Moulin Rouge! The Musical

Overview

It's true in Baz Luhrmann's beloved movie musical Moulin Rouge!, and it's true about the Tony-winning stage version that's wowed Broadway and first hit Melbourne in 2021: the show must go on. Didn't get a chance to see this film-to-theatre spectacular during its initial Victorian run? Been regretting it ever since? Thankfully, this gorgeous production heads back to the Regent Theatre from Sunday, August 20.

Yes, it's spectacular (spectacular) news. It's so exciting, you're allowed to stomp and cheer, too. Once more, Melbourne will stand in for the Montmartre Quarter of Paris — the backdrop for a heady romance between lovestruck young bohemian Christian and performer Satine, star of the legendary titular cabaret. As Luhrmann's award-winning, Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor-starring movie did before it, the stage musical spins their tale, ups, downs, joys, heartbreaks, wins, tragedies and all.

Moulin Rouge! The Musical isn't just heavy on star-crossed romance, however. Also like the film it's based on, it comes with a loaded soundtrack that celebrates iconic tunes from across the past five decades. Indeed, Moulin Rouge! The Musical backs up those favourites with even more hit songs that have been released in the two decades since the movie premiered.

It has now been seven years since, back in 2016 it was first announced that Moulin Rouge! was being turned into a stage musical — and this delight was always going to prove popular. Since then, the lavish production premiered in the US in 2018, then hit Broadway in 2019, and finally made its way Down Under — and also became the first-ever Aussie-produced show to win the Tony for Best Musical.

Images: Michelle Grace Hunder.