Paris nightlife
 

We’ve been there many, many times.
This time our friend wants to do a Moulin Rouge show.
My husband says, “no way!”
I’m not really into it but would go to keep the friend happy.

What do all of you very experienced Fodorites say?
Yay or Nay? And if Yay, which company to use to have the best experience?

I experienced Moulin Rouge and it's a good dance show with pro dancers. where you ll get french cancan and all the parisian cliche dances.
If you re in Paris for a short time, I would advise not loose your time for this expensive show and prefer a good table in a typical wine bar, in the 3rd arrondissement, or get a drink in a rooftop and have a cool view on paris.

We went to the Lido show on my first visit to Paris. Just the show, no dinner. I enjoyed it. I can't remember why we chose that over the MR but I'd go to the MR, especially if my friend wanted to go. Hubby can stay home and rest if he's not interested. Do it!

I reluctantly went a few years ago because my friends husband wanted to go, and ended up having a wonderful time. If you have the time, money and inclination, go and have fun!

We went in 2006 because the movie was something my wife loved. We had fun, but I'd skip the dinner and just do the show.

I would rather sit in a dark closet naked.

You could open up your friend's eyes to the myriad of possibilities that Paris has to offer and come up with an alternate suggestion.

I think it might be a good idea to go just to prevent your friend's life-long regret at having missed it, especially since you've been there many times!

Go and have fun (dinner too if money is not a consideration).

Have you seen the movie, "An American Dreamer in Paris"? It stars JoBeth Williams and Tom Conté. It's a comedy/murder/mystery and iirc, one attempt takes place at Moulin Rouge.

I agree with this.
It's a nice thing to do for your friend, even if you really aren't interested. That kind of thing helps a lot on trips. I think you may enjoy it too.

Just wondering, when did you go? What about it made it so unbearable?

Personally, I'd rather go to one or more of the many jazz clubs in Paris, but that's just me.

You can go to a jazz club in cities all over the world.

Other than Vegas, I'm not sure where you can get anything close to the MR...but that's beside the point.

For me, the point is... you are on a trip with a friend. The friend has an interest in seeing/ doing XYZ. The XYZ is uniquely Paris. For me, the question is, will you/ "should you" go along with your friend while you are on a joint vacation. For me, the answer is an unqualified "yes". Even if you have limited interest.

Even more so that this is a night activity, one that a person is very unlikely to do alone.

It's not like splitting up during the day and going your different directions and meeting up for dinner. It's not like your friend wants to visit a museum you don't have interest in seeing. This is an evening activity that a friend wants to experience on a trip. You have limited interest. Your husband has zero interest.

As a friend and as a traveling partner, I think the answer "should" be a "yes" - and a side benefit may be that you enjoy it also.

My personal preference, since I am interested in always learning more about French culture, is to go to see Théâtre d'objets. But there are a ton of other things going on at all times.

I was in Paris at age 7, almost 8. Obviously, there are a lot of things I don't remember, but there are two things I remember clearly: Looking down on the Arc de Triomphe from the top of the Eiffel Tower and seeing Can Can Dancers. 😀

And you never have to go again. But the OP's friend wants to experience it. It is now their choice to go and make up their own mind about the experience. Poo-pooing this is not fair when it is not you having to make this decision. We all have interests that might not be the same as another's.

OP, there are times we must sacrifice our own interests for sake of another. I have not been to MR but can see how it would be an interest. If your friend would kick themselves with regret for missing MR, perhaps this one last time would be worth it in the end.

The dancers at the Moulin Rouge, assuming no radical decline, are classically trained & among the best at what they do, as talented as those in Broadway shows. I worked at another theater, had friends at the MR & was always amazed when I’d stop in from time to time. The dancer who replaced me when I left the show was a MR dancer.

Though there are always those who are just too cool to go & see for themselves, as my grandmother would say, “they don’t know what’s good,” I suspect you’ll have a fun evening and make your friend happy, too.

I’m with your husband. 🤣😂 But my husband went many years ago, before we met, and really enjoyed it. He did say the meal was mediocre, and unfortunately, doesn’t remember what company his group booked with. If my friend had no one else to go with, I would go, but compromise on the dinner part.

When do you head to Paris? We just booked our airfare for post-Christmas/New Year’s, a first for us for that time of year.

I wouldnt recommend spending your money on this show, Moulin rouge sounds like Paris but you won't get anything more. Just spending at least 200 euros and loose 2 hours of your time so you can say you attend a show called moulin rouge.
That's time and money you could use to experience real Paris.

depending on dates
https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/france/paris/shows

A few questions -
1) Have you been?
2) If so, when?
3) If not, why do you warn someone away?
4) Given that the MR began over 100 years ago, how does it not qualify as "real Paris".

"Moulin Rouge is best known as the birthplace of the modern form of the can-can dance. Originally introduced as a seductive dance by the courtesans who operated from the site, the can-can dance revue evolved into a form of entertainment of its own and led to the introduction of cabarets across Europe"

It's fine if you (SN) have no interest, but what's the basis of your assumptions?

MR = since 1889.
ET = fully built = March 31, 1889

In terms of "real Paris", it seems as "real" as the ET.