Who: My friend Amy & I
What: Moulin Rouge!, the Broadway musical interpretation of Baz Luhrmann's 2001 film
When: August 2019
Where: Al Hirschfield theatre, New York
Why: We won a Broadway weekend getaway including tickets to three shows. This was the first.
Thoughts: Full disclosure: I didn't care for the movie when it came out in 2001. Amy and I watched it again shortly before our trip, and while I still didn't love it, I had hopes that the Broadway version would be more spectacular.
First things first, the set is amazing! One of the best I've seen. My personal recommendation would be to buy the cheapest nosebleed seats possible just to come to the theatre and appreciate how amazing everything looks.
Our orchestra seats were partially obstructed by the mezzanine so you can't see the amazing elephant and windmill that reside in the boxes. If you sat closer though, I think the view would be incomplete. As an orchestra snob, this is one of few shows that I would say mezzanine seats are definitely the way to go!
Onto the show.
What I love best about movie adaptations on Broadway is that plot holes and storylines are often filled in and made more robust. This was not the case with Moulin Rouge! This adaptation is all about the music with the weaker-than-the-film book taking the back seat. Most plot points are the same, but most of the show's real estate was the 70+ songs they squeezed into the score.
Film songs including "Come What May" and "Your Song" were included while many others such as "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and "Like a Virgin" didn't make the cut. New, mostly modern songs from artists ranging from Beyonce to Britney to Marilyn Manson were delivered as small snippets or full-fledged production numbers.
Basically, Moulin Rouge! is one big concert with a really nice set. We had a fun time, but by the end of the show, I was mentally exhausted and ready to go. Fans of the film and of pop music in general will have a fun time at the show, but this doesn't rank as a personal favorite for me.
Bonus: I love it when shows have fun or unique themed drinks and Moulin Rouge! offered an Absynthe cart. I didn't partake but loved that they incorporated it!
Are you a Moulin Rouge fan?
Did you like the Broadway production or are you planning to see it?
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