The epic stage production of Baz Luhrmann’s classic 2001 film Moulin Rouge will be coming to a little town called Melbourne from 2021, the first opportunity for Australian audiences to relive the drama! The romance! The extravagance!
The news was announced in a video posted to Victorian Premier Dan Andrews’ social media last night, which features him alongside Luhrmann and Catherine Martin, who handled the Award-winning costume and production design for the hedonistic 2001 film.
The musical will call The Regent Theatre in Melbourne’s East End Theatre District, which Luhrmann has called “one of the great theatres of the world,” home for the duration of its Australian premiere. In order to facilitate the enormous $40 million production, the theatre will undergo over $19 million in renovations before it opens.
The Moulin Rouge stage show has been a huge success overseas thus far, debuting with a production in Boston last year before hitting Broadway just weeks ago. Melbourne is the third host announced for the production.
In a recent review, the New York Times‘ Ben Brantley wrote “In Moulin Rouge, life is beautiful, in a way reality never is. All is permitted, and forgiven, in the name of love. Bohemian poverty is exquisitely picturesque. Stardom is around the corner for the gifted and hungry.
“What this emporium of impure temptations is really selling is pure escapism. You may not believe in it all by the next morning. But I swear you’ll feel nothing like regret.”
