The Show Must Go On!!

Background:

Best aspect of musicals is singing along with your favorite songs. Only problem is if your not familiar with the musical you can’t sing along. The Moulin Rouge is a fantastic musical due to the fact it is devised of preexisting pop songs you already know. The story takes place in the year is 1899, Paris France. Where a young English poet by the name of Christian, comes to the city to create change in the Bohemian revolution. Christian gets mixed up with the famous night club known as the Moulin Rouge. There he falls in love with the star courtesan Satine. Sadly the two lovers have to keep their affections a secret due to the Duke being the new club owner having a possessive love for Satine. The two plans to runaway but the plans are scratched after Satine learns if she leaves the Duke, Christian will be murdered, and the Moulin Rouge will be shut down forever. Zidler the former owner informs Satine in order to have her love Christian she must break his heart and hers my telling him their love is no more. In the song “The Show Must go On”, explains the pain of being in a show.

  

The Show Must Go On

Zidler (spoken): The show must go on, Satine. We're creatures of the underworld. We can't afford to love.
Satine (sung): Today's a day...
Both (sung): When dreaming...
Satine (sung): Ends.

Zidler (spoken):
Another hero
Another mindless crime
Behind the curtain
In the pantomime
(sung): On and on
Does anybody know what we are living for?

Zidler and Chorus (sung):
Whatever happened
We leave it all to chance
Another heartache
Another failed romance
On and on
Does anybody know what we are living for?

Zidler (sung):
The show must go on
The show must go on

Zidler and Chorus (sung):
Outside the dawn is breaking on the stage
That holds our final destiny
The show must go on
The show must go on

Satine (sung crying):
Inside my heart is breaking
My make-up may be flaking
But my smile
Still stays on

Zidler and Chorus (sung):
The show must go on
The show must go on

Satine (sung):
I'll top the bill
I'll earn the kill
I have to find the will
To carry on with the
On with the
On with the show

Zidler (spoken):
On with the show
On with the show

Chorus:
The show must go

Zidler:
The show must go on

  

Dilemma:

          The song begins with Zidler speaking to Satine; he talks about the show must go on, referring not only to the production they were putting on but also life itself. How often at times many do not see what happens behind the scenes, as he states “Another hero, another mindless crime. Behind the curtain in the pantomime.” He then goes on “Whatever happened we leave it all to chance, heartache, and another failed romance. On and on does anybody know what we are living for?” Satine gets ready preparing herself to be able to lie to the man she loves she begins to cry as she sings “Inside my heart is breaking, my make-up may be flaking. But my smile, Still stays on…I'll top the bill, I’ll earn the kill, I have to find the will, to carry on with the, on with the, on with the show.” Have you ever had to lie to a person thinking it could save them? How about telling someone you don’t love them so they will break up with you and move on to something better. As flawed people we tend to make poor decisions with the best intentions in mind, which leads to complicated situations. Satine though it kills her inside to lie to Christian she does this so that the Duke will not kill him out of a jealous rage. Whether she is right or wrong for doing this is debatable. Never the less her intentions are good. We can all relate to facing difficult situations in our life but the point of the song is to do what you need to do and move on living your life. Despite the pain, and all the challenges ahead you must keep living your life and not allow trials to stop you.