Mulan Rouge Review – The Vaults
For those who are big fans of immersive theatre and dining get yourself down to The Vaults for Mulan Rouge. Combining Disney’s Mulan and Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge, this is the mashup you didn’t know you needed in your life. The Huns are preparing to attack, and Mulan decides to take her Dad’s place when he is called to serve. Mulan soon finds herself posted in Paris, in the glittering Mulan Rouge and must keep her identity a secret.
The production begins in the Chinese cabaret styled bar where Mulan and Sindy Sinclair warm up the crowd. They play ‘Meet Your Match’ to find Mulan a romantic match. Mulan calls upon her ancestors, the audience, a surprisingly Caucasian crowd, to help her out. This act ends when the IFU army arrives, and Mulan signs up in her father’s place. Mulan joins General Lee, Private Dancer and Major Inconvenience who are all drafted to Paris.
The audience is then moved to the banquet hall which was also the staging for the Moulin Rouge. As the seats were pre-assigned this was an awkward and lengthy process that could do with being relooked at. The set design is very impressive, and the costumes and makeup of the production are enormously stunning. The whole affair is colourful, over the top, eccentric and highly impressive. My one complaint though is that the venue is extremely smoky, and for someone with asthma it’s not the most ideal setting.
At the Moulin Rouge the audience gets to meet Madame and her go-go girls Roxy, Ruby, and Ginger. Mulan and Ginger mistake each other for the General and Madame who they’ve been told to win over. Merging the storylines of Mulan and Moulin Rouge shouldn’t work but it’s genius how ShayShay created it. The entire cast are so talented, whether it’s dancing, singing or the acting, it’s all flawless. And the chemistry between the cast is incredible, this is a bunch of people that were made to perform together.
As part of the performance, you have the option to book dining or non-dining tickets. The food was well laid out, tasted good and was set up nicely within the plot for it being served. Although I imagine a non-dining ticket may feel a little awkward during the dining breaks. The starter was a mushroom and celeriac pate with crackers, followed by confit chicken, potatoes, and vegetables. Finally, the dessert was a double chocolate and butterscotch beetroot brownie. Please note the menu is seasonal and is subject to change.
Mulan Rouge is a celebration of drag, gender fluidity, and defying heteronormative conventions. An extremely tongue in cheek show, Mulan Rouge will have you laughing throughout and keep you highly entertained. The performance is camp and risqué, with a very talented cast and an impressive crew. My only recommendation is that phones are not allowed during the performance as some people record the entire thing. And that means the poor person behind them could end up watching the whole thing through someone else’s screen. Book your tickets for Mulan Rouge now.
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