The Great Gatsby is a seminal work of American literature, and sets a defining image of American culture in the Roaring 20s. The novel has been studied by many, including myself, who spent hours analysing the novel for my English Literature A-Level. If there’s one thing I know about the book, it’s that it’s a book that is much more complicated than it initially seems. Fitzgerald’s characters have been interpreted in as many ways as you can imagine, and their intentions are muddled by the first-person narration of Nick Carraway. All in all, it’s a a very difficult novel to adapt.

I was very pleased that Northern Ballet got it right. Previous adaptations I’ve seen have put the 1920s parties in focus more than the actually interesting characters. In fact, this is exactly what authors at the time, including Fitzgerald, were criticising in their works. Northern Ballet’s adaptation keeps the characters at the heart, using the parties to highlight the relationships between them.

Choreographer David Nixon, who’s also the former Director of Northern Ballet, merges traditional ballet dance with the loose and free Charleston and jazz steps of the 1920s. The scenes at the parties feature the most 20s dance, and I think it creates a really nice contrast. At these parties there’s an ensemble together, all dressed in the same style, and all doing the same steps. When we get down to the characters, the ballet shows their feelings, and they are all individuals.

Dancing the role of Jay Gatsby was Jonathan Hanks, who I felt understood the character well. He’s a tricky character, as much of what we see of him comes through Nick’s eyes. In fact, at one point in the book, the narration turns to Gatsby’s point of view, although this is Nick recounting what Gatsby told him. Hanks did an excellent job of getting across how Gatsby feels about these parties, and this life- he doesn’t necessarily like the parties, but they get him closer to Daisy. His dancing was wonderful, as was the partnership he had with the rest of the dancers on stage. His performance brought the whole ballet together, and made it so effective.

To show Gatsby’s past, the ballet utilises a Young Gatsby (Archie Sherman), and a Young Daisy (Julie Nunès). The choreography syncs up the young and adult pairs, particularly during the first scene of the Second Act, when we get three Young Gatsbys and Young Daisys alongside the adult pair. The slow movements of reminiscence are sweet, and the sweeping ballroom movements that accompany Daisy and Gatsby’s dances make their romance seem a grand one.

Sarah Chun danced Daisy Buchanan, and was beautiful in her dancing. Daisy’s stuck between Gatsby and her husband Tom, and is a character that has divided scholars who have written about the work. She’s in many ways perfect, fitting to all the beauty standards of the time, but she isn’t perfect. She hits and kills Myrtle with her car while driving after drinking. She lets Gatsby take the blame for it. She ultimately chooses Tom over Gatsby, because Tom has financial security. Gatsby doesn’t. Chun’s performance showed the turmoil of Daisy’s choice, and Chun and Hanks’ pas-de-deuxs made the connection between Gatsby and Daisy incredibly believable.

As Daisy’s husband Tom, Harry Skoupas was very effective. The choreography Tom is given is more rough at times than Gatsby or Nick’s, especially when he hits his mistress Myrtle. I thought Skoupas brilliantly called attention to the harshness of the role. Tom aims to present himself as masculine, and his actions (and words, in the book) make him one of the most unsympathetic characters. And he’s old money, and shows delight is reminding Gatsby of that. A moment I thought was done really well was Gatsby sees Tom and Daisy’s daughter. Tom picks up Pammy, and just walks over to Gatsby, as if to say ‘I’m the winner here’. And is the end, he is.

Tom’s double standard is shown by his affair with Myrtle Wilson. He’s allowed to go and have affairs, but stops Daisy from interacting with Gatsby and even Nick at times. Myrtle, danced by Rachael Gillespie, was a character I found to be a standout. Gillespie’s performance in the First Act party scenes contrasted the loose and fluid movement of the 20s dancing, with the heartbreaking and almost weak movements after she is hit by Tom. As her husband George, Harris Beattie provided another contrast in the Second Act: the anger shown when George finds a fancy bracelet and accuses Myrtle of having an affair, and the sorrow shown when he sees Myrtle’s body following her death.

Jordan Baker was the character I found most interesting when I first read the book. Though she is less intertwined with the events, I found her juxtaposition with Daisy to be fascinating, and I was happy that reflected in this production. Alessandra Bramante as Jordan showed that she was more of a ‘New Woman’ than Daisy. To the world, Daisy is rather perfect, whereas Jordan has a shady yet alluring reputation. Her costumes also showed her differing attitudes, wearing trousers, and having slight differences to her dresses when compared with the other female dancers.

Nick may possibly be the hardest character to adapt. In practise, he’s the narrator, but he has a tendency to start and watch the events, being a passive participant instead of an active one. I think Nixon’s choreography did a good job at showing this: Nick is often on stage, but he’s not always the focus. Filippo di Vilio danced Nick, had a good partnership with Bramante as Jordan. I thought di Vilio and Hansk were both outstanding in the scene where Nick accuses Gatsby of murdering Myrtle.

The whole ensemble of the company was on top form as maids, partygoers, crooks and New Yorkers. I truly believe the dancers of Northern Ballet are some of the most versatile in the country, and this performance cemented that belief. The scene at Myrtle and Tom’s party when they all sing along to a record was really warm, if that’s the right word for it, and I thought it brilliant in evoking the spirit of the 1920s. The orchestra, conducted by Lauren Wasynczuk, were absolutely brilliant, and the piano playing of the jazz numbers was superb.

Creatively, as I mentioned, the production didn’t overpower the characters. The scenic design, by Jérôme Kaplan, was elegant and sleek. In the first scene the long floor-to-ceiling slats move to reveal the characters, which I thought was a really good way of introducing them to the audience. I also enjoyed the garage set. Tim Mitchell’s lighting reflected the moods of the characters, and complemented the scenery well. There were absolutely no moments in the ballet where I thought ‘this doesn’t work’. Everything fit together well.

I have touched briefly on the costumes, designed by David Nixon with assistance from Julie Anderson, but I also thought they were brilliant. My favourites were Young Daisy’s blue dress, and Myrtle’s sparkly dark dress. The styles of the costumes were good at highlighting the fashion of the 1920s while not impeding the dancing.

The music was taken from the works of Richard Rodney Bennett, and I really enjoyed it. I’m not someone who knows a lot about music, but I felt it drew the audience in to the setting, and all the pieces used flowed well. I liked the slow jazz music in George and Myrtle’s scenes, and the party scenes had as lively music as you could expect.

I can’t end this review without talking about the final part of the ballet. Last year I saw Northern Ballet’s Casanova, which I thought had the most moving end to a show I’d ever seen, but The Great Gatsby’s ending is up there too. The recording of Bennet’s ‘I Never Went Away’ used in the final moments was absolutely blissful, and provided such a moving moment, with Gatsby, Young Daisy, and Daisy. And then, suddenly, George appears, and the ballet ends with a gunshot. The audience reaction to this showed how entranced we had all become in the dancing, and on my part I was so entranced I had nearly forgotten the ending.

Overall I found this ballet to be up there with the best adaptations of The Great Gatsby, and way better than some adaptations that have the benefit of being able to use words. There was such an understanding of the characters showed by both the creatives and the dancers. The dancing was incredible, and the Northern Ballet company shone on that stage.

It’s a ballet I wholeheartedly recommend.