Piccadilly theatre, London
With pyrotechnics, a looming elephant, scenery to die for and a cast with energy to burn, this revival only falters when it tries to update the tunes
At the end of the 19th century, when our hopeless romantic lead walks through Montmartre for the first time, all he can see is “dazzling chaos”. That’s what this raucous new production of Moulin Rouge! exudes in spades.
It’s never going to be easy, staging Baz Luhrmann’s iconic musical movie starring consumption-ridden Nicole Kidman and lovelorn Ewan McGregor. But with a half-tonne sculpture of an elephant leering over the audience, a hefty cast and money to burn, this production gives it a good go. There is a lot to love: with a wonderfully wild energy throughout, it’s happily queerer than the film, and the well-known songs really are spectacular.
At the Piccadilly theatre, London, until 28 May.
