THEATRE REVIEW

JANUARY 2026 | Volume 259

 

Moulin Rouge! The Musical, based on Baz Luhrmann’s non-musical 2001 movie Moulin Rouge, won 10 Tony Awards when it premiered on Broadway in 2020, including Best Musical. It also wonall its design categories (scenography, costumes, lighting, sound), as well as direction and choreography. The Broadway Across Canada touring production playing this week at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre boasts the same director, designers and choreographer, so it ought to look and sound great. And it does.

The story itself is pretty tacky with a simple plot, one-dimensional characters, lots of sexual innuendo, and neither original music nor lyrics. The acting and singing in this production are a mixed bag, though the actress playing the central character is outstanding. What really makes the show work, in addition to its spectacle and dancing, is the unique way snippets of 80 or so familiar pop songs are chopped up, re-arranged and cut together to create the soundtrack. At times it felt to me like we were watching expensively produced karaoke as, for instance, in the opening number where four women in cabaret costumes sing a few verses and the chorus of “Lady Marmalade.” None of them sounds remotely like Patti Labelle. But the technique grows on you as the show progresses.

We’re in fin-de-siècle Paris at the Moulin Rouge nightclub where courtesan Satine (Gabriella Carrillo) is the star (and is she ever). MC/owner Harold Zidler (Bobby Daye) indicates that the club is in financial trouble, and Satine herself lets us know early on that all is not well with her. But the rich, imperious Duke of Monroth (Andrew Brewer) has eyes for Satineso there’s hope that he’ll help save the club.

When American Christian (Ryan Vasquez), a songwriter(!), arrives, he is immediately recruited by musical theatre writing team (!!) Toulouse-Lautrec (Kevyn Morrow) and Santiago (Danny Burgos) to help write a show. Christian and Satine fall in love, and their triangle with the nasty Trump-ish Duke means trouble for everyone as the play within the play rehearses.

Christian and Satine have the lead on most of the musical numbers. Vasquez’s Christian does a shockingly bad job with Elton John’s “My Song” but redeems himself later with the belters, “Roxanne” and “Crazy.” Carrillo is in excellent voice for all Satine’ssongs and beautifully meshes with Vasquez on their duets. Nearly every song-combination segues into a spectacular dance routine with the large chorus in brilliant costumes accompanied by dramatic lighting changes against gorgeous scenic backdrops. Santiago’s girlfriend Nini (Kaitlin Mesh) is perhaps the standout dancer.

Ultimately, Moulin Rouge is a very enjoyable musical, an eye-candy treat. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and neither should we.

 

 

 

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