Liveliest show ever at Sunderland Empire? What we thought of Moulin Rouge

Can canning its way onto the stage in a spectacular opening Lady Marmalade number, Moulin Rouge and its swoosh of skirts and dazzle of sequins set the energy bar high from the get go.

The musical take on Baz Luhrmann’s iconic film is making its North East debut at Sunderland Empire and it’s certainly making its mark on our theatre in style.

Built eight years after the musical’s setting of 1899, the Empire and its rich red velvet aesthetic lends itself perfectly to the sumptuous glamour of the Moulin Rouge, every inch of the stage oozing decadence and a wink of debauchery.

It’s a striking backdrop for a tour-de-force of a musical that races through decades of music, from Bizet to Madonna.

This is very much a jukebox musical that whips through the numbers, more than 70 in fact, from those that feature in the film, such as the achingly beautiful Come What May, to newer additions inlcluding a rousing stomp of Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance - we even get a few notes of Sunderland anthem Wise Men Say.

Our star-crossed lovers are Verity Thompson as Satine and Nate Landskroner as Christian who have a great chemistry as the Parisian showgirl and her penniless songwriting suitor.

Unlike many touring productions, this isn’t a dialogue-heavy show and there’s so many songs in there you literally get a blink and you’ll miss it of some numbers.

It’s hugely enjoyable nonetheless, but I particularly enjoyed it when the songs - and the characters - were allowed to breathe, such as Satine’s powerful ballad version of Katy Perry’s Firework, which packs a real emotional punch.

Her and the Duke’s Only Girl in A Material World (a Rihanna / Madonna / Marilyn Monroe mash up) is another brilliantly done number where we get to take in the lyrics, really cleverly used to develop the narrative.

Played by James Bryers, The Duke is a delicious baddie, I almost wanted Satine to run away with him, if Christian wasn’t quite so charming.

El Tango de Roxanne is also drop dead gorgeous, with Santiago (Rodrigo Negrini) a joy to watch as he radiates fiery Latin passion and Nini (Kahlia Davis) slinking her way beautifully through the dance.

Such solid performances are complemented by one of the best sets I’ve seen in years, which whisk you from the easel-lined streets of Montmartre to the pomp of the Champs-Élysées and the sumptuous setting of the Moulin Rouge.

Anyone who’s been to the actual Moulin Rouge will know that it’s a little bit bonkers, and this show is also unapologetically extravagant and exuberant.

Buckle up and enjoy the breathtaking ride!

*Moulin Rouge is at Sunderland Empire until June 27.