I traveled to Boston to see this twice this week. I know I'm late to the game and everyone has already given their views, including the professional critics. But a friend asked me for my thoughts, so why waste a write-up on one person...
Moulin Rouge is one of my favorite movies of all time. So, that's a lot to live up to in converting it to a stage musical. And it would be an impossible task to translate the frenetic energy of the film, which is driven by quick cuts, close ups and outstanding cinematography, to the stage. About 15 minutes into the show, it was clear that this was not going to be the movie onstage, but instead was going to be its own thing. And it was a great thing! It basically follows the same plot as the movie, and has most of the big contemporary songs from the movie, but adds so many more. It is jam packed with hits. I knew most of them, but there were a few that went over my head. I guess I don't listen to enough fun. or Walk the Moon. Even though these are all fairly popular pop and rock songs, they don't feel shoehorned into the show like in so many jukebox musicals. I never would have guessed that a big dramatic moment would be perfectly expressed with Katy Perry's Firework or Sia's Chandelier. But they really worked. And the creators of this show chose songs that have hooks that get stuck in your head. We still catch ourselves humming Florence and the Machine's Shake It Out (performed with gusto by Danny Burstein) or Rihanna's Only Girl. In addition to the music, there's the dancing, which is incredible. This is one hard working ensemble, and they really show off in the second act opener, which is a highlight of the show - an incredible mash-up of Bad Romance/Don't You Want Me/Toxic/Tainted Love. Yes, we had a few minor quibbles. My favorite scene in the movie is the Roxanne Tango. It is included in the show, but is stripped of the dramatic scenes that are interspersed in the movie, and it should really be performed by the gravelly voice Argentinian character, rather than Christian (Aaron Tveit). Also, after the show, we found ourselves discussing the Broadway performers who we'd REALLY like to see plan the leads, rather than Aaron and Karen Olivo. I guess that's a sign of a problem. They were both really good, but something is missing in their characterizations, performances or chemistry. As much as I loved the show, I never really felt anything for the characters. That said, this show is an all-out good time. Non-stop fun for 2 hours, 40 minutes, from the finger snapping intro of the opening number, Lady Marmalade, to the energetic curtain call mash-up. After we saw it the first time, I couldn't wait to see it again. And at the end of our second viewing, I felt my first actual emotional reaction to the show - sadness that I need to wait until it undoubtedly arrives on Broadway next year to see it again.
Curtain call: 
