Step inside Manchester’s Palace Theatre this month and you are no longer in the North West of England – you are transported straight into the beating heart of Montmartre. For its UK tour, Moulin Rouge! The Musical has transformed the venue into a lush Parisian nightspot; its boxes crowned with the glittering red windmill and a striking blue elephant symbolising Satine’s dressing room. Even before the first note is sung, the effect is spellbinding, and the theatre itself is part of the spectacle.
Directed by Alex Timbers with a book by John Logan, the musical reimagines Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 film for the stage. At its core lies the romance between Christian (Josh Rose), a wide-eyed, penniless songwriter, and Satine (Verity Thompson), the glamorous star of the Moulin Rouge. Christian dreams of writing music that changes the world, while Satine dreams of escaping the confines of her life as a courtesan. Their love is thwarted by the wealthy and possessive Duke (James Bryers), whose fortune could save the theatre, and by Harold Zidler (Cameron Blakely), the flamboyant yet shrewd owner of the club who balances charm with ruthless pragmatism. Among Christian’s bohemian friends are Santiago (Rodrigo Negrini), a fiery and comedic dancer, and the ailing artist Toulouse-Lautrec (Kurt Kansley), whose stirring “Nature Boy” provides one of the evening’s most heartfelt moments.
As jukebox musicals go, Moulin Rouge! is heavy on glitter and light on story. Its narrative is thinner than some of its genre counterparts, but that hardly matters. This is a production where design, choreography and music carry the weight and carry it spectacularly.
Sonya Tayeh’s choreography is a show in itself. The sultry burlesque routines sizzle, while the high-kicking can-can fills the stage with riotous joy. Every number feels meticulously sculpted yet bursts with energy. And it isn’t just the principals who dazzle. The ensemble is phenomenal, each member a vital cog in the machinery of this glittering cabaret. They infuse every scene with life, whether vamping seductively in the background or exploding across the stage in full chorus. No show of this scale is complete without such an ensemble, and here they shine.
Visually, the production is a feast. Catherine Zuber’s costumes shimmer with sequins, feathers and velvet, oscillating between sultry corsets and sweeping gowns. The stage glows red and gold, lit with jewel-like intensity by Justin Townsend (Lighting Designer). And then, of course, there’s the blue elephant a playful symbol of Satine’s private world, perched above the auditorium and watching over the action like a guardian of glamour.
The score is an exuberant patchwork of pop culture, flitting from Madonna to Lady Gaga, Beyoncé to Elton John. Mash-ups tumble one after another: ‘Lady Marmalade’ bursts with cheeky energy, ‘Your Song’ is given new emotional weight, and the ballad ‘Come What May’ tugs at the heartstrings. Elsewhere, the audience is treated to ‘Chandelier’, ‘Crazy in Love’, ‘Rolling in the Deep’, ‘Firework’ and more, each cleverly reimagined for the story. Yet it is the quieter moments that resonate most was Kansley’s solo of ‘Nature Boy’ sung with aching sincerity which lingers long after the curtain call.
On press night, The Palace Theatre was packed to the rafters, and the atmosphere was electric. Audiences gasped at the first sight of the transformed auditorium, cheered at the opening bars of ‘Lady Marmalade’ and rose to their feet for the final ovation. Tickets may sit at the higher end of the scale, but the sheer scale of the production, the visual indulgence and the escapist joy make the price feel justified.
Every great love story carries tragedy at its heart, and Moulin Rouge! leans into that inevitability. The shimmer of sequins and the blaze of the can-can only deepen the poignancy of Christian and Satine’s doomed affair. The result is a bittersweet reminder that beauty and sorrow often intertwine.
Ultimately, Moulin Rouge! The Musical is less about narrative neatness than it is about surrendering to spectacle. For a few heady hours, Manchester disappears, replaced by a world of music, colour and passion.
Moulin Rouge isn’t just a musical – it’s a glitter-soaked escape that leaves your heart racing and your head full of sequins!
The show runs until the 4th of October 2025 at the Palace Theatre Manchester, so grab a ticket whilst you can.
Reviewer: Katie Leicester
Reviewed: 21st August 2025
North West End UK Rating:
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