The Great Gatsby at the London Coliseum
- AnxiousTheatregoer
- Jul 28
- 5 min read
The party certainly is roaring on over at the London Coliseum this summer. With flashy numbers and even flashier costumes, will The Great Gatsby win over UK audiences and potentially return to the West End or the UK in some form after this run?
The London Coliseum is the perfect grand venue for this spectacular show, and I would urge all to try and see The Great Gatsby before it closes on the 7th of September.
*POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD*
My Review:
I was finally drawn to the green light of the London Coliseum, and I truly had the most wonderful time joining in the party happening inside that building. Having adored the soundtrack for this production for a while, I was thrilled when a West End transfer was announced, and this show certainly lived up to my expectations when creating the glitz and glamour of Gatsby’s world. The scenic & projection design by Paul Tate DePoo III brilliantly brought this world to life and allowed the audience to be immersed by the scale of this production. Another creative standout for me was the choreography by Dominique Kelly, as it felt like the perfect homage to the 1920s while also being fresh and engaging. I particularly enjoyed the skill and precision of the tap break during La Dee Dah With You, especially due to the execution, which appeared flawless.
Corbin Bleu acts as a form of narrator for the show as he recounts his time in Manhattan and the people he meets. He engages the audience whilst taking them on the journey of his memories, and the softness of this narration form allowed the audience to immerse in the memories before being reminded at the end that this was all in the past and the actions of those involved will remain unchanged. Corbin Bleu captivates the audience from the moment he steps out onto the stage and maintains this throughout the show. His voice was wonderful to listen to, and his ability to stand out whilst not overpowering the ensemble, such as during Roaring On, is brilliant to see. During dance breaks or moments of dance whilst singing, he was able to keep up with the ensemble without losing the stable power of his voice, which is a true show of talent.
I was fortunate to be able to catch Will Richardson in the male lead role of Jay Gatsby. His voice was divine throughout the show, and his performances of For Her and Past Is Catching Up to Me were a privilege to be able to witness. I particularly enjoyed the more humorous side of Gatsby that he presented throughout both obvious actions but also small mannerisms and vocal alterations. This humour allows the character to feel more human, meaning that the audience is more able to connect with the character and thus become more invested when the facade begins to fall and unravel.
Playing the absolute rose of the show, Daisy Buchanan, is Frances Mayli McCann, who is simply delightful in the role and someone that I always look forward to seeing perform in various shows, as she always stuns me with her performance. Her ability to combine the light-hearted and in-love side of Daisy Buchanan with the side that remembers the importance of her place in society and the risk of jeopardising that is seamless and truly felt essential to the understanding of this role and thus the telling of the story that unfolds for Daisy Buchanan.
Jon Robyns plays the questionable and sometimes volatile husband of Daisy Buchanan, Tom Buchanan. His understanding of the role allows his actions to appal the audience whilst also somehow simultaneously justifying them as Tom Buchanan. His differing interactions with Frances Mayli McCann and Rachel Tucker allowed the infidelity of Tom Buchanan to always be an underlying plot point and further explain the desperation that he displays when his infidelity is called out and exposed, and the lengths that he will go to in order to deflect any blame placed on him.
John Owen Jones was perfection as Meyer Wolfsheim. His performance of Shady was one of my favourite moments of the whole performance due to both him and the ensemble, as it was engaging whilst also thoroughly enjoyable to listen to due to the richness of John Owen Jones’ voice. He combined intimidation and comedy to provide a sense of realness and consequence to the show, which allows for the story to further engage the audience and cut through the shiny facade to the darker side of the world being created.
Amber Davies is sublime as Jordan Baker with her rendition of New Money, leaving me in absolute awe. New Money is certainly a challenging song from the vocal olympics it requires to the choreography and Amber Davies not only meets the challenge of this but smashes any expectations with her performance, and I cannot urge you enough to catch her in the role of Jordan Baker until the 7th of September. Her portrayal of Jordan Baker felt considered and layered, with the balance of the confident, outgoing exterior put up by this character and the more unsure and vulnerable side that she only allows glimpses into for fear of not being seen as a strong, independent woman in a world controlled by reputation and money.
Joel Montague is George Wilson, the hopelessly devoted husband who is willing to forgive his wife’s shortcomings and eventually make the ultimate sacrifice for her in light of the consequences of the choices made by the many characters of the story. His vocal skill is able to shine during God Sees Everything, and it is definitely worth the wait. Joel Montague’s characterisation causes the audience to see his development and experiences throughout the show and thus understand the choices he makes based on circumstances.
Rachel Tucker brings Myrtle Wilson to life with a stunning portrayal of the character that allows you to empathise with the decision she deems necessary to make throughout as in an almost reflection of Daisy Buchanan, Myrtle Wilson is also aware of her position in society and is willing to potentially do what he takes to protect herself in the world of 1920s Manhattan. Her rendition of One-Way Road left me stunned, and I am still in complete awe of the outstanding performance that she delivered, as well as the vocals that she blessed the audience with.
The ensemble is made up of; George Crawford, Jordan Crouch, Kiara Dario, Frances Dee, Aimée Fisher, Tom Andrew Hargreaves, Alyn Hawke, Ediz Mahmut, Jamal Matthias, Nevé McGuiness-Dyce, Rose Ouellette, Sophie Pourret and Lily Wang, who all deliver a flawless performance that allows both their own skill to shine whilst also providing a captivating frame for the main story of The Great Gatsby.
The party is roaring on this summer... will you be there?
Content Warnings:
The theatre has warnings on display, which are as follows:
Please note this performance contains:
Flashing Lights
Haze
Gunshots
Mature Themes
Personally, I did not feel that ‘Mature Themes’ allowed me to truly be informed about the content of this musical, which could be covered by this vague warning. This content was as follows:
Suicide
Murder by Gunshot
Death by Dangerous Driving
Domestic Violence
Depictions of Infidelity
Violence Against Women
Thank you for taking the time to read and I hope this review has proved interesting and helpful for you :)
- AnxiousTheatregoer
