The Great Gatsby: Northern Ballet production comes to Yorkshire theatres in Leeds and Sheffield this March
After premiering in 2013, the same year that Baz Luhrmann's film featuring Leonardo DiCaprio was released, Northern Ballet’s The Great Gatsby has enjoyed four successful UK tours. And now it’s set to return to theatres in Leeds and Sheffield in March, before moving on to London in May.
Based on the classic novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, you will be transported to the glitzy and glamorous world of Jazz Age New York and be immersed in a story of mystery, passion, lies, jealousy and tragedy.
The story
The main character is Jay Gatsby, who used to go by the name Jimmy Gatz. His Long Island mansion buzzes day and night with the young, the rich and the beautiful. But as the champagne flows at his glitzy parties, glamour and romance give way to jealousy and tragedy, because here in Prohibition-era New York, everybody has something to hide.
He lives across the water from his childhood sweetheart Daisy Fay, who is now married. But is the marriage a happy one? And what is Jay prepared to do to win back the love of his life? And what will Daisy’s husband do to stop him? Others become drawn into this tangle with devastating consequences.
This acclaimed production by Leeds-based Northern Ballet, has been lifted from page to stage by David Nixon CBE’s glorious choreography and Sir Richard Rodney Bennett CBE’s dazzling score (whose credits include Four Weddings and a Funeral and Murder on the Orient Express). It’s the party to end all parties – and you won’t want to miss it.
The characters
Northern Ballet are renowned for their storytelling and The Great Gatsby promises to bring Fitzgerald’s iconic characters to life on stage. We spoke to some of Northern Ballet’s leading dancers to find out more about their roles:
‘The Great Jay Gatsby, I believe, is a man full of hope and at the heart of his story is someone who is in desperate pursuit of his love. His past is described allusively by Fitzgerald which makes him a difficult character to dissect, but this difficulty is also what makes him such an intriguing character,’ says Joseph Taylor, Northern Ballet Principal Soloist (Jay Gatsby).
‘Daisy has an excitement for life and the small joys it offers her and her friends. When she reunites with Gatsby, her innocence is ignited, she is delighted to be back with the man she once loved. As the ballet progresses you see Daisy fall back into her youthful desires for him. It is only near the end of the ballet that she is struck by the harsh reality of what her life has become. Like so many people, she is torn between her head and her heart,’ explained Dominique Larose, Northern Ballet First Soloist (Daisy Buchanan)
Tour dates for March 2023
To watch a trailer, read more about the production and book tickets visit the Northern Ballet website here.
The Great Gatsby will be performed at Leeds Grand Theatre between March 8 and 18, to book call the box office on 0113 243 0808 or log onto Leedsheritagetheatres.com
It will also tour to Sheffield Lyceum Theatre between March 21 and 25, to book call the box office on 0114 249 6000 or visit Sheffieldtheatres.co.uk.
Outside of Yorkshire you can see it at London Sadler's Wells, May 16-20, to book call the box office on 020 7863 8000 or visit Sadlerswells.com