The enormous stage production of Moulin Rouge! will call Melbourne home from 2021, giving Aussie audiences a chance to reimagine Baz Luhrmann‘s extravagant big-screen classic.
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Victorian Premier Dan Andrews revealed the news on social media last night, alongside Luhrmann and his wife Catherine Martin, the Academy Award-winning costume and production designer behind the 2001 film.
“This is going to be, as Baz would say, ‘Spectacular, spectacular,’” Andrews said.
Speaking to the Herald Sun, Luhrmann – who served in an advisory role to producers Gerry Ryan and Carmen Pavlovic – said “it shows that we can do anything that can show around the world.”
The $40 million production will head to Melbourne’s The Regent theatre, but not before the venue undergoes a $19.4 million renovation to facilitate the humungous show.
Victoria’s Major Events Minister Martin Pakula was a bit more colloquial, telling reporters this morning that Moulin Rouge! would be “Moulin huge.”
Major Events Minister Martin Pakula formally announces the “spectacular” arrival of Moulin Rouge! “It’s gonna be Moulin Huge” @9NewsMelb pic.twitter.com/nj1NX88mLE
— Dougal Beatty (@DougalBeatty) July 28, 2019
The show, which debuted in Boston before heading to Broadway last week, has received glowing reviews. The New York Times went ahead and said the it bears the “febrile energy you may associate with the wilder parties of your youth, when gaudy nights seemed to stretch into infinity.”
What it doesn’t have: local hero Nicole Kidman, nor OG star Ewan McGregor. Doesn’t seem like that’ll matter too much though.
