Despite its eight Academy Awards nominations, a lot of people didn’t really care for the film version of Moulin Rouge starring Nicole Kidman twenty years ago. Those same people would have a very different opinion of the theatrical production now playing at the Nederlander downtown on Randolph. Last year saw the musical winning so many Tony Awards, you’d think they had a hoarding problem. Best musical, best choreography, best leading actor in a musical. Seven more “bests” got stacked on to those three by the time the awards show came to an end last Spring. Chicagoan’s are getting a chance to see what generated so much admiration during the show’s current run in the Loop.
Most of us know little about how Paris’s Moulin Rouge gained its fame. But we do know it had something to do with sex. In truth, it had a lot to do with sex. Moulin Rouge translates to the Red Mill in French and can best be described as an over the top nightclub that sprang to life when horses still powered most of public and private transportation. It was a haven, an escape, a place that didn’t judge or deny unconventional desires. “No matter your sin, you’re welcome here.” The rich, misfits, artists, bohemians were all drawn to the Moulin Rouge. Filled with music, theatrical performance and dance, it existed to foster the pursuit of love and sensual pleasure.
The production’s opulent opening set, one that would repeat throughout the show, is an homage to desire. Mimicking finely tooled iron work, a series of elaborately decorated hearts formed a tunnel of love. As the audience filed in, settled in their seats and took in the period aesthetic of the theater, a seduction was transpiring on stage. A small rotating clutch of actors seductively posed; openly enticing theater goers and reminding them they were in the Moulin Rouge. Attractive men, enticing women and alluring androgynes hinted by their movements and their stares at the pleasures they could be persuaded to provide. A roof rattling rendition of LaBelle’s disco classic Lady Marmalade was the last thing you’d expect to be greeted with once the curtain rose.
It proved the perfect opener pumping an ocean of energy into the packed hall, instantly filling the show with life and excited expectations. Savvy music arrangement and sterling singing talent would prove the bedrock and unfailing backbone of Moulin Rouge. Many have already lauded the genius of using snippets and swatches of songs to set up scenes or act as clever dialogue to accent exchanges between actors. It’s one aspect of the musical that audiences find most entertaining and novel. It also allows the action to make quick, dramatic shifts; playfully enabling the audience to easily follow the story of an ill-fated love affair between Christian (Conor Ryan) a young song writer and Satine (Courtney Reed), the cabaret’s fabulous and desirable star.
When a woman on the right leans over at intermission to ask how I like the show so far, “What’s not to like?” is the only truthful response. She agreed. Moulin Rouge is too smart and full of far too much excellence to entertain anything more than petty criticism. Rumor has it that this performance is one of the rare occasions that Covid didn’t slither in and sideline one of the show’s lead performers. Both Reed and Ryan were splendid in both their roles as hopeful lovers. Their singing was even more sumptuous. David Harris as the Duke of Monroth made dastardly look dashing. It was more than gratifying to see André Ward featured in the role of Toulouse-Lautrec. A proud bohemian artist whose devotion to truth and loyalty to friends are paramount, Ward brought gravitas and charm to a pivotal role. Austin Durant as the cabaret’s rakishly haughty proprietor made a wonderfully jaded pragmatist who managed to save a small space in his heart for romantic possibilities. And Santiago (Gabe Martinez), Toulouse-Lautrec’s comically amorous sidekick, brought an indispensable sense of joy to the undercurrent of suspense running through this love story.
Described as “one of theater’s most sought after costume designers on both coasts”, Catherine Zuber’s creations for Moulin Rouge carried all the marks of a master craftsman. The materials, the sophistication, the vision all reflect extraordinary taste and boundless hutzpah. One of Zuber’s gifts is to exaggerate reality just to the point of fantasy; finding beauty where they meet.
Sporting two high energy finales, you couldn’t help but be slightly unprepared to walk out of the show and into the harsh reality of urban life. Filled with the euphoria and awe reminiscent of attending a championship sporting event, Moulin Rouge leaves you exhilarated at having experienced something unique. Spectacle, music and exceptional performance combined to make exceptional musical theater. Representing many of the best qualities a Broadway show offers, this is one production whose entertainment value is boundless.
Moulin Rouge!
Ends May 16, 2022
The Nederlander
24 W. Randolph St.
Chicago, IL 60601
