by There is a strong argument that the criticism of Scott Fitzgerald’s jazz age of American dream is transformed into a musical, from the sound of the wasteful parties in Jay Gatsby’s villa to natural poetry in his prose.
It is not convincing here, although it is not due to a lack of size or volume. Under the direction of Marc Bruni, it starts in sound and appearance, as the world of the spoiled old money couple, Tom (Jon Robyns) and Daisy Buchanan (Frances Mayli McCann), with that of the homemade Jay Gatsby (Jamie Muscato).
But nowhere has to go from there: With every scene designed by Paul Tate Depoo III and iceberg size designed by Paul Tate Depoo III, it appears more like a Las Vegas Casino with stormy light and more and more show boating sets.
The music of Jason Howland and Texts by Nathan Tysen also include cruise material from curves, crafted and bombastic, from the opening number that peeled off. In view of the strong vocal skills of the occupation, it is unfortunate.
The unrestricted parties in Gatsby’s sophisticated villa are designed despite the striking selection of costumes, which Linda Cho (a dazzling pearl dresses, flapper head cover and glittering Mary Jans) are designed. Dominque Kelley’s choreography gives period movements (Charlestons in abundance) Beyoncé bending, but it looks sterile because Kait Kerrigan’s book only tells them what’s going on and who is who.
Fitzgerald’s central couple bubbles on the side with charisma and illuminates every room with their smile, but here they are smoothed in two dimensions, as smooth and empty -eyed as that of Doctor TJ Ecklebergs in the display that is shown behind them. They all seem to be airy and rather friendly, including the talkative tom, while Gatsby is something of a Cypher. This is not a fault of the occupation that is simply too cheeky, the pace brisk and airy, the heart of the story, which is shown by the mission, to put on a highly oktane musical.
Related:Puttin ‘on the fitz! The Great Gatsby: A new musical – in pictures
The love story between Jay and Daisy has no depth of emotion, no sultry to Tom’s affair with the wife of the pump pump companion Myrtle (Rachel Tucker) and no icy heat for the romance between Jordan (Amber Davies) and Nick Carraway (Corbin Bleu). Here she asks excitedly after his hand in marriage – but why? Gatsby’s dodgy business is conveyed flat in the song Shady, while his employee Meyer Wolfsheim (John Owen-Jones) is as scary as a bugsy Malone extra.
Then there is Nick’s problem. The narrator of the show is far from the voice of Fitzgerald’s lonely observer. He resembles an assignable, unfortunate type from a modern relationship -TV drama -literally next door. He turns when things make things bad and talked about his post -traumatic stress disorder from the First World War about his post -traumatic stress disorder. The chattering tone of his story transforms Fitzgerald’s prose – full of poetic reluctance – into stripes.
And despite the flood of singing and visual crescendos, the peaks of the story flatline, the violence of Tom, the myrtle nose breaks in the end. This production is fresh from Broadway and sells the worst peacefully lively entertainment – the species whose soul was sucked out in the production.
• In Coliseum, London, until September 7th
