Review: The Great Gatsby - A New Musical (London Coliseum)

Review by Daz Gale

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A great party has rolled into town as The Great Gatsby quickly follows its well-received Broadway debut by crossing the pond in the hopes of repeating that success in London. With a stacked cast of West End favourites, would this new musical take on the classic story make audiences roar or would it all feel a bit old… sport?

The original novel of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is celebrating its centenary this year, having first been published in 1925. In the 100 years since, it has been turned into films, television series, plays and musicals - with this latest adaptation one of two new musical takes on the story. The Great Gatsby refers to mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby who regularly entertains with riotous parties at his Long Island mansion, all the while longing to reunite with his old flame Daisy Buchanan. As new relationships form, existing relationships are tested and old relationships are rekindled, what would happen when the past catches up with him?

It is a story that has entertained audiences for generations and it is Kait Kerrigan’s responsibility to find a new take on the story with a book that finds creative ways to revisit the much-loved tale. For one reason or another, the book never quite feels as fleshed out as it could be, leading to pacing that isn’t quite as perfect as you would expect and scenes that are uneven when compared to the ones they are situated next to.

That really is my only criticism of this show as every other detail is spectacular. Visually, The Great Gatsby is one of the most stunning and intricate sets I have ever seen with every inch of the design meticulously thought out and expertly realised. Paul Tate Depoo III’s scenic and projection design is wildly creative and ambitious. It swings big in its aims and it pays off with a rapidly changing stage that had my jaw dropping consistently throughout. Attempting to cram the story into two hours requires some rapid transitions and the speed in which these are achieved always impresses.

The impeccable quality of the design extends through every other element with Linda Cho’s exquisite costumes beautifully transporting the audience back to the roaring 20s. These are best highlighted during the dance numbers where the stage comes alive through Dominique Kelley’s excellent choreography. Lighting plays a big part in how fantastic the stage always looks with some inspired choices from Cory Pattak including a brilliant touch in the blink and you’ll miss it end to the first Act. The level of care and detail to all design elements is reflected in the sound design from Brian Ronan with effects popping up throughout different speakers in the theatre to fully immerse you into the production.

All of these elements are tied together beautifully through Marc Bruni’s sensational direction. The Great Gatsby is a big and busy show, but Bruni keeps all of these larger-than-life aspects in order so that it always impresses and never overwhelms. The London Coliseum has a huge stage that some productions in the past have struggled to fill - that is not a problem for The Great Gatsby who utilise every inch in a space that feels like the perfect fit for a story this great in size.

Though The Great Gatsby is beautifully designed, unbelievably that is not the greatest thing going for it. That accolade belongs to its cast - made up of some of the greatest talents in the West End (and beyond). I could talk at length about each and every one of them as the quality and talent never dips even for a moment, Frances Mayli McCann once again proves what a reliable and striking leading lady she is with an assured turn as Daisy Buchanan while Amber Davies is a powerhouse in her portrayal as Jordan Baker. 

The only pitfall with having a cast as incredible as this is how limited the stage time of some of them is. This means that several of the stars assembled feel underused, with John Owen-Jones and Joel Montague both delighting despite their comparatively little stage time as Meyer Wolfsheim and George Wilson. Rachel Tucker similarly suffers from this as Myrtle Wilson but makes up for it with a memorable climax to her story with a rousing take on standout musical number ‘One Way Road’.

Though the character of Tom Buchanan is a menacing presence, Jon Robyns showcases his talents even when he is playing an unsavoury character, lighting up the stage with his every appearance. One of the two standout performances belongs to Corbin Bleu, making his London stage debut as Nick Carraway. Expertly introducing the story and letting the audience view events through his eyes, his charisma leaps off the stage, creating a captivating characterisation, well-rounded and full of depth.

There is one person I haven’t mentioned yet and for good reason. Jay Gatsby is not the easiest of characters to play - he is a complicated soul and has to be enigmatic while revealing parts of himself throughout. When Jamie Muscato was cast in the role, many thought it was inspired casting and he was bound to do a decent job. They had no idea. What Jamie does in this role is beyond exceptional - having been blown away by him in various roles over the years, I thought I had seen him at his best. Who knew he had more to give? Not just a career best performance from him, a performance worthy of awards - don’t be surprised if he ends up with multiple nominations from this phenomenal turn. In a show full of great things, Jamie Muscato is undoubtedly the greatest.

Muscato gets to take on some of the strongest musical numbers in the show. With music by Jason Howland and lyrics by Nathan Tysen, they prove to be a mixed bunch, but when they are good, they are among the best you will ever hear. It doesn’t get better than ‘For Her’, delivered with a beauty and power from Muscato early on in the show and reprised later on. Stunningly written, if ever a performance could give anyone goosebumps and move you to your very core, it is Muscato’s rendition of this. Similarly, his big Act Two number, ‘Past Is Catching Up To Me’ continued to get bigger, soaring to new heights in a sequence as perfect as musical theatre gets.

Other musical highlights include the addictive opener ‘Roaring On’ and John Owen-Jones big act two opening number ‘Shady’. Frances Mayli McCann shows off her beautiful vocals on ‘For Better Or Worse’ and ‘Beautiful Little Fool’ while a duet with Muscato’s Gatsby on ‘My Green Light’ left me longing to see more musical numbers from them both together. I must admit not every musical number quite landed with me, with the rather silly ‘Only Tea’ leaving me cold, dispute the staging of the number proving to be a highlight.

The Great Gatsby is an incredibly stylish show and is full of riches through every element. Its design sets a new high for staging, exquisite to witness in a show that is always exhilarating to watch unfold. It would be easy to say this is a case of style over substance and though the book and several of the musical numbers don’t quite match the standard set in the design elements, it still does a decent job telling the story - I just longed for slightly more of an emotional response towards the end that somehow got lost for me personally. With a stunning cast led by Jamie Muscato in a career-best performance, The Great Gatsby has enough going for it for me to give it the green light when I say it is one of the must-see musicals of the year. Big, beautiful and bold, The Great Gatsby isn’t just a good show, it’s great. Get yourself a ticket to guarantee a roaring good time.

The Great Gatsby plays at London Coliseum until 7th September.

Tickets from https://allthatdazzles.londontheatredirect.com/musical/the-great-gatsby-tickets

Photos by Johan Persson