hoping for a song by song repeat of the film, you may be disappointed. Many of the songs remain, of course, but many have been removed to make room for new songs released during the period between the film and the stage production. This makes sense and the new songs work well, giving almost audience participation moments as we heard the first few lines of a song, and then giggled knowingly as werealised what it was. I particularly enjoyed a heartrending performance of Adele’s ‘Rolling in the Deep’ mashed with Gnarls Barclay’s ‘Crazy’ as Christian and Satine’s secret affair begins to unravel and she is forced to make some difficult choices to save the man and the family she loves.

Satine’s early rendition of Katy Perry’s ‘Firework’ is another new addition and provides the character withdepth. It is an effective choice to show the audience how the she feels about her life and the choices she has to make. With so many fantastic tracks, it’s hard to pick stand out moments, but Satine’s entrance as the ‘Sparkling Diamond,’ ‘El Tango de Roxanne,’ and ‘Come What May’ are certainly up there. The most memorable set piece, for me, was the ‘Elephant Love Medley’ that closes out the first act. As Christian woos Satine with a seemingly inexhaustible amount of love songs, the couple are lifted up onto the Parisian rooftops, to the gloriously lit Eiffel Tower itself, until they pledge their love for each other. This gloriously uplifting set piecebeautifully leaves the audience on a high note going into the interval, making the darker, more tragic second act even more devastating.

This production of Moulin Rouge! The Musical has an fantastically talented cast. Verity Thompson and Nate Landskroneras as Satine and Christian made an engaging, believable couple, performing both comedy and tragedy with ease. Their impressive vocals were central to many of the set pieces and when singing together, they created beautiful harmonies. Cameron Blakey, as Harold Zidler, lit up the stage every time he appeared, hamming it up when necessary, much to the delight of a spellbound audience. However, he also brought nuance and pathos in quieter moments, particularly in his later interactions with Satine.

The remainder of the main cast were also strong, again balancing both comedy and tragedy with ease. The ensemble of singers and dancers are a fabulous support, bringing joy and life to the Moulin Rouge, while also underscoring the fragile and fleeting nature of the career they have chosen as a way of keeping off the streets. Special mention to supporting cast membersKahlia Davis as Nini and Scott Sutcliffe as Baby Doll, who were standout in ensemble numbers.

Moulin Rouge the film has had a special place in my heart from the first time I saw it. Moulin Rouge! The Musical now sits alongside it. It is everything that musical theatre should be: colourful, dark, loud, quiet, funny, tragic. With an incredibly talented cast and sumptuous set design, this production is a feast for the eyes and the ears and is one of the most joyous theatre experiences I have had in a while. Wondering if you should book this show? If you can, can, can, then you should, should, should!

Moulin Rouge! The Musical is playing at the Birmingham Hippodrome until Saturday 15^th November 2025

For tour dates and tickets visit https://moulinrougemusical.co.uk/world-tour/

Photos by Matt Crockett