By ALAN SMASON, WYES-TV Theatre Critic (“Steppin’ Out“)
If Jersey Boys and Mamma Mia! are examples of “jukebox musicals,” then the national tour of Moulin Rouge! might be more accurately termed a “mashup musical” with snippets of songs stitched together to advance characters and plot. Where an entire song might do nicely for a jukebox musical, Moulin Rouge! The Musical uses only essential sections of different songs selected by music supervisor, co-orchestrator and arranger Justin Levine and his c0-orchestrator and music producer Matt Stine to tell the story and to accentuate the very specific choreography.
Beautifully choreographed by Sonya Tayeh, Moulin Rouge! won 10 Tony Awards in 2021 including Best Musical and Best Director for Alex Timbers (Beetlejuice, American Utopia). Timbers and Levine had previously worked together on Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson and Here Lies Love, so it was natural for them to pair again. The book, which is based on the highly stylized Baz Luhrmann film, required a writer who understands both the cinema and the stage. John Logan, a successful scriptwriter (“The Aviator” and “Sweeney Todd”) who had success on the stage with Red and Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, was an excellent choice to cobble together the story, which is mostly true to Luhrmann’s movie.
The setting is the incorporated Parisian village of late 19th century Montmartre, but like the Luhrmann film, the songs are all contemporary to the modern era. Luhrmann’s soundtrack is sometimes duplicated such as is the case with the jazz classic “Nature Boy” and Elton John’s “Your Song,” but many of the selections chosen for inclusion in this recent musical are by artists such as Adele, Pink, Lady Gaga, Britney Spears and Beyoncé and were released many years after the film that starred Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman had played in theaters in 2001 or been shown over cable stations.
This gives Moulin Rouge! The Musical a very contemporary feel that would not be possible with the original film’s music selections and also instantly connects the younger set to the story.
Leading the cast of players is Courtney Reed as Satine, the scintillating star of the Moulin Rouge burlesque palace. Reed, who originated the role of Jasmine in Disney’s Aladdin, has a clear and strong voice. She enters the musical while descending from a trapeze and singing the Shirley Bassey classic “Diamonds Are Forever.” That kicks off the medley “The Sparkling Diamond” with other songs “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend” made famous by Carol Channing on Broadway in (and later in the Marilyn Monroe film of) “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” and Beyoncé’s chart-topping “Single Ladies.”
Satine’s backstory of physical and sexual abuse is recounted by Harold Zidler, the owner of the Moulin Rouge, played with charm and verve by Austin Durant, who was part of the original Broadway cast as a replacement and standby for the same role. His role is part emcee and part cheerleader for the nightclub. He uses Satine to entrap the rich Duke of Monroth played by Andrew Brewer in the mashup of “Shut Up and Raise Your Glass.” Satine mistakes Christian, played by John Cardoza, for the duke and the two get along so well, they begin an ill-advised love affair.
Christian is a gifted, but unproven composer of music, who has been befriended by the great artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (Nick Rashad Burroughs) and his dark and brooding Argentine friend, dancer and gigolo Santiago (Gabe Martînez). The three of them become fast friends and they plot to get help for Christian’s fledgling career by having his songs performed at the Moulin Rouge.
The Luhrmann film was a remake of the original 1952 British film directed by John Huston and starring José Ferrer and Zsa Zsa Gabor. That original film was centered about the life of Toulouse-Lautrec, but when Luhrmann began to plan his updated feature, he created the character of Christian for the love story. It made sense because Toulouse-Lautrec in real life was disabled by a form of dwarfism that contributed to his early demise. It was highly unlikely that a streetwise woman of the era would fall for the artist over the duke no matter how truly talented he was. That was the real fantasy of the earlier film.
So the character of the dashing, talented, but poor Christian took shape and became the central focus of the updated film, a tragic love triangle between him and Satine and the rich and manipulative duke. In Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Satine must choose between her active pursuit of true love and continued poverty or her passively becoming a mistress surrounded by affluence.
Cardoza, who recently took over the role in the national tour, has been preparing to play Christian for some time, having made his Broadway debut in the Alanis Morissette musical Jagged Little Pill. He possesses a lovely tenor voice that helps propel the chemistry between Christian and Satine in their several scenes together, most of which are purportedly set to take place in a room that serves as a love nest for her affairs. The trajectory of their love affair under the duke’s backstage manipulations seems destined to fail, but Christian holds out hope that true love will prevail.
Under Logan’s book, Toulouse-Lautrec assumes the mantle of a show director with Santiago as his choreographer. This gives substance to Burroughs and Martinez’s characters and allows them to interact with Durant’s role as the cash-poor owner of the nightclub and burlesque hall. They plan is to use this new show as a means to star Satine, but also to showcase Christian’s music. Toulouse-Lautrec is no longer a mere visual artist, but a visionary of the stage with an ego to match that of the duke.
Brewer, who was the standby for Aaron Tveit as Christian on Broadway, takes on the role of the heavy with Satine, the other side of the lovers’ triangle. He has a rich voice which he uses to great effect in “Sympathy for the Duke,” a mashup of three of the Rolling Stones’ best: “Give Me Shelter,” “Sympathy for the Devil” and “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.”
Martinez has the opportunity to show off his tango moves in the second act opener “Backstage Romance” opposite Libby Lloyd as the Moulin Rouge’s lead dancer Nini. Lloyd and Martinez heat up the stage with their memorable dance work allowing the full ensemble to take part in short order. The powerful music is by Lady Gaga (“Bad Romance”), The White Stripes (“Seven Nation Army”) and The Erythymics (“Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” – songs that came out 14, 20 and 40 years ago, respectively.
In “Chandelier” Christian calls upon “The Green Fairy” – absinthe – to help him cope with his splintering relationship with Satine as the cast members surround him. Satine appears to Christian as the embodiment of the Green Fairy as he samples more and more of the intoxicant. This leads to another big dance number “El Tango de Roxanne” in which Christian is surrounded by Parisians led by Nini and Santiago.
While the characters may search for truth, beauty, freedom and love in Moulin Rouge! The Musical, the fact is all of those desires are in relatively short supply. The beauty and glory of the music, song and dance is what fuels this work and, ultimately, it is all about the journey rather than that of the destination.
Moulin Rouge! The Musical continues its national tour at the Saenger Theater, 1111 Canal Street, through April 16. Check the website for details and tickets or call the box office at 504-287-0351.