3 min readFind out what Vicki from the Visit Bristol team thought of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, which is on at Bristol Hippodrome until 9 August 2025.
Having not seen the Baz Luhrmann musical film, I really wasn’t sure what to expect from Moulin Rouge! The Musical, but I have to say it was beyond my expectations.
The show is a based on a love story set in 1890s Paris and follows a young American songwriter, Christian (Nate Landskroner), who falls in love with the Moulin Rouge’s star attraction, Satine (Verity Thompson), who is also subject to the desire of the dangerous Duke de Monroth (James Bryers).
The Moulin Rouge is a place where Bohemians and aristocrats mix, and is run by the fantastically camp Harold Zidler (Cameron Blakely), but is on the verge of closing down for good. Between them and others, the team hatches a plan to save the illustrious club and its members from returning to the streets with nothing.
From the moment I walked into The Bristol Hippodrome, the wonderment began, and I was transported to a bygone era of glamour and decadence. Before the show even starts, it's hard to know where to look with all the glitz and glamour, setting the scene perfectly, and once the show begins, it's a spectacle of lights, music, dancers, and beautiful voices. I found myself truly invested in Christian and Satine’s story.
The whole cast is amazing. Verity played Satine superbly. She dazzled on stage and her voice was stunning, especially her rendition of Firework - a true sparkly diamond! Nate’s Christian was loveable as the poor writer, and his rendition of 'Your Song' was simply perfect.
However, the star for me was Cameron’s Harold Zidler. Narrating for the audience along the way, he portrays Zidler as a man with many sides, who relies heavily on Satine to save his club with emotional blackmail - his comedy moments help lighten the story along the way, though!
This being musical theatre, Moulin Rouge! The Musical absolutely smashed the dance performances. Every dancer is on point throughout, but the Latin performance between Santiago and Nini was truly mesmerizing.
This is one of the most visually impressive shows I’ve seen in a long time. You can see every intricate detail on the shining set and sequinned, bejewelled costumes. A special mention also has to go to the orchestra, which delivered such a megamix of pop songs, keeping you guessing what was coming next.
I highly recommend high-kicking yourself along to the Bristol Hippodrome to experience Moulin Rouge! The Musical for yourselves, before the famous blades of the windmill and the elephant leave town on to their next stop on the tour.
Moulin Rouge! The Musical is at The Bristol Hippodrome until 9 August 2025. The best availability is Monday - Wednesday performances. Book your tickets here.
Tickets from £20
Running time: Approx. 2 hours 45 mins
Age Guidance: Ages 12+
There will be strobe lighting during the show.
Access Info:
Signed Performance - Thursday 10 July, 2:30pm
Audio Described Performance - Wednesday 16 July, 7:30pm
Captioned Performance - Thursday 17 July, 7:30pm
