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ALEX FIRST: It sizzles. It's electrifying, it's energy on
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steroids. Moulin Rouge the musical, it triumphs. Ane a
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rolled gold winner that keeps on delivering the staging,
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costuming, lighting, music, sound and choreography are
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magnificent or inspiring. The performers metaphorically lift
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the roof off one of the world's great theaters, the regent, the
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chorus numbers build and build time and again, the audience is
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whipped into a frenzy.
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The acclamation, instant heartfelt and enduring such is
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the impact of a truly spectacular production. The
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excitement is palpable. More than 70 songs from 100 and 60
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songwriters representing over 160 years of music are mashed
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into two hours and 15 minutes of prolific entertainment.
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It's a showcase of hit after glorious hit Moulin Rouge. The
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musical is a 10 time Tony award winning jukebox musical based on
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Baz Loman's 2001 film with added songs. The story concerns the
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problematic tumultuous love affair between a young penniless
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singer songwriter and a showgirl set at the turn of the 20th
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century.
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American Christian Des Flanagan has just arrived in Paris and
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heads straight for Mont Mart. There. He chances upon two
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artists to La Trek, Bert Lebon and Santiago Ryan Gonzalez, who
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are part of the Bohemian movement. They're looking to
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compose a new play with songs but are having trouble with the
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lyrics. Christian helps them out in return.
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They encourage him to visit the Moulin Rouge Cabaret birthplace
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of the modern Can. Can they want impresario Harold Zeigler, Simon
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Burke to stage their show at the venue. Their ploy for Christian
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to sweet talk leading lady Sain Alinta Chii, a former Corti into
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convincing Zeidler to do so. Only what they don't realize is
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that Zeidler is in serious debt and the club is on the cusp of
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closing to that end.
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Zeidler hopes to call upon wealthy but arrogant. The Duke
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James Brize to bail them out. Zeidler too is using satine as
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bait. The moment they see her Christian and the Duke are both
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smitten only the Duke wants satine all to himself and he's
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used to getting his way or else Alinta Chii Dazzles in the lead.
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A torn at times forlorn figure who shines like a sparkling
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diamond. The moment she's lowered onto the stage, Des
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Flanigan wears his heart on his sleeve as her bold, persistent
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and love struck pursuer, James Briar is imposing and menacing
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as his affluent entitled Adversary, the villain of the
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piece, Simon Burke is all about affectations bringing swagger to
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his portrayal of the Moulin Rouge mover and shaker.
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I was particularly taken by the nuances in character that Bet
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Lebon brought to Toulouse La Trek he was a standout to me.
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Ryan Gonzalez is a show stopper alongside no nonsense performer,
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Ninny Samantha Doma. As the pair hit it out of the park at the
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start of act two.
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Earlier, I referenced the staging. The set changes are
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prolific and seamless while red and black predominate Moulin
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Rouge. The musical is a cavalcade of color and movement
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with costuming to die for. The choreography is hypnotizing as
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good as you can get. I urge you to see this dynamic production
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that leaves everything on the stage. It's masterful and
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playing at the Regent Theater in Melbourne until the end of 2023.
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GENERIC: Subscribe to the full podcast at Stitcher and itunes
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or your favorite podcast distributor. This has been
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another quality podcast production from bites dot com.