Moulin Rouge! Previews

[Jordan Catalano]

My biggest issues with the show in Boston were the songs they added that were unnecessary and just added time to the show and lack of chemistry between Aaron & Karen. Sad to hear, even a full year later, those things are still the show’s biggest problems

[IHeartNY2]

In a cab. will definitely share my thoughts when i get home but right now am speechless -in the best possible way! 

[Menken Fan]

I loved the show in Boston and loved it just as much tonight.  I noticed some changes, but nothing drastic.  Yes, Firework is still there, but Shake It Out is gone and that scene is much shorter.  However, Danny Burstein is now in the next scene to begin Chandelier, which is great.  The Bad Romance medley stopped the show. Aaron sounded better than in Boston and killed Roxanne, even though I still wish the Argentinian had that song.

[Impossible2]

PhantomOfFleetStreet said: "I agree with Jordan. I loved the show in Boston but still hated the replacement of "Fly Away" with "Firework." It doesn't help that "Firework" is one of my least favorite songs of all time. Guess I just can't relate to plastic bags."

Dont fret, after a hurricane comes a rainbow x

 

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Ugh. So the tango is still not in the show?! And apparently according to Twitter, still no Teen Spirit or Danny’s other solo in the beginning of the movie. So glad Shake It Out is gone.

[PhantomOfFleetStreet]

The Moulin Rouge Insta is doing a live from the stage door. It's very crowded down a long line but it seems civil at least. Aaron and Karen were signing and taking pics while moving down the line as fast as they could.

[Impossible2]

disneybroadwayfan22 said: "Ugh. So the tango is still not in the show?! And apparently according to Twitter, still no Teen Spirit or Danny’s other solo in the beginning of the movie. So glad Shake It Out is gone."

What is Shake It Out please?

[Menken Fan]

disneybroadwayfan22 said: "Ugh. So the tango is still not in the show?! And apparently according to Twitter, still no Teen Spirit or Danny’s other solo in the beginning of the movie. So glad Shake It Out is gone."

No, Roxanne doesn't even come close to the version in the movie, which I think is one of the most incredible movie scenes ever.

[Menken Fan]

Shake It Out is a Florence and the Machine song, which Danny performed in Boston.

[AllThatJazz2]

So with Shake it Out gone, does Danny have anything else to do in place of that in terms of singing?

[Impossible2]

Menken Fan said: "disneybroadwayfan22 said: "Ugh. So the tango is still not in the show?! And apparently according to Twitter, still no Teen Spirit or Danny’s other solo in the beginning of the movie. So glad Shake It Out is gone."

No, Roxanne doesn't even come close to the version in the movie, which I think is one of the most incredible movie scenes ever."

Funny that’s the scene that I finally hit eject and give up on the movie every time I attempt to make it through to the end.

 

[bwayphreak234]

Ever since I was about 12 years old and bought and watched the DVD of Moulin Rouge!, I have wanted nothing more than to see this iconic and beautiful film brought to stage. Needless to say, I was beyond excited going into tonight’s first Broadway preview. I am elated to say that this production did not disappoint me.

Entering the theatre is like stepping into a new world. Swaths of velvet and glittering chandeliers adorn the ceiling, all of the walls all the way to the back of the mezzanine are covered in red velvet. The famous elephant and windmill tower over the audience in the boxes. The stage is a Valentine-esque kaleidoscope.

From the very first downbeat, this show fires on all cylinders at a full throttled volume. This electric energy is consistent throughout the two hour and forty five minute run time. The spectacle is not only in the physical production, but in the stamina every single performer on the stage naturally exudes.

The cast is top notch. Aaron Tveit is the perfect Christian. He is charming and charismatic beyond belief while still giving off the poor artist vibe. While I thought Karen Olivo was quite good, I wanted more from her. Her performance felt slightly restrained in a lot of areas. Her Satine is very different from the sassy, bold, and fierce Satine in the film, and I don’t always think that worked for the best.

Visually, this is easily one of the most beautiful and elaborate productions I have seen on Broadway. The sets are absolutely massive. The costumes are jaw dropping and beautiful. There are quite a few sets and costumes that get maybe less than three minutes of stage time, but they are just as beautifully and intricately designed.

All in all, this was a slam dunk for me in every aspect. It is sparklingly beautiful, full of high energy and sizzling passion, and just an explosion of theatrical magic. In other words, it is EVERYTHING the long awaited stage adaptation of Moulin Rouge! should be, and even a little bit more!

[brenway]

Was there tonight. Went in with high expectations and they were mostly met. I think the biggest downfall for me was the way Satine was portrayed. In the movie she is way more fierce and commanding, here it felt timid in a way.

I absolutely loved Danny! Loved the spectacle of it all but honestly felt it could have used maybe more?! I don’t know if I am asking too much haha

Oh and the Bad Romance number practically stopped the show, and it was worthy of that!

[ChildofEarth]

So they didn’t give Danny more to do? That’s a shame...and hopefully it changes.

[Gizmo6]

No, Roxanne doesn't even come close to the version in the movie, which I think is one of the most incredible movie scenes ever."

This is unbelievable I remember an amateur panto in the UK had that sequence recreated after the movie was released. They nailed it. 

Theres no reason bar licensing perhaps

Also The Show must go on, but that’s probably Bryan May’s fault. 

I look forward to seeing it all the same. 

[MakeThemHearYou2]

Could someone please summarize the changes made between Boston and Broadway? Any song additions/cuts other than 'Shake It Out'? 

[Menken Fan]

MakeThemHearYou2 said: "Could someone please summarize the changes made between Boston and Broadway? Any song additions/cuts other than 'Shake It Out'?"

The opening Lady Marmalade number now has a significant piece of Burning Down the House in it. I was wondering if that might be a reference to the actual Moulin Rouge fire in the early 1900s, or I could be reading too much into it. 

Also, in the scene at Champs-Élysées, the ensemble does an amusing reprise of So Fresh, So Clean. I don’t think they sang anything there in Boston. 

I think they also added the ensemble joining in on Come What May at the end and then all gathering around Satine’s body  

Other than that, I didn’t notice any significant song changes.

[ren598]

IHeartNY2 said: "Here...Theatre looks insane!!!!all walls are covered in red velvet. Having a "Sparkling Diamond" special cocktail."

I wonder if the walls being covered in red velvet is the reason why the theater felt extremely hot.  Temperatures outside were in the 80s, but it felt a lot warmer inside the theater.  They really need to pump up the AC if this continues.

[Jordan Catalano]

“Other than that, I didn’t notice any significant song changes.”

Unbelievable. They had A YEAR to fix the problems the show had. I’m seeing it in a few days but I’m significantly less excited now. Leaving the show in Boston, I thought it was one of the most visually impressive shows I’d ever seen but the list of problems I had with the show itself was pretty long but ultimately fixable.

[jvoom]

"the list of problems I had with the show itself was pretty long but ultimately fixable"

I'm really curious what these problems were. I thought the ending fell a little flat and a few of the songs seemed to be thrown in for the heck of it but overall I loved it

[CT2NYC]

jvoom said: ""the list of problems I had with the show itself was pretty long but ultimately fixable"

I'm really curious what these problems were. I thought the ending fell a little flat and a few of the songs seemed to be thrown in for the heck of it but overall I loved it"

When I saw the show in Boston, the ending falling flat was the biggest problem I had with the show. Considering how epic the final scene is in the film, I couldn’t help but leave the theatre disappointed. If they still haven’t punched it up, I’ll expect to be disappointed again. The end should be exhilarating, not meh, and no amount of red velvet can repair a mediocre finale.

[Jordan Catalano]

Yes. And I also felt (lack of chemistry between the two leads aside), that a good 1/3 or so of the songs, while staged very well, should have been cut since they seem to exist solely to say “here’s a song you guys like, let’s spend 6 minutes watching people sing it even though it doesn’t do anything to advance the plot or really have anything to do with the show you’ve been watching”.

But I think the sheer glitz and glamor of the show is what’s still going to leave the biggest impression on people and they’ll walk out either forgetting or not even having realized that the show itself is pretty flawed.

[everythingtaboo]

Shake It Out being cut makes me breathe a huge sigh of relief. Also glad it sounds like they tried to fix up the death scene.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Is there any kind of cherography during Roxanne?

[IHeartNY2]

disneybroadwayfan22 said: "Is there any kind of cherography during Roxanne?"

Absolutely! Dark and sexy. I'm gonna share my thoughts in a bit!