When the movie “Moulin Rouge!” hit theaters in 2001, most people had never seen anything like it. Not only was it a musical but it was one without original music. All the songs performed in it were pop songs that already existed, and many of them were mashed up together to tell the story.
It’s surprising that it took almost 20 years for the show to be turned into a stage musical.
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“Moulin Rouge!” premiered on Broadway during the summer of 2019, and shut down in 2020 because of the pandemic. It reopened on Broadway in 2021, and went on to win the Tony award for best musical.
Fans of the movie will recognize some of the songs that are used in the stage production, as well as the plot and characters. What the musical version makes better is the use of way more pop songs that are used to tell the story of the show.
Jukebox musicals aren’t for everyone, but when done correctly, they can be super entertaining and fun. Just look at the success of “Mamma Mia,” which features the music of ABBA.
“Moulin Rouge!” borrow music from almost every time period, so there’s really a song for everyone to know, no matter what the age. At times it did feel a little corny (and a lot like an episode of “Glee”), but sometimes corny can be fun and campy. You could tell how much fun the audience and the actors were having while listening and performing some of these popular songs.
I don’t want to give out any major spoilers on what songs you’ll hear, but you will for sure want to be seated at the beginning of the second act. The performance is not only a crowd pleaser, but it’s also a song that almost anyone would know.
I knew the show was going to have glitz and glam, but I really wasn’t prepared for just how visually stunning it all was. From scenery, lights, makeup and costumes, it was all beyond professional. Especially the costumes. Not only did they match the time period of 1900 France, but they looked expensive and couture, just like they did in the 2001 movie.
So if you’re deciding on if you want to get tickets to this show, my advice is to just get them. With so many well known songs in the show, it’s the perfect one to go to, especially for anyone who isn’t a fun of musicals.
“Moulin Rouge!” plays at the Detroit Opera House from Sep. 18 - Oct. 6. You can get tickets at BroadwayInDetroit.com or by clicking or tapping here.
