The Sunderland Empire is the centre of an extravaganza at the moment! A quite spectacular show that you will love. This now, has to be one of my favourite musicals. So read on if you want to be taken to the Moulin Rouge!
Review by Aaron Whittington
Photo Credit : Johan Perrson
There are some musicals that arrive quietly, ease themselves in, and let the story do the heavy lifting.
Moulin Rouge! The Musical is not one of them.
From the moment the curtain rises, it is clear this is a show built on excess, spectacle and full-throttle escapism. Based on Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 film, the stage version takes the familiar story of love, ambition and heartbreak inside the famous Parisian cabaret and turns it into something even bigger, louder and more theatrical.
It is a production that knows exactly what it is selling: glitter, glamour, pop anthems, huge choreography and that slightly chaotic rush of walking into a world where everything feels heightened. At its centre is the romance between Christian, a young writer chasing love and meaning, and Satine, the star of the Moulin Rouge, whose own future is tied up in far more than romance.
There are many aspects of this show that just hit right. The level of detail across the whole show is second to none. Nothing has been missed.
The show ‘started’ even before the scheduled start as characters came on stage and lingered around the sides of stage..making you feel you were attending the Moulin Rouge yourself as a guest waiting for the show to start.
This show produced no less than 65 pop medleys interwoven into not only the story but the script. For me this was the most impressive element. It’s can be hard for a jukebox musical to integrate songs but this was seamless. I loved also that for many they changed the composition and brought a whole new sound and pace to well known songs which gave them their own life itself.
The costumes were amazing. I referenced ‘sparkling’ in my Instagram post but it was so much more than that, the detail and quality that went into them and was visible was fantastic.
Verity Thompson as Satine was just brilliant and matched well with Landskroner. I believed the chemistry. Thompson had a brilliant voice of which she produced standout moments of pure power and then able to bring it back for more spittle emotional moments perfectly.
Nate Landskroner as Christian, again perfectly cast. His pitch and tone was amazing and gave clear vocals throughout. His character was played brilliantly as this protagonist searching in Paris.
Our handsome Duke played by James Bryers was ever dark and aggressive. His expectancy, entitlement and attitude shone through of the perfect villain and insinuation that he is doing Satine a favour by picking her and improving her standing in society. While it was easy to dislike him, I also felt for him as the only thing he did want was for Satine to love him. The one element she couldn’t do.
For anyone wanting a quiet, stripped-back evening of theatre, this probably is not it. But for a full-scale musical that throws everything at the stage and leaves the audience walking out with the songs still ringing in their ears, Moulin Rouge! The Musical more than earns its standing ovation.
Moulin Rouge! The Musical runs at Sunderland Empire until Saturday 27 June 2026, with tickets available through ATG Tickets.