@ The Brunton, Musselburgh, until Fri 30 Oct 2015; and
@ Dundee Rep, from Mon 2 Nov to Fri 6 Nov 2015
“The best thing a girl can be in this world – a beautiful little fool”. 90 years on, Stephen Sharkey has taken on the ambitious challenge of adapting F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel for the stage with the actors of Blackeyed Theatre bringing those famous characters to life.
Sharkey’s adaptation, being published by Methuen, is simple and beautiful, as it should be. Reminding us of those timeless lines that have been brought to the screen so many times, but have not so easily adapted on to the stage. Baz Luhrmann can throw a party like Gatsby, but of course this isn’t Hollywood. Are they missing that same sparkle that captures the period perfectly?
It’s summer 1922, in the fictional town West Egg, Long Island. Narrated by the likeable Nick Carraway (Adam Jowett), who is invited to a lavish party hosted by his mysterious millionaire neighbour, Jay Gatsby. Strangers, who like the intimacy of a big party, invite themselves to his extravagant events. They kiss, compliment one other and absorb themselves in gossip. Everybody knows the name Gatsby, but the mysterious man remains lurking in the shadows, waiting, hoping, that one day Daisy will show up.
In the first half we see too many character changes for the cast of seven; it’s hard to keep up, especially for anyone in the audience who doesn’t know the story. But as we meet the central characters, the talent of the ensemble shines as they so gracefully glide across the stage in smooth scene changes. The musically talented cast capture the era of the Jazz Age with live music, song and dance.
It is recreating the sound and the sight that is key to achieving the tone of a Gatsby party. However, the design by Victoria Spearing hasn’t quite captured the image of the Roaring Twenties. It’s a simple, plain white set that could have been more stylish and tasteful – a missed opportunity to create something elaborate and glamorous to really play with the materialistic nature of the story. Luckily, Jenny Little’s costume design was more period specific, with chic dresses and headpieces.
The curious Gatsby is portrayed by Max Roll, who captures the character you might picture when reading the classic. Celia Cruwys-Finnigan as Daisy and Celeste De Veazey as Jordan are a perfect fit for their parts. These very elegant actors are very Gatsby-esque and as they sing and swing their hips they manage to capture the sophistication and the sensuality of the story. In a dream-like manner, we follow Nick, Gatsby, Jordan, the Buchanans and the Wilsons, taking moments to reflect on their lives. However, it’s hard to empathise or relate to any of them.
The party seems too small to feel like a socialite attending the greatest event in town.