I had the pleasure of taking in a show at Theatre Calgary last night: The Great Gatsby. I should preface this by stating that previous to last night I did not know the story. I have not seen the movie, I have not read the book. I knew very little about the show going into it.
Two of my best friends are in the show:
Tory Doctor (long time friend who I have known for many years, have performed with in several shows, and spent many hours laughing with) and
Jonathon Young (who I only met for the first time last night, however after a quick handshake and stating my admiration of his work, plus being introduced by Tory, I feel that Jonathon can be now considered a close friend).
By happenstance, I was at the show on a Tuesday night, which is the night that some of the cast comes back out to talk with the audience. I am so glad I was there! Thank you for those of you that stepped out to talk - it was informative, fun, and I was grateful for the opportunity to get to know you all a little more.
Overall - I really enjoyed the show! Well done all around to cast and crew. Each of the cast, from lead to ensemble, did a tremendous job of portraying their respective roles to the audience. Thank you for a job well done, I was thoroughly entertained from start to finish.
Scene / Stage Presence - Wonderful job at presenting the Roaring 20's on stage, drawing the viewer completely into that time and place. From the moment the show began the scene & mood were set, and stayed consistent throughout. This included the characters, who were portrayed very realistically, and I congratulate the actors for keeping their minds, postures, mannerisms, and every other nuance in-the-moment, so as not to break the illusion. I caught only a couple of moments where an actor would lock eyes with an audience member, yet it was done in a way that would have suggested we were there as guests at the party, not an audience. Bravo!
Crew/Set - I had one concern when some furniture was brought out onto stage - is this really the style and design of furniture from the 20's? I quickly dismissed the thought, however - I am not a scholar of the time period, and decided that close enough was good enough for set decoration. In general, the set design, props, and fly-away pieces were fantastic. I loved to see a car actually drive on stage! Two thumbs up for whoever designed the flats - I love the clear wall slats with transparent print overlay on them. Excellent.
Lighting was perfectly timed throughout the show, in both acts. Simulated car lights were used to add so much additional background content, shadows created for differing moods - I can find nothing to say except well done!
Music/Sound - love the music! It was great to have the musicians on stage as part of the set, where they could be blended into the background and forgotten when the moment required it, or brought into the scene as additional cast during the party. Well done, well played, and thank you for the great music. If there were any hitches in rhythm, pitch, or otherwise, we the audience never knew it.
Cast notes - my general cast note has already been made - tremendous job everyone! You deserve a round of applause for your hard work. Take a bow!
I do have some specific shout-outs I would like to make:
Julien Arnold (George Wilson) - You had a lot of depth that I'd like to give you two thumbs up for. I'm not sure if many people noticed, but you had a lot of moments where your characters emotional state had to switch quickly, depending on who you were interacting with. You did a marvelous job of letting us know just exactly how the character felt and what was going on in your heart and mind. Kudos!
Craig Erickson (Tom Buchanan) - did not like Tom much from the very beginning, which was perfect for the role. Excellent work! I've seen you in other shows before, and it took me about 30 minutes of show time to realize it. You were immersed in the role from the beginning. Perfect!
Bob Frazer (Jay Gatsby) - many memorable moments from sophisticated rich man, to nervous wreck in love, and several other attitudes and moods in between. Thank you for a great performance!
Tory Doctor (Ensemble) - You have so much energy and flair, and you know exactly when to turn it on high for the scenes it is required in, and to turn it down again when the focus moves elsewhere. And no matter what Jonathon says, I think you are a great dancer.
Jason Hardwick (Ensemble) - It was notable that every time the scene changed, you were ready from your quick change and in character instantly. Such great characters from you in each moment - bravo!
Jamie Konchak (Jordan Baker) - Splendid! I don't know what else to do except applaud. I loved your work in this show, and in your character. Believable, adorable, and steady all the way through to the end. Be proud of your accomplishment!
Amy Rutherford (Daisy Buchanan) - How on earth did you manage to stay in this character while going on the roller coaster ride of emotions the story pulls her through? I am impressed. Congratulations on a job well done!
Jonathon Young (Nick Carraway) - an absolute pleasure to see you on stage. I had only seen you in TV roles previous to this, and I am glad to see this other side of your acting talent. Thank you for engaging the audience directly, and pulling us all into the world created on stage. Excellent work!
Dance / Ensemble - one of the things I have been doing the last couple years is watching shows without watching the main actors. I like to keep my ears on where the main story is, but my eyes on where the background action is taking place. It is very telling of the company's interest in the show, their commitment to the roles they play, and just how believable the story as a whole really is. For Gatsby, you all pulled it off with style. Thank you for sticking to your roles even if the light is elsewhere, you are in shadow, or frozen in that scene. It is the high quality that you strive for that makes the rest of the scene possible and come to life. I was constantly impressed with the Ensemble's ability to keep focus on the story, no matter what else was happening. Thank you for a great show!
Closing Remarks - you all deserve to be proud of yourselves. It is a lot of hard work to get the show to where it is. The level of professionalism, quality, and entertainment was high. Take a bow! Congratulations!
