Melbourne review wrap: Moulin Rouge! The Musical; J.I.D; Julius Caesar; All Rise: Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis and The MSO; Becoming Eliza; Art of the Symphony

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This wrap of shows around Melbourne includes the return of glitzy musical Moulin Rouge, a deft and inventive new take on a Shakespeare classic, a recital that brings together the best of the past and present, a gig by US rapper J.I.D, an awe-inspiring concert collaboration at Hamer Hall, and a one-night-only one-woman show that offers a peek behind the stage curtain.

MUSICALMoulin Rouge! The Musical ★★★Regent Theatre, until December 31

If there’s one word for Moulin Rouge! The Musical, it’s excess. Like Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 film, on which it is loosely based, this production is all about glitz and glam, with eye-popping (if not slightly tacky) stage design, choreography, costuming and colour.

The theatre is transformed into the interior of the titular club – a lit-up windmill spins, and a five-metre-tall elephant looms over the crowd. Performers swallow swords and descend from the ceiling. There’s confetti and pyrotechnics.

Moulin Rouge! The Musical stars Alinta Chidzey as Satine, Des Flanagan as Christian, Simon Burke as Harold Zidler, along with Bert La Bonté as Toulouse-Lautrec, James Bryers as The Duke, and Ryan Gonzalez as Santiago.Credit: Chris Parker

The spectacular musical is back in Melbourne after a sellout season in 2021, which signalled a post-COVID return to splashy, big-ticket theatre. The cast is again led by Alinta Chidzey and Des Flanagan as Satine and Christian – the Moulin Rouge’s top courtesan and the bohemian American writer vying for her affections.

Since the show last played, a challenger has appeared: it’s difficult not to compare Moulin Rouge! The Musical to new kid on the block, & Juliet. Both are jukebox musicals, but where & Juliet leans into campiness and uses its music (all by Swedish hitmaker Max Martin) cohesively, Moulin Rouge! The Musical goes – again – for excess.

Moulin Rouge! The Musical is all about glitz and glam.Credit: Michelle Grace Hunder

The sheer number of pop songs shoehorned into the show – around 70 – is exhausting. Most are peppered in as one-liners, feeling more like a game of “name that tune” than anything substantial.

Some of it works well – the opening number, including Lady Marmalade, is a treat, and a drunken descent to Sia’s Chandelier is literally intoxicating – but more often, songs are mashed haphazardly and pivotal points are diluted by limp choices (Satine singing Katy Perry’s Firework doesn’t pack the emotional punch the moment requires).

Indeed, the best number is Come What May, the film’s only original track – Chidzey and Flanagan’s voices meld beautifully.

This musical gluttony comes at the expense of character and plot development – it’s hard to feel much for any of these characters when we’re barely given the chance to know them.

The subject matter also feels dated, as Christian and a wealthy benefactor, The Duke (James Bryers), fight over Satine; Christian’s characterisation in particular verges on manipulative, and the language can be paternalistic.

While this version does give Satine more agency than a fully tragic heroine, she ultimately remains a catalyst for a man’s self-actualisation.

Moulin Rouge! The Musical is a feast for all the senses – it looks stunning and the performances are mostly strong. It has style in spades and it’s impossible not to feel wowed by its enormous scope – but it leaves a feeling of emptiness.

THEATREJulius Caesar ★★★½Melbourne Shakespeare Company, fortyfivedownstairs until September 3

When Natasha Herbert’s Marc Antony howls, “Cry ‘Havoc!’, and let slip the dogs of war,” her passion and vocal power rouse volatile Romans to violent action, sending a thrill through the audience.

Shakespeare’s play may be entitled Julius Caesar, but the characters driving the action are Antony and Brutus (Matthew Connell). Antony, who remains Caesar’s trusted right hand, and Brutus, who is Caesar’s political ally until Brutus’s defection.

Julius Caesar’s cast includes Matthew Connell (back), Malith, Natasha Herbert, Jacqueline Whiting, Mark Wilson, Mark Yeates, Leah Baulch and Annabelle Tudor.Credit: Chelsea Neate

The play opens with statesman and general, Caesar (Hunter Perske), arriving in Rome to a triumphant parade after his military defeat of rival, Pompey. With feigned humility, Caesar thrice rejects Antony’s offer of a crown. This confirms Cassius’ (Mark Wilson) fears for the Roman Republic, so he exhorts Brutus to join a plot to assassinate Caesar to save and restore freedom, peace and liberty.

What follows is a galloping escalation of intrigue and treachery, political crisis, murder, divisiveness and civil war under opposing leaders: honourable but indecisive Brutus and gifted orator, Antony. The Roman public is fickle, violence simmers, the government is fragile, and leaders are not necessarily altruistic.

Mark Wilson, Matthew Connell, Malith, Jacqueline Whiting, Annabelle Tudor in Julius Caesar.Credit: Chelsea Neate

Richard Murphet’s deft, inventive, streamlined direction propels the narrative and main characters from conspiratorial beginning to bloody end. His interpretation of Shakespeare’s text is crystal clear, emphasising the humanity of the characters, while the intimacy of their relationships heightens the sense of betrayal.

Herbert’s gripping portrayal of Antony is the beating heart of this production as she transforms from grief-stricken friend to impassioned orator and, finally, astute and dispassionate military strategist.

Her textual interpretation, and physical and vocal technique are impeccable, and her delivery of Antony’s “Friends, Romans, countrymen” speech is thrilling.

Although Connell is a more youthful Brutus than is common, he captures Brutus’s nobility, self-doubt and indecision as he faces the enormity and inexorability of his actions.

While the quality of the cast’s acting is uneven, Wilson vibrates with rage as “lean and hungry” Cassius, Mark Yeates captures Casca’s roguish wit and cunning and Perske’s robust physique lends substance to the ageing, weakening Caesar who fears ill omens.

Kris Chainey’s atmospheric lighting and Grace Ferguson’s evocative soundscape enhance Dale Ferguson’s inspired design that incorporates the basement venue’s distressed brick walls, rough-framed windows and wooden floor, utilising its wide space for a colonnade of scaffolding poles, and three, low steps depicting the site of Caesar’s murder.

Murphet’s intelligent production of Shakespeare’s play invites comparisons with contemporary geopolitics that sees some leaders surf a wave of popularity to become Caesar-like autocrats.Reviewed by Kate Herbert

MUSICArt of the Symphony ★★★★Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, Melbourne Recital Centre, August 27

Janus, the mythical god who looks forward to the future and back to the past could well have been an inspiration for this thoughtfully curated celebration of the symphony by the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra.

Positive, forward-looking elements came with a collaboration and a commission.

Four students from the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School joined the orchestra for Benjamin Britten’s Simple Symphony. Raistlin Chan, Hannah Tyrell, Tom Protat and Chiara Kelle fit seamlessly into a polished and engaging account of this popular work, in which the composer’s descriptions of the movements (Boisterous Bourree, Playful Pizzicato, Sentimental Sarabande and Frolicsome Finale) came vividly to life.

Two sinfonias by the 17th-century Flemish musician and composer, Leonora Duarte, preceded the premiere of a specially commissioned work by Melbourne-based composer and cellist Caerwen Martin. Sinfonia No. 1 Embracing Duarte is a broad, imaginative sonic canvas that embraces elements of Duarte’s writing for viols and reinterprets them in a sympathetic contemporary harmonic and textural language. Among some heart-warming moments came a demanding violin cadenza brilliantly rendered by MCO director Sophie Rowell.

This performance of the Art of the Symphony bodes well for the future of the MCO.Credit: Jessica Tremp

Book-ending the concert were works honouring the history of the symphonic form.

Carl Stamitz’s Symphony in F major Op. 24, No. 3 elicited carefully refined playing; the orchestra’s warm, generous body of sound particularly impressing in the slow movements.

Haydn’s Symphony No. 49 in F minor certainly lived up to its nickname: the “Passion” Symphony. Pulsing with sparkling energy and attention to detail, all the drama and elegance of this fine but little-known score was given full expression.

This concert was marked by fine playing and a joyous team spirit together with a blend of respect for the past and hope for what is to come. As Rowell journeys through her first season as director, the performance bodes well for the future of the MCO.Reviewed by Tony Way

MUSICJ.I.D | Forever & A Day Tour ★★★Festival Hall, August 26

A loud cheer erupts from the crowd as a spotlight shines on J.I.D’s producer – and DJ accompaniment – Christo. From his spot in the DJ booth, he encourages everyone to “make some noise” as the 32-year-old rapper steps on stage.

US rapper J.I.D performs in Melbourne.Credit: Rick Clifford

Atlantan musician J.I.D first rose to fame in 2014 as part of the collective Spillage Village, before signing with rapper J.Cole’s imprint Dreamville Records in 2017. His Melbourne concert marks the 12-month anniversary of his 2022 third studio album, The Forever Story.

The rapper opens with NEVER, a track off his debut album The Never Story and moves into Off da Zoinkys from the album Dicaprio 2, before launching into newer songs Raydar and Dance Now. He confidently spits lyrics a capella when Christo silences the beats, showing off his signature fast-paced technique in the final verse from Off da Zoinkys. Christo occasionally joins J.I.D as he paces the stage and works the crowd.

Reflecting on his latest album, J.I.D describes The Forever Story as “a communal album … a family album”.

The mood of the gig shifts as he switches to slower, more sentimental tracks Bruddanem, Sistanem and Kody Blu 31, which centre on his relationship with his parents and siblings, and Stars, which explores his former aspirations to emulate other rappers from the American South, including André 3000, Kanye West and Lil Wayne.

J.I.D’s signature fast-paced technique was on show at his Festival Hall performance. Credit: Rick Clifford

J.I.D’s faithful fan base loudly chants his name and shouts his own lyrics back to him, becoming more inebriated and rowdy as the show goes on.

The gig rounds out with a set list built around fan requests, including the track 2007 — a late addition to The Forever Story.

Across the performance, the lighting was unpredictable, going from a fully lit stage between songs to bright LED lights while J.I.D was performing, making things feel more like an RnB/Hip Hop club rather than a music venue.

A strong performance, but the inconsistent visual effects and audience’s unruliness ultimately detracted from the overall experience.Reviewed by Vyshnavee Wijekumar

MUSICAll Rise: Jazz at Lincoln Centre Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis and The MSO ★★★★½Hamer Hall, August 25

Even before a note is played, it’s impossible not to be dazzled by the scale of Wynton Marsalis’ Symphony No.1, All Rise. The mere sight of 180 performers occupying every inch of the stage at Hamer Hall on Friday night was enough to inspire awe.

Even before a note is played, it’s impossible not to be dazzled by the scale of Wynton Marsalis’ Symphony No.1, All Rise.Credit: Nico Photography

A 12-movement work for a symphony orchestra, jazz orchestra and 100-strong choir, All Rise is epic in its scope and ambition. It represents a 12-bar blues writ large, reflecting our journey through life in individual, communal and spiritual terms.

It’s a dense and elaborate work, brought to vivid life at its Melbourne premiere by New York’s Jazz at Lincoln Centre Orchestra, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and an imposing choir comprised of the MSO Chorus and Consort of Melbourne.

All Rise is a deeply compelling synthesis of Marsalis’ musical, personal and spiritual beliefs.Credit: Nico Photography

Conductor Ben Northey used gestures both compact and expansive to direct sections of the combined ensembles as they intersected, diverged and converged. The early movements (representing birth and self-discovery) hummed with energy and ever-changing musical colours, from syncopated percussion to lush Ellingtonian brass, graceful string-led swells and strident Appalachian-style fiddling.

The middle movements descended into the darkness of sin, self-doubt and existential crisis. “Save us!” the choristers intoned mournfully, as a New Orleans funeral procession gradually gave way to a more optimistic mood.

Redemption earned, we entered a kaleidoscope of irresistible South American dance styles – mambo, milonga, tango – and embarked on a pulsating locomotive in Expressbrown Local. The pure-toned vibrato of Melbourne jazz singer Michelle Nicolle ushered in the rousing final movement, urging the full ensemble to unite for a dramatic crescendo that unexpectedly gave way to a jubilant Dixieland celebration.

The multi-layered complexity and constant rhythmic, harmonic and tonal shifts made for a demanding (occasionally exhausting) listen, but All Rise is a deeply compelling synthesis of Marsalis’ musical, personal and spiritual beliefs. Marsalis himself remained ensconced within the trumpet section, but his artistic voice resonated throughout – dressed in symphonic garb, but with jazz and blues at its fiercely beating heart.Reviewed by Jessica Nicholas

MUSICALBecoming Eliza ★★★½Anna O’Byrne, Comedy Theatre, August 26

Anna O’Byrne boasts a stellar international career spanning opera and musicals, and has become Australian musical theatre royalty, having played Christine Daaé in Love Never Dies and in Phantom of the Opera in the West End. But it is her becoming Eliza Doolittle in Opera Australia’s 2016 production of My Fair Lady, directed by the original Eliza, Dame Julie Andrews, that is the substance of this solo, self-narrated musical journey.

Anna O’Byrne has become Australian musical theatre royalty.Credit: Jeff Busby

Dressed in a simple, loose-fitting, purple pantsuit – a stark contrast to the exquisite Cecil Beaton gowns that she wore in My Fair Lady – O’Byrne addresses her doting audience directly, charming and enthralling them with evocative descriptions of her career with all its soaring successes and some soul-destroying failures.

The simple but effectively constructed, chronological narration, written by O’Byrne, is peppered with backstage anecdotes and coloured with vivid, often lyrical language. She interweaves excerpts of songs from My Fair Lady and other musicals between true tales from her long, chequered and arduous path to playing Eliza: the audition process, the waiting, the crushing initial rejection call, meeting the warm and generous Julie Andrews again, then the unexpected offer to play Eliza that was both exhilarating and terrifying.

Anna O’Byrne tells the story of “Becoming Eliza” in her one-woman show.Credit: Jeff Busby

What follows is the gruelling rehearsal process with all its ups and downs and self-doubt, and O’Byrne describes how, on her path to becoming the character of Eliza, she experiences the fictional Eliza becoming her real and constant companion. This type of confessional, revelatory solo performance could veer into the mawkish or self-indulgent, but O’Byrne thankfully avoids that by remaining down to earth and relatable.

O’Byrne’s soprano has a thrilling upper register and a fine vibrato. Her voice can be bold and powerful, warm and enchanting or sweetly delicate, making it perfectly suited to the repertoire of songs that includes favourites such as I Could Have Danced All Night, Wouldn’t It Be Loverly?, My Favourite Things, In My Own Little Corner and I Have Confidence.

Sharon Millerchip, a doyen of musical theatre herself, directs the show unobtrusively, with outstanding musical accompaniment on piano by celebrated musical director, Michael Tyack, with violinist Roy Theaker, cellist Kalina Krusteva and Katri Tuomennoro on double bass. The musicians not only play the tunes, but underscore the narration, establishing the atmosphere for each episode of O’Byrne’s story.

Becoming Eliza is a backstage musical story without the actual musical, and O’Byrne captivates the audience with her revealing personal stories, impeccable voice and her convivial onstage presence. It is a show for O’Byrne fans and aficionados of classic musicals.Reviewed by Kate Herbert

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