Review: MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL At China Teatern

The musical Moulin Rouge is based on Baz Lurhmann's film that was a huge success with Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor in the lead roles as Satine and the young songwriter Christian who comes to Paris to write songs. He meets a couple of bohemians, Henri Toulouse Lautrec and Santiago, who discover his songwriting skills and take him to the Moulin Rouge. Christian falls head over heels in love with Satine when he sees her perform, but Count Monroth also wants Satine, or rather owns her. The count steps in as financier and co-owner of the Moulin Rouge when the club is threatened by financial problems.

The musical premiered in Boston in 2018, premiered on Broadway in 2019 and has been played on the West End since 2021. It received 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. It is a jukebox musical with a long line of hits from David Bowie, Lady Gaga, Queen and others.

The Swedish version by Anders Albien is the first show which been allowed to be shaped and created outside the standard format for Moulin Rouge. The scenography and costumes have been duplicated and will be used later on this fall in Copenhagen and Oslo. 

The scenography is extravagant and really good, but you it has lost a bit of the feeling that you are entering the Moulin Rouge when you enter the theatre, the type of feeling that is present for example at The Piccadilly Theater in London. The windmill and a large elephant head are in place so it not totally different. The audience is treated to entertainment by the ensemble as they entering the theatre, so be sure to be there on time so you don't miss anything.

As soon as the curtain rise, the musicians play the first notes from Lady Marmalade and the dancers are released in the first big dance number, then the magic and the enormous energy that is the musical's great asset arises. The magnificent song and dance numbers, choreographed by Jennie Widegren, Zain Odelstål, Kirsty McDonald, Anja Gaarder, really take the audience by storm.

Marsha Songcome as Satine is absolutely outstanding, strong and vulnerable at the same time and with a voice that is so emotional, powerful and can only be matched vocally by Fred Johansson's (Count Monroth). But the one who wins Satine's heart is young Christian, who is played by Andreas Wijk, who is now making his musical debut, in a youthful and slightly naiv way. Victor Morell had to step in at short notice to play  (Henri Toulouse Lautrec) when Alexander Larsson had a bicycle accident on the way to the theater, and he performed really well. 

Morgan Alling is the perfect choice as Harold Zidler, the owner of Moulin Rouge who struggles to keep the club financially afloat. Zidler is a character who is funny, sad, a bit tragic and with an emotional dept all combined. I don´t think I ever seen Alling perform better than this. 

Moulin Rouge is a jukebox musical with extra everything, hit after hit, energy, magnificent dance numbers, extravagant scenography, Morgan Alling in his best element, Fred Johansson with a poise and voice like few and Marsha Songcome is the show's most dazzling and glittering diamond who shimmer with all its luminous power.

Moulin Rouge is a three-hour energy boost that you shouldn't miss! It's not often that a musical like this is played in Sweden, so take the opportunity to see it at least once.

Photocredit: Mats Bäcker

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