Review: Moulin Rouge! Musikaali
Moulin Rouge! (Helsinki City Theatre)
Helsinki City Theatre presents the hugely popular musical Moulin Rouge. It was written by John Logan and is based on the 2001 film of the same name, which in turn was written by Baz Luhrmann and Craig Pearce. The musical for Helsinki is directed by Anders Albien.
Albien’s direction is lively, and even if they calm down at the right point, there is always something going on and the tension of the musical is maintained. The performance varies from large, raucous musical numbers to intimate, delicate atmospheres, not forgetting delightful humour.
Especially in the crowd scenes, there is a lot going on on stage and there is more to see than you can see at once. It is also a good idea to come to the theatre and take your seat in the auditorium well in advance, as there will be plenty to see on the stage and on the sides of the auditorium very soon after the doors to the auditorium have been opened – before the performance actually begins
The main characters are built into wholes as the story progresses; The viewer learns their life story and why they have made and are making the choices they do.
The most glittering star of the Moulin Rouge nightclub, Satine, is played by Jennie Storbacka. He draws a picture of a young woman who has already been hardened by life, who knows what she has to do to survive – but who still has a lot of friendship, sensitivity and also a susceptibility to genuine love. Storbacka empathizes beautifully and sings absolutely delightfully. As a young composer who falls in love with him, Christian, Martti Manninen creates warmth and the fresh, strong emotions of a young man in his role. The smile radiates from the eyes and the singing is handsome to hear.
As the nightclub’s manager, Harold Zidler, Risto Kaskilahti makes a successful portrayal of a director who has a warm heart but faces the harshness of the world. As Duke of Montroth, Joel Mäkinen is a credible tycoon who thinks only of his own interests, for whom everything can be measured in money. Matti Leino Santiagona and Antti Lang Lautrecina form a disproportionate duo in a functional way as friends and artists working together. The entire large cast of performers does an absolutely great job in all areas! The musical numbers have speed and drama, beautiful movement, dizzying physical dexterity and strength, and the performers do not spare themselves at all when throwing themselves into their roles. The songs sound wonderful.
Most of Moulin Rouge’s music is already familiar hit songs. The additional music is composed by Justin Levine. The musical’s chief conductor is Eeva Kontu, and she also led the band in this performance. The band played absolutely magnificently.
Of the musical numbers, the spectacular Bad Romance was particularly memorable. But there are also many other great numbers, such as the Finnish translations of Chandelier, Rolling In The Deep or El Tango De Roxanne. Musical numbers also sometimes give you the joy of insight when you recognize borrowings from other musicals.
The choreographies have been created by Jennie Widegren, Zain Oldestål, Kirsty McDonald and Anja Gaardbo. As befits the theme, the choreographies are spectacular, seductive and intense. In another way, the choreography is insightful, in which Satine’s colourfulness is chained to a grey suit.
The musical’s costumes are designed by Astrid Lynge Ottonen and the make-up by Maija Sillanpää. Both have created a lot of beautiful, fascinating, sometimes dreamlike characters, just as befits the theme and location of the musical. There is an incredible abundance of costumes. They are spectacular and unashamed, but tastefully designed, and the performers wear them proudly. Makeup and hairstyles equally emphasize the essence of the characters.
The set design for Moulin Rouge was designed by a London-based set and costume designer with a Greek background, who uses the stage name takis (yes, is written with a lowercase t) and has a doctorate in Finland. The set design is spectacular, adaptable and full of stages. Especially great are the more solid elements on the sides of the stage, which bring just the right kind of atmosphere to the stage view.
The lighting designed by Palle Palmée and the video design by Johan Larsson and Philip Sundbom are a seamless part of the stage view. A particularly fun effect made with lights can be seen when a group of artists are enjoying absinthe at a studio party. Videos, on the other hand, form a wide variety of landscapes and create depth in the view.
Moulin Rouge has been translated into Finnish by Paavo Leppäkoski. I’ve seen the Moulin Rouge before in London, and beforehand I was very curious about how the musical has been translated into Finnish. Answer: successfully. Some of the songs are performed in English, while others have been translated into Finnish with respect for the spirit and message of the original. While the original text uses a few verses of the songs as lines, some of them are made in Finnish, picking up borrowings from Finnish songs – the audience rewarded them with delighted laughs when they recognized familiar phrases. The translated verses are not so recognizable from the lines, but that doesn’t matter in terms of a successful whole.
The relationship man who accompanied me liked the performance in every way. He wanted to give a special mention to conductor Eeva Kontu, who had a really hard time in the last final game – after the stage had emptied and part of the audience had already left! And anyway, whenever I saw Kontua, she seemed to swing and enjoy herself to the fullest!
All in all, the Moulin Rouge is an unashamedly entertaining, fascinating, breathtaking, luminous spectacle, in which, of course, romance also plays a major role. There’s a lot to see; skilled acting, sparkling characters, spectacularly versatile sets, beautiful movement, physical skill. And equally audible; Versatile music brilliantly sung and played.
The autumn season of the musical sold out largely in advance. The spring season of 2025 has also sold briskly, but at least for the rest of the spring, there are plenty of places available – although not for long. You should get your tickets as soon as you can still get them!