THE GREAT GATSBY | STAGE REVIEW
New Theatre, Cardiff
Fri 26 Apr
words: AMBER BELL
★★★★☆
There’s always a risk when adapting a much-loved classic into modern entertainment; film scripts often lose the magic spark, whilst dances may fail to capture the delicately complicated plot. Fitzgerald’s 1920s masterpiece The Great Gatsby has seen its infamous words carved into both mediums this month, and I had the pleasure to experience The Northern Ballet’s adaptation at The New Theatre this evening.
When I heard about the show, I had mixed feelings. The novel had the potential to be transformed into a beautiful dance, yet I was dubious as to whether it would fulfil my expectations, and do the novel justice. Five minutes in, I knew I had nothing to worry about. Every second blew me away, pulling me into the dance the same way the novel transports me to the Roaring Twenties and Long Island life.
I was elated at the way the characters were portrayed. The performance opened with each one performing a short snapshot of their character; Daisy’s endearing yet enigmatic nature jumped off the stage, whilst George’s obsessive love for the aloof and fierce Myrtle was a hint of the exciting story to come for those who hadn’t read the book. As the performance really kicked off, it was clear that the choreographer was staying absolutely true to the novel. Every scene was represented so effectively you could almost see the words spilling on to the stage.
As expected, the party scenes were full of fun and frivolities, with a group Charleston getting the crowd going. Perfectly in time, they really played homage to the exceptional talent of the Northern Ballet. That said, I preferred the more intimate scenes between Gatsby and Daisy, likewise George and Myrtle – the sheer strength and talent of those dancers was absolutely exceptional, some of the most beautiful dancing I have seen.
My only disappointment was mainly a personal one: the dance came to a close immediately following Gatsby’s death. To me, the aftermath is perhaps the most poignant part of the book, and I believe it could have been represented superbly. Admittedly, it still provided a dramatic conclusion, and certainly didn’t deter from my absolute love of this work of art.