Review: MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL at Orpheum Theatre

Moulin Rouge! The Musical hijacks the ‘jukebox’ concept and beats you over the head with it, sampling so many songs that it all becomes a blur of pop culture messaging. Each number is so amped up as to become exhausting. Like the Spinal Tap amplifiers set to 11, a number can sample up to ten songs, a few bars at a time so you can’t attach to any. Adapted from the highly successful 2001 Baz Lurhmann film, the musical swept the 2021 award season winning ten 2021 Tony Awards including Best Musical. A spectacle of lighting, costumes and set design, the play remains incredibly popular.

Containing some of the film’s original musical numbers (“Nature Boy”, The Police’s “Roxanne”, Patti LaBelle’s “Lady Marmalade”, Elton John’s “Your Song”), the stage version has upped the ante with easily recognizable smash ups of artists like Britney Spears, David Bowie, Talking Heads, Rolling Stones and Lady Gaga. With perhaps just one line of lyric mirroring the book, some of the smash ups seem out of place and gratuitous.

The story remains the same - struggling composer Christian (Jay Armstrong Johnson) falls madly in love with Moulin Rouge star performer Satine (Arianna Rosario) who, out of obligation to her club family, must sell herself to a rich Duke (Andrew Brewer). There’s some 1899 social class commentary (bohemians versus aristocrats) as a recurring theme established by the leftist characters of artist Toulouse-Lautrec (Jahi Kearse) and his Argentinian friend Santiago (Danny Burgos). Robert Petkoff is Harold Zidler, the financially strapped club owner.

As a period piece, the creative team have hit a home run. Tony winner Derek McLane’s vivid red, heart shaped set design and Parisian backdrops, Catherine Zuber’s Tony winning cabaret bejeweled costumes, and Justin Townsend’s Tony winning lighting are dazzling. Add Tony winners Sonya Tayeh (choreography), and Justin Levine (music direction) to the mix and you’ve got plenty of wow factors.

The appeal, based on the audience, is the acknowledgment of the song snippets – an “I know that song” reward. But the conceit grows thin and becomes one big cheat.

Moulin Rouge continues through December 28th. For tickets, please visit broadwaysf.com.

San Francisco / Bay Area Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. URINETOWN (Ghostlight Theatre Ensemble)

20.2% of votes

2. THE DAY THE SKY TURNED ORANGE (San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Company / Z Space)

7.5% of votes

3. SWEENEY TODD (Cabrillo Stage)

7.3% of votes

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