Moulin Rouge! The Musical brings Baz Luhrmann’s iconic film to the stage with a new cast, a vibrant soundtrack from Offenbach to Lady Gaga, and the lively energy of the Cancan dance. Through its iconic love story, award-winning creative team and music spanning generations, the musical transported us into a state of mind shaped by truth, beauty, freedom and love.
The story tells the tale of Christian, an infatuated American writer, and Satine, the remarkable star of the Moulin Rouge nightclub. The two fall hopelessly in love, but their relationship is challenged by a wealthy and entitled patron and the nightclub’s unstable financial future. In an attempt to save the Moulin Rouge and ultimately win Satine’s heart, Christian creates a musical spectacular of his own. The story balances intimacy and drama, while illustrating the conflict between love, money and power.
The Cast
The new cast revives the production, bringing to life both the emotional depth of the story and the lavish world of the Moulin Rouge. Christian and Satine form the emotional heart of the musical, while Harold Zidler, the nightclub’s host and impresario, adds tension and theatrical flair. Christian’s Bohemian friends, the brilliant artist Toulouse-Lautrec and Paris’s greatest tango dancer, Santiago, help him stage his spectacular, while also strengthening the production’s bohemian spirit and dramatic intensity. Together, the cast moves the musical between romance, conflict and celebration, adding to the show’s tone and atmosphere.
The star-studded new cast are familiar West End powerhouses and include Karis Anderson as Satine. She boasts a long resume of West End theatrical hits showcasing her powerhouse vocals, including playing Tina in the Tina Turner Musical and PP Arnold in All Or Nothing. She stars alongside Alistair Brammer, playing Christian. Like Karis Anderson, he too has a repertoire of previous productions, including Wicked, Miss Siagon, Les Misérables, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. They are joined by a talented group of actors, including long-term cast member Craig Ryder as Harold Zidler, Italia Conti Stage School alum Richard Lloyd King as Toulouse-Lautrec, and Laine Theatre Arts alum Ben Richards as The Duke, rounding off this spectacular group of leads. A special mention also has to go to Ivan De Freitas, who gives it all as Santiago.
Moulin Rouge is a relatively long-standing show in London and it is easy to see why it is one of the most popular, with packed audiences every night. The cast turns the show into an experience and it feels like each night is their first night. London audiences are very polite. From the little ripple of applause that greeted Alistair’s entrance through to the dancing at the end, this cast turns London audiences into the lions we are by the end of the show.
The Music
The soundtrack is one of Moulin Rouge! The Musical’s greatest strengths. Celebrating more than 160 years of music, the production brings together songs from across generations, from Offenbach to Lady Gaga, in a soundtrack built from 75 songs by 165 songwriters. Through remixes and mash-ups, the music blends a contemporary sound with the timeless spirit of the original film.
The musical features iconic songs that audiences are captivated by, including “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend”, “Lady Marmalade”, and “Your Song”. Moulin Rouge will also feature its well-known “Elephant Love Medley”, which fits a whopping nineteen songs into just five minutes. However, all these musical pieces centre around “Come What May”, which is the heartbeat of the show and derived straight from the original movie. This song encapsulates all the emotions and journeys the characters go on and serves as an anthem to the show. The musical will feature many songs from the iconic 2001 movie on which it is based and also include some new songs so that even long-time fans will have something new to look forward to.
Behind the Curtains
Other elements of the show are equally impressive. To say that the musical embraces extravagance and allure would almost be an understatement, with more than 200 costumes seen on stage nightly, over 300 involved in the full production, and 150,000 crystals used in each show. Satine’s costumes alone include around 20,000 crystals, with the Diamonds costume featuring more than 5,000. This visual splendour is further enhanced by the intricate set, lighting, sound, and bold wig, hair and make-up design. Together, these elements transport audiences into the world of the Moulin Rouge and make the experience feel immersive and vivid.
It is no surprise that the production is led by an award-winning creative team. The musical is directed by Alex Timbers, with a book by John Logan, choreography by Sonya Tayeh, and music supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by Justin Levine. Its design elements are shaped by Derek McLane, Catherine Zuber, Justin Townsend, Peter Hylenski, David Brian Brown, Sarah Cimino and Matt Stine. Together, these creatives combine the musical’s compelling story with dynamic stagecraft.
The result is an exceptional production that honours the original film while giving it a modern stage interpretation. Alongside widespread praise, Moulin Rouge! The Musical has also received major international recognition, including ten 2021 Tony Awards, among them Best Musical, as well as an Olivier Award and several other industry honours. We hope that this special show stays in London for many years to come. Strip away the red, the windmill and the glitzy costumes, and what endures is a powerful meditation on truth, beauty, freedom and love.
For more information, visit Moulin Rouge The Musical.
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All images courtesy of Moulin Rouge The Musical.