Moulin Rouge (professional) reviews — Page 6

Sat in the very last row of the mezz which are the $99 seats and you do miss stuff that's happening on the catwalk. Since there's nobody behind you, you can technically sit on top of the seat (although I'm sure it's not officially allowed). There were people doing it.

bwayphreak234 said: "The OBCR sounds truly spectacular in my opinion."

It really does! The stuff that they're doing with the medleys ares so so cool! Elephant love medley is amazing

griffin24 said: "bwayphreak234 said: "The OBCR sounds truly spectacular in my opinion."

It really does! The stuff that they're doing with the medleys ares so so cool! Elephant love medley is amazing"

i really like it as well I think it helps that I came relatively late to discover the bliss of musical theater so I mainly used pop/dance music to transcend a fairly miserable childhood. I actually listened to Casey Kasem’s Top 40 countdown every Sunday and even set my tape recorder to start recording the countdown in case we got home late from church. I kept notebooks where I wrote down each week’s songs and respective chart positions for that week and the week previous. For a brief period I actually thought I might become a radio dj.

Also, even before I was sure what to make of the movie (I eventually decided over the years that it was pretty great) I loved the movie soundtrack with its often genius mash-ups and reimaginings. I loved Kidman’s and McGregor’s singing. The fact that they weren’t naturally known as singers only seemed to add to the resonance. It added a vulnerability and also caused them to act the songs rather than just hit the notes. Kidman was especially winning as someone who seemed vulnerable in palor and voice of someone who is close to death although in reality anyone that close to death would likely still not be that lovely. (I also love her rendition of Unusual Way from the Nine movie soundtrack).

Ironically, I think these pluses above may also prove to contribute to the things I find the weaker elements of the OBCR (and potentially the show when I see it on 9/2. Songs most often transcend and do that bliss thing in our brains when they build. The movie often found a way to do this even when mashing up songs. The OBCR does this much better than I expected, but sometimes it does feel like “Name That Tune” which doesn’t make the bliss part of my brain explode. Maybe seeing it live will change those parts for me. OBCRs often don’t truly come alive for me until I see the show.

I also miss the vulnerability of Kidman/McGregor. At least on the OBCR, Olivo/Tveit hit the notes perfectly, but I don’t feel the high stakes present in the movie, but once again maybe 9/28 will change that. Olivo doesn’t come across as someone dying of consumption.

The message board and critical reviews and this OBCR have helped me adjust my expectations going in. I’ll certainly expect a Spectacular Spectacular, but maybe not much emotional resonance. And I cry at a good chunk of theater I attend, but I may stay dry-eyed at this one. We’ll see.

But I do enjoy large chunks of this OBCR. The production value is lovely. I think I may be best going in appreciating it as a lovely theatrically staged concert. Years of seeing Madonna (I’ll be seeing her for the 7th and 8th times on this trip) have made greatly appreciate concerts with a high level of theatricality, musical reinterpretation and thematic elements. On these notes, this might just the bill.

Also, Tveit’s and Olivo’s Come What May is simply lovely which gives me some hope for emotional resonance.

Additionally, Lana Del Rey’s new album came out today as well. By my measure, it’s the best album of the year thus far, but repeated listens might put you in a deep, deep funk. This album is the perfect antidote to that.

Updated On: 8/31/19 at 01:59 PM

CT2NYC said: "Sounds like Karen Olivo is out of both shows today. Very curious to hear reports."

She was. I didn’t see the name of who replaced her but her and Tveit had 0 chemistry. It was painful at times. She sounded great though

To say Aaron Tveit categorically can't act is ridiculous, considering his over 15-year career as a professional performer of Broadway, TV and feature film. As for ''Moulin Rouge!,'' Ben Brantley of the New York Times raves that Christian is a role that Tveit was ''born to play'' and that his ''passionate and uncompromising performance'' is his ''best Broadway work to date.'' David Rooney of the Hollywood Reporter adds: ''Tveit has never been better or in more glorious voice.'' And Kelsie Gibson of PopSugar Entertainment says she ''can't get his rendition of 'Come What May' out of [her] head,'' citing Tveit's ''gorgeous voice and talented acting chops.''

Among his other Broadway shows, ''Next to Normal'' earned him the Clarence Derwent Award from Actors' Equity and the Helen Hayes Award in D.C. ''Catch Me If You Can'' garnered him nominations from the Outer Critics, the Drama League and the Astaire Awards. On the big screen, Tveit starred as Enjolras in ''Les Miserables,'' and on the small screen, as Danny Zuko in ''Grease: Live!'' It's idiotic to think that Michael Greif, Jack O'Brien, Tom Hooper, Thomas Kail, etc., would entrust their musicals and movies to a guy who can't act.

Tveit also has starred in ''Graceland'' and ''Brain Dead,'' TV dramas that didn't require any singing, and has guested on many others: ''Gossip Girl,'' ''The Good Wife,'' ''The Code.''

Bottom line: Tveit is thriving in a big Broadway hit, praised by Alex Timbers, Baz Luhrmann and Nicole Kidman, and they all know ''Moulin Rouge!'' better than any of us ever will.

Updated On: 9/6/19 at 02:58 AM

LittleCheno said: "Just a random question in follow up to KO being out---is anyone of the cast above title on this one?"



None of the cast have above the title credits - I checked my Playbill (cover and interior listings), window card, my pics of the Al Hirschfield Theatre exterior, even the souvenir program and cast insert. Karen Olivo is listed before Aaron Tveit, and Danny Bernstein last on the Playbill show main page, and the cast listing page is alphabetical.

Updated On: 9/6/19 at 06:16 PM

YvanEhtNioj said: "I finally saw it last night.

I agree with everyone about the chemistry, but I think it does feel more organic in Act 2. I think Act 2 as a whole is much, much better than Act 1.

Also, I started to get really annoyed with the audience laughing every time they recognized a song. Kinda kills the moment. "

Exactly my thoughts. I thought Act 2 was stronger too. And the audience laughing really took me out of some of the moments. The songs aren’t played for laughs, so I’m not entirely sure why people find it so funny

Of course the audience is terrible at this show, it's made up of tourists who only go for the pop songs. They don't go to the show to see something innovative and revolutionary. They just want to be entertained and have a good time, not to be transformed by a piece of theatre (which this show obviously doesn't do).