REVIEW: ‘The Great Gatsby: The Immersive Show’ is decadent
Photo: The Great Gatsby: The Immersive Show is currently running at the “Gatsby Mansion” in Midtown Manhattan. Photo courtesy of Joan Marcus / Provided by BBB with permission.
NEW YORK — The Great Gatsby: The Immersive Show has set up shop in Midtown Manhattan, taking over the ballroom of a swanky hotel to breathe new life into the F. Scott Fitzgerald classic. For this immersive show, patrons are escorted to a world-class party held by none other than Jay Gatsby himself (Joel Acosta of off-Broadway’s Aloha Boricua). The environs are decadent and delightful, featuring a full bar, well-positioned tables, a glitzy staircase that descends to an expansive dance floor and a side stage ready for some swinging jazz. The mood and scenery are perfect for the unique theatrical experience.
Once the “play” begins, audience members are brought around the ballroom and surrounding hallways and rooms to watch the narrative of The Great Gatsby unfold before their very eyes. There are numerous characters to watch and follow, including Nick Carraway (Rob Brinkmann of off-Broadway’s Stomp) and Daisy (Jillian Anne Abaya in her off-Broadway debut), and depending on which direction one heads, the plot can be experienced in different ways. One can follow the Carraway track, gaining an intimate perspective of the teller of this tale, while others may follow Jordan Baker (Stephanie Rocío of The Wild Project’s Hurts to Hate You a Little) or Meyer Wolfsheim (Charlie Marcus of off-Broadway’s Romeo and Bernadette) or Tom Buchanan (Shahzeb Hussain of Tammany Hall), receiving completely different perspectives.
As with any immersive experience — with Sleep No More coming to mind — there are chances to go deeper with a particular character or plot point, but the tradeoff is that other cast members and storylines are on the opposite side of the theatrical space, and thus completely lost. One doesn’t experience the entire Great Gatsby novel during these two-and-a-half hours; instead, it’s a dabbling in Fitzgerald’s invented world, replete with dance lessons on the Charleston, lovers’ spats in a bedroom setting and plenty of booze to pass around.
For The Great Gatsby: The Immersive Show, which was created by seven people, audience members don’t exactly follow these various paths. For this experience, the actors corral people into groups and bring them left and right, often without much choice or freedom. For first-timers, that’s a welcome addition because the action can get dizzying, and being led around the environment by a trusty insider is helpful. For those who would like to be repeat customers, it’s best to station oneself in a specific spot and try to learn the narrative flow. This reviewer ended up staying in the main ballroom for almost 2/3 of the evening, only being whisked away for a couple end-of-the-evening scenes, including Daisy’s pivotal denouement.
The music throughout the evening is superlative, definitely putting the roaring in these Roaring ’20s (credit to composers Tendai + Glen and music director Claire McKenzie). There are jazz and swing songs to keep everything light and bubbling along. There’s a real jubilant feeling achieved in the first act of the show, with bon vivant cast members literally dancing right next to the audience, or in some cases with the audience. As patrons are reminded before entering the ballroom, they should interact with the actors when the actors are interacting with them, but it’s best to remain quiet while the scripted dialogue proceeds.
The performances are fun and fitting, with a few standouts amongst the hard-working cast. Abaya is wondrous as Daisy, ditto for Acosta as Gatsby, but Brinkmann’s Carraway seems to be the backbone of the evening (much like his character is the backbone of the book). As the interloper to these wealthy environs, Carraway is the lens by which the audience views the action. He is us, and we are him — taken in by the ostentatious display of richness, but horrified by it as well. Brinkmann does a masterful job of bringing this important character to life.
The Great Gatsby: The Immersive Show, directed with skill by Alexander Wright, continues the trend of immersive theater in New York City, and it’s a welcome addition to the increasingly crowded field. For lovers of the classic book, this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience to step into the pages of Fitzgerald and the minds of his creations. For those who skipped that necessary reading in high school, the bar is open all night.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
The Great Gatsby: The Immersive Show, directed by Alexander Wright, continues at the Gatsby Mansion at the Park Central Hotel in Midtown Manhattan. Starring Jillian Anne Abaya, Joel Acosta, Keivon Akbari, Anika Braganza, Rob Brinkmann, Kiki Burns, Nicholas Caycedo, Stephanie Cha, Jeremiah Ginn, Shahzeb Hussain, Charlie Marcus, Stephanie Rocío, Mya Rosado-Tran and Claire Saunders. Running time: 2 hours, 30 minutes with a 15-minute intermission. Click here for more information and tickets.
