Review: ‘Moulin Rouge’ a lush medley of romance, comedy, musical mash-ups

“The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.” – “Nature Boy,” sung by Nat King Cole in 1948.

That lyric, used in both the 2001 film “Moulin Rouge” and the Tony Award-winning stage production “Moulin Rouge! The Musical,” is arguably the moral of the boy-meets-courtesan-with-a-heart-of-gold-but-can-she-or-their-love-survive story. But this show isn’t a fable, and the joy of experiencing this 10-time Tony Award winner – including Best Musical – goes far beyond learning to love and be loved. In fact, here’s a review spoiler alert: “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” is half comedy, half romance, and all musical spectacle.

From the moment you find your seat at the North American Tour’s Chicago production, you feel like you’re in the actual Moulin Rouge – or a combination of the 1899 and 21st century versions. You notice a bright neon Moulin Rouge sign, a huge, red-lace-heart-based set, a giant windmill with rotating blades in one box seat area and a gigantic elephant in the other, and as the show’s start time approaches, you see fishnet-stocking-, leather- and bustier-clad performers coming to the stage to stretch seductively, puff a cigarette, and gaze idly at the audience.

The plot unfolds in 1899 Paris, as a new arrival from Ohio – Christian (Conor Ryan) – is ready to embrace the Bohemian lifestyle of the Left Bank. On his first day, he finds that his lyric-writing skills (for example, instantly coming up with “The hills are alive with the sound of music”) are greatly appreciated by two new friends, passionate Argentinean Santiago (Gabe Martínez) and the remarkable artist/director Toulouse-Lautrec (André Ward). Santiago and Toulouse-Lautrec ask Christian to sing one of his songs for Satine (Courtney Reed), the sparkling, sexy star singer at the Moulin Rouge, hopefully convincing her that their new show – titled “Bohemian Rhapsody” – should be staged at the nightclub/theater. On the same night the three Bohemian buddies attend the current Moulin Rouge performance emceed by impresario Harold Zidler (Austin Durant), we see that a wealthy, demanding, possessive member of the aristocracy, the Duke of Monroth (David Harris), is also present. The duke expects to have a close encounter with Satine after the show, especially if Zidler wants him to invest. Due to a misunderstanding, Satine thinks Christian is the wealthy benefactor she’s supposed to charm, which leads to funny, unintentional innuendos and eventually passionate moments with the “wrong” man.

The duke’s money is greatly needed if the Moulin Rouge is to stay open, but Christian is falling hard for Satine. Does Satine feel the same way? Can a love affair with a woman who used to make her living on the streets turn into true love? Is Satine’s health as much of a stumbling block as the potentially dangerous duke? Are the goals of the Bohemians – truth, beauty, freedom and love – all possible to achieve? All questions are answered in the romance side of “Moulin Rouge! The Musical.”

Meanwhile, the comedy and musical spectacle aspects of the show are tied together with the inclusion of 20th and 21st century song excerpt medleys throughout, earning appreciative chuckles of recognition as songs like “Burning Down the House” or “Lady Marmalade” or “Shut Up and Dance” are used at appropriate plot points. Tunes made famous by everyone from Adele to Elvis to Tina Turner to Elton John to Lady Gaga to Rick Astley are performed by these characters, mostly as part of musical mash-ups that smoothly segue from one lyric/song to the next. This is a jukebox musical where you don’t have to be a fan of a particular singer, songwriter or band to enjoy the music; dozens of different hit songs are sampled or – as with an especially moving rendition of Katy Perry’s “Firework” by Reed – performed in their entirety.

Costumes, choreography, lighting design, scenic design, and the overall direction of the show are all amazing; they should be, because the Tony Award winners for all of those aspects of the show – Catherine Zuber, Sonya Tayeh, Justin Townsend, Derek McLane and Alex Timbers – have brought their expertise to this North American Tour production. Kudos also to Jim Carnahan and Stephen Kopel for the casting of this show – I loved the chemistry between Satine and Christian, the mentor/mentee relationship between Toulouse-Lautrec and Christian, the humorously hot “backstage romance” between Santiago and Moulin Rouge performer Nini (Libby Lloyd), and the caring side of Zidler emerging to balance his public persona of excited ringmaster.

As Satine tells Christian at one point, “You still believe in happy endings. I know better.”

What I know better is that while the show was underway, I was happy and didn’t want it to be ending. Buy the cast recording for later enjoyment, but see the live show now – rush to “Rouge.”

[Masks and proof of vaccination are required.]

• Paul Lockwood is a singer, local theater actor, Grace Lutheran Church (Woodstock) and Toastmasters member, occasional theater reviewer, podcaster, columnist, and past president of TownSquare Players. He’s lived in Woodstock for over 21 years.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Broadway in Chicago’s “Moulin Rouge! The Musical”

WHERE: James M. Nederlander Theatre, 24 W. Randolph St., Chicago

WHEN: Through May 14

INFORMATION: BroadwayInChicago.com