Moulin Rouge! The Musical at Crown Theatre

Details: Written by: Nita Teoh; Category: Arts & Culture; Published: 27 February 2023

Moulin-Rouge-The-Musical-Crown-Theatre

Alinta Chidzey (Satine), Des Flanagan (Christian), Moulin Rouge! The Musical
Photo Credit: Michelle Grace Hunder

Truth, beauty, freedom, love…..

I gazed thoughtfully at these empowering words which were emblazoned on the walls of the Crown Theatre as I waited for my better half to join me.

We entered the magical world of the theatre whose stage had been totally transformed for Moulin Rouge! The Musical.

The stage glittered with enormous throbbing patterned hearts, and as we gazed around with curiosity on our left was Moulin Rouge's trademark red windmill and to our right a wise elephant was looking down on us.

We were ready for the show to begin!

And it did – as the line up of star studded performers with their flashy sequined numbers and sexy alluring cabaret outfits made their languid grand entrance up on the stage.

The storyline starts simply enough - boy meets girl...and how complicated could it be to have a happily ever after ending ??!!

The two leads – Satine ( Alinta Chidzey) the chief dancer at Paris' Moulin Rouge impresses all that she meets with her beauty and charm – whilst a shy and hesitant Christian (Des Flanagan) blows in from Ohio - a poverty-stricken composer...a Bohemian poet filled with passion.

They meet under a case of mistaken identity, and fall deeply in love with each other.

The time is 1899, in the heady decadent days of excess, but unbeknowst to the performers – tragedy is just around the corner as The Moulin Rouge is on the verge of closing shop as old timer Harold Zidler (Simon Burke AO) struggles to pay the bills – but The Duke of Monroth (James Bryers) saves the day – if but on the condition that he owns the theatre and all the people in it – especially Satine.

With Satine caught in a love triangle with no hope of a happy ending, the story of star-crossed lovers unravels with a few twists and turns along the way.

Moulin Rouge! The Musical is over two hours of amazing spectacle, dance and song with a 20 minute interval in the middle to give everyone a breather. It is a visceral feast for the senses as a cocktail is to the palette when its complexity of flavours touches your lips.

But it is much more than just a song and dance. It is about love – and what makes the world go round.

It is fighting for your cause – for what you believe in and the things that make life meaningful.

It is a spectacle across all fronts – with the amazing voices of the performers that will touch your heart with their slow ballads and get you pumped with their fast, hot numbers.

It is an extravaganza of both sight and sound.

The selection of contemporary songs that melded seamlessly into a sequential flow of catchy mash ups worked well alongside the action on stage.

The Perth audiences wooed and lapped it up with the performers being treated to at least 2 standing ovations towards the end.

It was a truly memorable evening at Crown Theatre to watch Moulin Rouge! The Musical.

Honoured for 10 Tony Award® nominations including Best Musical and laying claim to be the first Australian produced musical playing on Broadway, it is without a doubt that it will garner many more fans along the way.