Great Gatsby musical review: Old sport gets new life at the London Coliseum ...Middle East

F Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby is a monolith of American literature, and for good reason. With themes of the American Dream, class, decadence, femininity – can you tell I've been on Cliff Notes? – its magic has had a stranglehold on Western readers for exactly 100 years. All this to say, that replicating it for any medium is no easy feat. So, does the new version that's rocked up at the West End get the green light? Yes... and no. Marc Bruni's musical adaptation is a shimmering, spangled, and frankly masterful display of opulence, one that perfectly emulates the lavish lives of the nouveau riches who inhabit Gatsby's world. Its colours, costume and, well, vibes were immaculate – as fizzy and effervescent as a glass of champagne – owing mainly to an exceptional ensemble who twirled, pulsed and Charlestoned across the stage like the careless group of partygoers they were undoubtedly supposed to be. A huge moment of applause for both choreographer Dominique Kelley and costume designer Linda Cho who made up a huge part of the show's glitzy appeal – it wasn't hard to see why her efforts on Broadway earned her a Tony. But, out of the principal cast, the biggest highlight for me came from High School Musical actor Corbin Bleu as Nick Carraway. Despite Nick's role as a narrator being somewhat reduced in stage form, Bleu felt absolutely central and carried the entirety of his journey with gravitas and grace. We got to see his move from naivety to being sucked in by the glittering party lifestyle and subsequently being shoved back out again by the show's tragic events. Ultimately, he held the show's moral message on his shoulders and nailed it. Across from him as a formidable stage partner was ex-Love Island star Amber Davies. Her portrayal as a bold, untethered and uncensored Jordan Baker was superb, complete with plenty of attitude and some of the best songs to sing. Completing the main four was Frances Mayli McCann, who was on-point with Daisy Buchanan's complex behaviours – foamy and frivolous in one moment, but burdened and grief-stricken in the next – and Jamie Muscato as Gatsby himself. Easily with the most difficult job, Muscato had a deft blend of charm, bravado and vulnerability, he was particularly delightful when showing his nerves about his and Daisy's first meeting. Sadly, though, our first encounter with him fell somewhat flat as he immediately launched into telling Nick about his plans for Daisy, coming off as a more obsessed and ghoulish figure than a dazzling rogue. This is where a few of the musical's issues come in. It seems that, much like the character of Gatsby himself, stripping away a lot of the glitz and glamour left a hollow space underneath. Despite the many discussions and songs about "new money", and the attention given to characters George and Myrtle Wilson – gorgeously played by Joel Montague and Rachel Tucker – the show did little more than glance over the deeper themes such as class and perception. The first act was especially guilty of this. Thanks to a string of fairly unmemorable songs, the musical was more Gatsby paint-by-numbers than Gatsby work of art, as it failed to really push into what makes the book and its namesake so mythical. Perhaps a bit more dialogue was needed and a few more pauses on the action to look inward. This was, however, much improved on in the second act. As Tom Buchanan's brutish nature and snobbery comes to the fore, we get much more into the weeds of arguments around money and so-called breeding. Plus, we see the impossible choices faced by women at this time. Gatsby's death – spoiler alert, I guess? – is sudden and unsatisfying in the best way and the fact we see his party-goers simply giggle, gossip and move on afterwards perfectly shows how fake and meaningless it all was. This all culminates very neatly with a return of the opening number, a chilling image of Gatsby looking out across the dock, and a promise from Nick to keep the party "rolling on." And so it will night after night at the West End... Buy Great Gatsby tickets at TodayTix When and where can I see The Great Gatsby Musical? The musical is running at London's Coliseum from 11th April to 7th September 2025, with shows every Wednesday to Monday. The Coliseum is just a stone's throw away from Trafalgar Square so you can get their via Charing Cross (Bakerloo and Northern Lines) and Leicester Square (Piccadilly and Northern Lines). Buy Great Gatsby tickets at TodayTix You can also check out how to get Chelsea Flower Show tickets and how to get Women's FA Cup Final tickets.

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Great Gatsby musical review: Old sport gets new life at the London Coliseum ...Middle East

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