The Great Gatsby - Review

To celebrate their 60th anniversary, the Exeter Little Theatre Company staged its own adaption of The Great Gatsby. The play, which was directed by Daniel McLoughin, was performed at the Barnfield Theatre from 10-14 June. I was lucky enough to see it performed on its final showing.

The Great Gatsby, set in the 1920's jazz age, tells the story of self- made millionaire Jay Gatsby. Mr Gatbsy seemingly has it all, but there is one thing he does not have. The love of his life Daisy Buchanan. The Great Gatsby sees Jay persue Daisy no matter what the cost...

Saturday’s showing of The Great Gatsby instantly transported its audience to the 1920’s era, with music from the time period greeting you as you took your seat. Audiences also quickly realised that the actors and actresses performing in the play were really going to have to deliver, as minimal props were scattered on the stage. One prop that took centre stage were the famous Doctor T.J Eckleburg eyes which, as Great Gatsby fans will know, play a pivotal role in the story.

One of the things I most liked about the Exeter Little Theatre Company’s production was that they stuck very closely to the novel. The opening scene, in which Nick speaks about Gatsby, was extremely similar to F.Scott Fitzgerald’s first few pages.

However, one criticism I would give the play was that the scene changes were not exactly swift. When moving from scene to scene it was rather difficult to concentrate on the story, with props being moved back and forth by the team. As a huge Great Gatsby fan, I know the story very well. However, my plus one (who had never seen or read The Great Gatsy before) struggled to keep up with the story due to the distracting nature of the prop changes.

Although I think the lack of props didn’t help to highlight the glitz and glamour that I’ve always interpreted the 1920’s to be about, there were some characters that really helped to bring Saturday’s performance to life.

I thought Simon Leach, who plays Gatsby’s rival and Daisy’s husband Tom, played the character really well. In the recent film version of The Great Gatsby, Jordan Baker is not given as much of a mention as she is in the book. The Exeter Little Theatre Company made a great decision in casting Sammi Ottaway as Jordan. She played Jordan just how I have always interpreted her to be from reading the novel.

Despite warming to Matt Ridley as Gatsby by the end of the viewing, I felt Gatsby needed to be a lot more ‘great’. Gatsby’s first scene was very unmemorable, and I feel as one of the most important characters of the play this should have been worked on more.

Another character I warmed to by the end of the play was Daisy. In the film adaption, I thoroughly disliked Daisy, but Laura Nichol made the character likeable. Laura also showed the change in Daisy’s personality, from the beginning of the play to being reunited with Gatsby, really well.

The second half of the performance gave the crew the chance to really come into their own. Sam Neal, who played Nick Carraway, gave a much stronger performance in the second half. Vicky Halse, who played Myrtle, was fabulous whenever she appeared.

Overall I would say the Exeter Little Theatre Company put on a performance of The Great Gatsby that would make fans proud. However, I feel if prop changes had been swifter and more detail into Jay Gatsby’s background had been highlighted, they would have made fans of those who had never seen The Great Gatsby before..