STEALING BRUM'S HEART

THE EYE-POPPING MUSICAL MOULIN ROUGE IS HALF WAY THROUGH ITS 4-WEEK BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME RESIDENCY ON ITS FIRST UK TOUR. HUSNA ANJUM GIVES US HER VERDICT...

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FROM the moment you sit down you realise this is no ordinary show.

The theatre is bathed in a raunchy, red glow like a private boudoir. An on the stage are giant heart-shaped archways with the iconic 'MOULIN ROUGE' sizzling in the middle.

Cast members decked in tuxedos and cabaret costumes prowl the stage, leering at the audience like animals in a zoo.

This begs the question, who are the real spectators here? Us, the straight-laced urbanites watching these hedonistic dancers, or them showcasing an exotic world we could never be a part of?

But you know what? Deck me in feathers and sequins because Moulin Rouge! The Musical was so spectacular, I slammed my notebook on the floor and thought, "Forget that, notes, take me to Paris".

The musical is based on the classic Baz Luhrmann movie of the same name.

Set in Paris in 1899, innocent writer Christian finds himself in the glamorous yet seedy world of the Moulin Rouge nightclub.