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18 May 2019

Posted by Aiysha Jahan

Our Take on 'The Great Gatsby' Ballet

We are a group of young people who love to write. We come together every term-time Saturday to write stories, poems and non-fiction in the beautiful Mayflower Theatre. But that’s not all we do – one of the perks of being a Mayflower young writer is that we get to attend many of the fantastic shows at the theatre. Last week we watched the Northern Ballet bring Fitzgerald’s 1920s novel The Great Gatsby to life. The Saturday morning session that followed was spent writing a review of the performance. Here is the ballet in our words: 


From the moment you step into the Mayflower's perfectly set auditorium, you enter the world of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. Choreographed and directed by David Nixon OBE, it is set perfectly to the orchestra's stunning music, conducted by John Pryce-Jones. It is a ballet with a wonderful, modern twist.  – Katie

In an explosion of light, you are transported back in time to the era of swinging parties and drunken revelry. And as the first dancers leap onto the stage, you are lost in the moment.  – Tabitha

When Nick Carraway moves in next to Gatsby there are garden parties, affairs, mystery, love and suspense all rolled into one ballet.  – Maira

When Daisy Buchanan and Gatsby meet after the war is very moving and when they dance together the choreographer manages to show past and present dancing together.  – Lucy

The splendid shimmering costumes stylishly reflect the dizzyingly flamboyant clothes of the 1920’s.  – Milly

The set stays fairly simple throughout the performance with grey flats being used for multiple aspects such as streets and walls of house. A consistent piece throughout the performance is the pier in the background paying homage to the book with the green light of Daisy's dock.  – Millie

I thought it was a spectacular show. I love dance and drama, so this performance really brought that love to the surface. This is a must see for dance lovers and anyone who enjoys the rare thrill of a brilliantly orchestrated performance.  – Anoushka

F. Scott Fitzgerald did an amazing job creating The Great Gatsby. David Nixon did a spectacular job directing the ballet based on the novel.  – Julian


We will be away for the half term and return to our Saturday sessions on 8th June. 

Until then, enjoy the holiday and write on!


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