The Great Gatsby

 
There are a number of novels which have been adapted for film and theatre – The Great Gatsby is one of them. While its 3D film in is the making, this iconic novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald was adapted as a theatre play and impressed theatre lovers instantly. It is the story of Jay Gatsby, a man who has everything but there is something missing. Beneath all the layers of his shimmering glamorous life, he holds a secret, a silent longing. While it is highly unlikely that it will ever be fulfilled, his obsession will become destructive and will unravel his world in a way he never expected.
 
The story is narrated by Nick Carraway who is a cripplingly limited observer. The novel is a gem in English literature and the creators have done justice to it by making it close to the original story. That is why it is appropriate to say that the play is not an adaptation but an enactment of the novel, making The Great Gatsby tickets a tempting treat for all literature and theatre lovers.
 
Everyone agrees that The Great Gatsby is a beautifully written novel. Although Fitzgerald did not get recognition for this publication during his lifetime but the novel went on to be titled “Great American Novel”, regarded as a literary classic. It has been adopted for stage a number of times: Joe Evans and Linnie Reedman produced this play in association with A Ruby in the Dust production which opened at the Kings Head Theatre in London; Simon Levy adopted this for stage, making its world premiere at The Guthrie Theater; Elevator Repair Service, a New York company, came up with a theater version titled “Gatz”. All of these productions appropriated the text in a way that honors the beauty of this story exactly. Lasting over six hours, the show has two intermissions and a dinner break. It premiered in Brussels in 2006 followed by 23 performances worldwide. After some right problems were resolved, it was taken to Manhattan, London and Los Angeles.
 
Main characters of the play are Nick Carraway, the narrator who lives next door to Jay Gatsby; Jay Gatsby, a young millionaire who turns out to be a bootlegger after being portrayed as involved in a shady business; Daisy Buchanan, a young and attractive woman, married to Tom Buchanan, Gatsby’s obsession and was who also once involved in a romantic relationship with him; Tom Buchanan, Daisy’s husband and a millionaire; Jordan Baker, Daisy’s friend and Carraway’s girlfriend; George B. Wilson, owner of a garage. He kills Gatsby assuming his wife was killed by Gatsby hitting her while driving and Myrtle Wilson; George’s wife and Tom’s mistress. She is killed when Daisy hits her with her car accidently, an accident for which Gatsby takes the blame. The plot takes place in the summer of 1922, from spring to autumn to be exact. The Great Gatsby is a story of love lost and not regained. The obsession Gatsby has for Daisy takes his life eventually even then he gets himself killed to save the woman. It is excellent drama, heart-warming and inspiring to its core.
 
For people who have read this classic novel will find this play to be the best thing they have seen lately as it will give a life to their imagination – watching the whole play unravel on the stage. And for those who have been a little less fortunate as to not have read this wonderful work of literature, they don’t need to worry as the play has everything that is in the book. In fact, watching this show is more of an incredible experience than reading the novel alone. The show may sound “heavy-going” but even a production lasting as long as a transatlantic flight feels short as the audience forgets the track of time engrossed so deeply in all the action happening on the stage. In the end, all it takes is a few cheap The Great Gatsby tickets to watch this stage wonder.