Moulin Rouge: Yes We Can-Can on BBC Two gives us a glimpse backstage at the world-famous Paris nightclub. The Moulin Rouge is one of the top attractions in the French capital, but the cabaret club is actually fuelled by British talent. The documentary takes us backstage, where Yorkshire-born Artistic Director Janet Pharoah calls the shots.
"It’s an amazing show to be a part of," says Janet, who began her Moulin career as a dancer. "Over the years the working conditions have improved and the scenery has been computerised, but the ambience and entertainment are just the same. Of all the dancers to pass through these doors, I’m so lucky I got the job."
So here's everything you need to know...
Moulin Rouge: Yes We Can-Can release date
Moulin Rouge: Yes We Can-Can is a six-part series that starts on BBC Two on Wednesday, September 27 at 10 pm with episodes running weekly at the same time from that first air date. All episodes will be available as a box set on BBCiPlayer.
What happens in Moulin Rouge: Yes We Can-Can
Moulin Rouge: Yes We Can-Can reveals that Janet Pharoah is one of a long line of Brits who have graced France’s most glamorous stage. "There has always been a big British presence at the Moulin Rouge — I saw an amazing vintage programme recently from more than 100 years ago and if you look at the names of the dancers they’re not French, it’s names like Betty. And we drink Yorkshire tea backstage!"
The cameras are with Janet as she returns to the UK, launching a round of auditions in Leeds. It’s a golden opportunity from an institution that rarely advertises, but following the pandemic, Janet needs to recruit more dancers — and they must prove their stamina. "You need to be a classically trained ballet dancer to do the can can, it’s all about strength, exuberance and energy," she says. "You come off the stage winded, wanting someone to open that corset straight away as you head to the water machine. It’s a good workout, but I don’t miss doing it!"
Interview: Janet Pharoah tells us more about Moulin Rouge: Yes We Can-Can
You’re recruiting new dancers for the Moulin Rouge, what are you looking for?
Janet Pharoah says: "As well as strong classical training, our special niche is tall dancers, who are hard to find. Nobody else wants dancers to be tall, so they often give up on dance school too early or end up leaving the West End. We spend thousands on the glamorous costumes, so they need to look good in them, and our show provides a rare opportunity to see 60 dancers on stage together, so there needs to be a harmony within the troupe."
How demanding is it to perform the famous can-can dance?
Janet says: "You need to be a classically trained ballet dancer, and you need to start young. It’s a challenging dance because it’s very different from ballet, but it’s still all about strength. You have to be very supple and yet it’s very aerobic too. On top of that, the dance requires a big personality and exuberance, you have to make it fun for the audience. You come off stage winded, you want someone to open that corset straight away as you head for the water machine. It’s a good workout but it takes it out of you, I don’t miss it!"
Really? Not even a little bit?
Janet says: "Not really. I still work at the Moulin so I’m still involved and feel that atmosphere, but I don’t miss the can-can. The one thing I do miss is that peace when you go out on stage. You’re playing someone else, giving yourself to the public and nobody’s talking to you — it’s so peaceful."
You began your Moulin career as a dancer, how does it feel to be Artistic Director now?
Janet says: "It's an amazing place to be part of, the job I have is so rare and I’m very lucky because all I’ve had to do is move out of the dressing room and into the office! Certain things have changed over the years, like working conditions and the scenery being computerised, but the ambience and feeling of being here hasn’t changed at all. As a young dancer I had dreams of staying here a long time but I didn’t really imagine I’d get this kind of opportunity — of all the thousands of dancers who have passed through these doors I’m so lucky I got the job."
The Moulin Rouge still attracts huge audiences more than a century after it first opened — what keeps people coming through the doors?
Janet says: "It’s because there’s no agenda and no particular message, it’s just entertainment for everybody. Yes, we have amazing costumes and scenery, but we focus on the dancing and the artists, and that provides enduring entertainment. Technical elements have changed over time, like the lighting and sound, but the music and dancing are timeless. It’s colourful, exuberant entertainment with lots of dancers on stage at the same time."
Is there a trailer for Moulin Rouge: Yes We Can-Can?
The BBC has yet to release a trailer for Moulin Rouge: Yes We Can-Can, but when one arrives we'll be sure to post it here.
Facts about the Moulin Rouge
The Moulin Rouge (Red Windmill) cabaret club opened its doors in 1889, the same year as the Eiffel Tower was built. It was open to people of all classes as a place of fun and pure entertainment, and quickly became the home of the famous can-can routine. It was the first building in Paris to have electricity! It’s located in Montmartre, round the corner from the Sacre Coeur cathedral. The club was destroyed by fire in 1915, but reopened in 1921. It stayed open during the Second World War, and Edith Piaf performed there when Paris was liberated in 1944. The Moulin Rouge welcomes 600,000 visitors every year, with tickets starting at 88 Euros (approx. £75) per person.
