Wealth, glamour and prohibition is illustrated in the San Jose State University Theatre in an attempt to recreate an American Classic, “The Great Gatsby,” for the first time in the Bay Area.
Despite its moderate portrayal of the story and the lack of production value, the show’s not far-from-perfect casting shows glimpses of the true classic.
The story of Jay Gatsby and the love of his life, Daisy Buchanan, is told with ambitious acting from students Spencer Greene (Gatsby) and Sarah Haas (Daisy).
Gatsby is a fabulously wealthy young man living in a Gothic mansion in West Egg. He is famous for the lavish parties he throws every Saturday night, but no one knows his origins, what he does for a living or how he made his fortune.
Haas’ depiction of Daisy is accurate of a money driven, somewhat cynical, superficial character. She is full of nonsensical momentary enthusiasms and leans toward unfulfilled mannerisms through the second act.
Greene and Haas displayed glimpses of the love their characters share for each other. During the play they exchanged kisses that did not look fabricated, drawing in the audience.
Stage production may seem dull at moments. The audience is presented with one main set, a flight of arched stairs that wraps around to the top and into a balcony that is used to illustrate different settings of the story.
The only change in setting is the furniture that is moved by the same actors that star in the play.
Actors danced through the set during these transitions, but this was too distracting for my taste. Instead of making me believe I was actually in the world of the 1920s, I was pulled back into reality.
The play was well written and almost matches the dialogue in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel word for word.
The production uses award-winning theater director and playwright Simon Levy’s adaptation of “The Great Gatsby” and is ambitious, creating a unique style in which Nick Carraway’s character establishes his first-person retelling of the story.
Nick, played by Alex Draa, steps into the spotlight in the middle of the action and narrates the story from time to time. This practice works well with the play and storytelling, translating the book’s narrative style into a stage setting.
The narrative pauses by Nick were perfectly executed. The audience automatically knows when he is narrating because the characters around him freeze as he continues to walk and talk.
Director Laura Long displays an egotistic lifestyle of the rich mixed with a story of love and betrayal.
The play captures the essence of both sides of the 20s. Dances such as the Charleston and foxtrot are showcased with luxurious fashion along with the greed and cynicism of the rich.
Costumes are constructed to illustrate the era. Gatsby wears a white tuxedo and slicked back hair while Daisy is clothed in a white dress and pearl necklace.
Casting all around gives the production a boost. Will Corkery portrays the lifeless and frustrated George Wilson while Alexis Durden plays the ruthless Myrtle Wilson, his wife.
Corkery fits the roll. As a victim of lost love, Corkery is ineffectual in the first act, but this only lends to his character.
Niko Parras’ portrayal of Tom Buchanan is illustrious. He successfully manages to embody the clueless, ruthless jock just as he is in the novel with the cocky ego he adds to Tom’s character.
As soon as Parras came onstage, his ego and wit quickly established his character. The audience already knew who he was without even mentioning his name.
The Morningside Heights apartment scene with Tom, Nick, Myrtle and the McKee couple was my favorite.
It showed the humor of drunken people at a party when Max Crisp (Mr. McKee) guided his fingers on her body before he threw Pan Dora (Lucille) onto the couch. As he laid on top of her, the audience roared with laughter.
There are many things to take from the play, but it ultimately leaves you with the ache for love, a taste for wealth and the tragedy of heartbreak that is established in the novel.
Shows will continue throughout the month from Oct. 20 -24 at the SJSU Theatre.
Comments
Post a Comment