The Great Gatsby, Greenwich Theatre ***

Before watching Blackeyed theatre's production of the Great Gatsby, I had written an essay about Nick describing him as sexist, untrustworthy and only amiable in comparison to Tom's awfulness. None of this is true in this production. Here, Nick is the model citizen and his account is not approached with any form of doubt. Despite this, I admire Stephen Sharkey's adaptation greatly. It manages to stay true to much of the actual text whilst also maintaining a narrative drive which isn't present in the novel. In trying to be so faithful to the novel, it contrives situations which don't help develop the story to progress (for instance the way Jordan's golf tournament scandal is approached). Eliot Giuralarocca directs this slick production with a talented cast. They all play multiple instruments and bring the swinging 20s and the lost generation to life, which is enhanced by Victoria Spearing's elegant yet simple set design. Whilst Adam Jowett's Nick doesn't portray him how I see the character in the novel, Jowett's interpretation is valid and watchable. To a lesser extent, this is the case with the majority of the cast. I read Daisy with more awareness, Jordan as more subversive and Tom as a worse and more despicable man. Yet Celia Cruwys- Finnigan, Celeste De Veazy and Tristan Pate all brilliantly perform their character. George an Myrtle aren't written substantial enough parts in this adaptation yet Stacey Ghent and Tom Neill make the most of them whilst Max Roll is engaging yet the extremes of his personality and identity aren't explored enough, leading to a very stable performance. As is always the case, whether it be on stage or screen, that a production will struggle to break free from it's form to mould to another but this adaptation almost succeeds if not quite entirely.