Moulin Rouge! The Musical Reviews

Mrs NH 1991 from Nashua NH

FIRST ACT STANDING O READY, SECOND ACT NOT SO MUCH

We saw this yesterday at the Colonial Theater - a real jewel of a place - and the set was jaw dropping. Everything about it screamed "Broadway bound". That was true of the whole first act. Dancers were wonderful. The principles were exceptional. The music (I loved the music mashups they wove in), the comedic touches, the costumes. Everything was ready for the big time. Then we hit act two. I thought it felt like a different show bolted on to a really great one. The two acts didn't fit together. No continuity, and the tone was so dark. I knew what was coming as Aaron telegraphed it in the opening monologue but it still had no transition-just dropped into a dark series of numbers. I know that the show runs in Boston until Aug 19, 2018, and I'm told they are working on it even now (one usher said they are always adding/removing numbers and tweaking things) so am optimistic they will work on act 2 prior to NYC. This could be a great show and the cast is just outstanding.

from Boston, Massachusetts

GREAT POTENTIAL NEEDS ADJUSTMENTS TO THE SECOND ACT

I was so excited to see this show and I was not disappointed with the sets, the costumes, and the overall performances of the leads was incredible. The first act was significantly better than the second. The new songs and the changes in the story in the first act actually enhances and maintains the overall flow of the show. The problems arise in the second act where too many new numbers were added and they lost the plot of the overall show. I personally think if they could keep the first act the way it is and changed the second act to more closely follow the plot line of the movie that this show would be perfection.

Sarah from Boston, Massachusetts

PHENOMENAL CAST, DISAPPOINTING SHOW

The singing was outstanding, the dancing was great, the set was fantastic, but the overall show lacks emotional content. It's all spectacle with hooting and hollering from the audience and we miss getting to fall in love with the characters. There were just WAY too many songs mashed into the whole show. I hope this goes on to broadwayt in a very cleaned up version with more focus on the storyline and less on the spectacle.

Huge Moulin Rouge Fan... from Boston, Massachusetts

FUN WHO BUT NOT MOULIN ROUGE

First I want to say the cast was extraordinarily obviously super talented ! The set was breathtaking right off the bat! Though the show was extremely fun it just wasnt moulin rouge. They seemed to cram in as many "hit" song as they could and skip or change the originals that made it so amazing. It took away from the love story and just seemed confusing. And though the main players were great I believe Karen who played Satine just wasnt a great fit for the role. Again she is very talented however she just seemed too powerful for the role, she had no vulnerability as the character should. There also was little chemistry between them. Again a lot could be due from the all crazy music but it just didnt work, you never felt the connection between them. All in all fun show. Would probabably have enjoyed it more not being a huge fan of the movie! Great show, it just wasnt moulin rouge. I understand things needs to be changed but not this much, I didnt go there to see a top 40 hit show.

Elizabeth M. from Boston, Massachusetts

GREAT POTENTIAL - AMAZING PERFORMANCES!

The production was incredibly entertaining. The sets and lights were breathtaking, the choreography captivating, and the performances by every single body on stage were beautifully diverse and enthralling. Sadly, the dramatic structure and the book do not deliver at adapting the heart of the story from the original film. Creative liberties are essential in this kind of adaptation, but the focus on the energy of the Moulin Rouge purposefully overshadows the love story and conflict of the characters. The performers do their best with what they were given but the dramaturgical struggles meant that anyone who was not familiar with the new pop hits infused into the score sat confused. Anyone who had not seen the movie might wonder at the purpose of several of the numbers. Still, I believe that with the source material given, and the INCREDIBLE talent of their ensemble of performers, there is the potential for a great show! This is what out-of- town tryouts are made for! Break legs!

Elle D. from Boston, Massachusetts

EXCELLENT CAST PERFORMS MEDIOCRE SHOW

First and foremost, I want to say that the technical aspects of this show are absolutely stunning. The set is truly a sight to see. It is utilized well throughout the show and really adds to the theme and atmosphere of the show. The costumes we gorgeous and the lighting design was also quite fantastic (minus one very tacky heart gobo). The cast is perfection. I absolutely loved the diversity of the players. They were amazing and really brought life and energy to their characters. Karen Olivo and Aaron Tveit did not disappoint in these roles. Karen shined as Satine and Aaron’s voice is even more impressive in person. The stars and ensemble alike were truly impressive. Sahr Ngaujah Was more than perfect as Toulouse-Lautrec. The updated and added music did not fit the show. The story was sidelined by the focus that was paid to the spectacle of the Moulin Rouge. The story was rushed as were the songs. I felt like I was at a top 40 concert instead of a musical.

Mandy from Boston, Massachusetts

GOOD ENERGY, WATERED DOWN STORY, LITTLE CHARACTER CHEMISTRY

Pros - beautiful set, great dancing, actors who are definitely trying 100% and have beautiful singing voices Cons - watered down story lines (which is the effect of cramming to many 30 sec. sound bite songs into the show) and lack of chemistry between the two main stars (you don't believe for a second that they've actually fallen in love) Overall - seems like well choreographed karaoke of crowd pleasing songs. That said, the cast tries really hard and puts a lot of energy into the show, the set is spectacular, and it's fun in a way that won't be memorable or moving. I didn't like the updated song choices. I know some of that is licensing and some is trying to keep it current, but I thought it took away from the story line. I don't want a straight "remake" of the movie, but by not using some of the movie songs, the heart of the musical is missing at times.

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