The Great Gatsby West End review - New Money Musical Desperately Needs New Music
- Richard Brown
- Jun 28
- 4 min read
Possibly one of the most famous novels ever written struggles to translate to the West End's London Colosseum, despite best efforts from its talented cast.
⭐⭐⭐
If you own a TikTok account and are on the same algorithm as me, you have surely heard of two hit songs that have become viral from The Great Gatsby Broadway Soundtrack; New Money and The Party's Rolling On. And it is no surprise that they are so popular; the 1920's twist, repetitive lyrics and great vocals. So when I had the opportunity to pay a visit to London's West End, I couldn't resist buying a ticket.
The story of The Great Gatsby is squished into a 2 hour 30 minute running time. Nick Carraway returns home from the war and moves in next door to Jay Gatsby, a secretive billionaire. Gatsby, also who has returned from the war, searches for his pre-deployment love, Daisy, in the hopes of rekindling their relationship.
With our 104 pound tickets for the circle seat (3 rows from the front!) I wanted to make sure that we could see everything in the vast space which is the London Coliseum. It was our first time visiting this theatre, and it is beautiful, but it is also where this show hits its first hurdle.
Does The Great Gatsby work onstage?
Unfortunately it feels that The Great Gatsby is facing two major issues; a big space, with a show that doesn't know what it wants to be.
The London Colosseum is an incredible theatre, but sucks the life out of this show. Paul Tate Depoo III's brilliant set design is lavish and elevated, but the dialogue and lyrics struggle to be heard. The ensemble does a wonderful job, but needs to be nearly doubled or tripled in size to fill a massive stage. These parties are full with guests, with eight people standing on a massive empty stage. A smaller space may have aided the connection between audience and characters. Rachel Tucker (Myrtle) navigates the large stage well with a huge stage presence, while some seem to blend into the background.
The second issue is one that I have struggled with since I saw this show. Talented performers do not fix a weak score. Before entering the auditorium, the theatre was pumping 1920's music through the speakers, even into the bathroom. That music was the most 1920's sound that we heard all night.
Aside from the viral hits mentioned above, the songs lack a clear connection. It seems that the show doesn't know what it wants to be; Is it 1920's? Is it a dance show? A great example of this is the lackluster end of Act I number, My Green Light. Even with amazing vocal performances from Frances Mayli McCann (Daisy) and Jamie Muscato (Jay Gatsby), the audience were left confused by that being the ending before intermission. I did not feel much in terms of emotion.
Speaking of Daisy, it felt that her Act I songs were written to make us dislike her as a character. McCann does a wonderful job navigating clumsy lyrics and songs that lack some quality. Her two songs in Act I are forgettable and lack a strong melody, while Gatsby gets "For Her", which is rich, melody wise. I did turn to my husband and ask "What did Daisy do to that composer?" I would understand if McCann was unable to sing, but she shows her vocal power in Act II. The music overall improved in Act II, but still was missing the special sauce.
What were the performances like in The Great Gatsby?
As stated before, this cast is an extremely talented one. McCann and Muscato lead the cast brilliantly with their soaring vocals. Muscato continues to demonstrate a wonderful control of his voice, making it look effortless.
Tucker was a highlight with her wonderful performance as Myrtle. Layered and perfectly pitched with emotion and tone.
Two shocks for me were how incredible Corbin Bleu (Nick) and Amber Davies (Jordan) were. Both coming from "celebrity" backgrounds, they both displayed that it was talent and not stunt casting that secured their roles. Bleu was calm, collected and vocally strong. His tone matches the old style shows which match his acting bio. Davies had the bigger battle, constantly referred to by her Love Island status. A drama school graduate, Davies was funny, vocally gifted and a joy to watch! I look forward to both of them being seen more as Musical Performers in the future.
Is The Great Gatsby worth it?
Although this is a good night out, with a lavish set and great performances, The Great Gatsby is satisfactory. I would like to see a rewrite of some of the music to ensure the party continues rolling on for another couple of years.
Ticket Information and Show Times for The Great Gatsby in London, West End.
The Great Gatsby runs until the 7th of September 2025 at the London Coliseum, London. Tickets can be purchased by calling the box office or through their website https://londoncoliseum.org
Location: London Coliseum, London.
Date of Review: 16th of June
Star Rating: ⭐ ⭐⭐
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