Northern Ballet - The Great Gatsby - Spring tour 2022

[Jan McNulty]

How lucky we were to be in Edinburgh for the opening dates of Northern Ballet's The Great Gatsby.  The week was a bittersweet time as it marked David Nixon's final days with the company and Ashley Dixon's retirement from principal roles as he takes up his new post as assistant ballet master and character artist.

 

I will say from the outset that Northern Ballet are absolutely ON FIRE at the moment and we saw 4 incredibly heart-wrenching performances of Gatsby.

 

In my opinion David has created a great interpretation of Scott Fitzgerald's novel.  The characters are introduced at the start and I've found the story easy to follow (although it may have helped that I read the book before the premiere in 2013).

 

I love the way David portrays the stillness of Gatsby and his obsessive looking out for Daisy while hosting his parties in the hopes that she would come.  Speaking of parties, the Charleston party in act 1 is one toe-tapping party that we would all love to attend!  Act 1 ends on a high with Gatsby and Daisy reuniting thanks to Nick Conway.  Act 2 has a more sombre tone as the story reaches its tragic conclusion but the tango party at the start is visually stunning with some gorgeous choreography.  The ending has been particularly poignant this time around.

 

Anyway, Thursday evening was so special it will live on in my memory banks forever.  The cast was led by Joseph Taylor as Gatsby and Abigail Prudames as Daisy.  It has been a joy to watch these 2 dancers as their careers have progressed and they are just breath-taking to watch as they have such a special on-stage rapport.  The whole performance was absolute MAGIC.  

 

At the curtain calls, David Nixon was persuaded to come on stage and Abby made the most beautiful and heartfelt speech before Joe presented him with a framed photo-collage.  Of course we all stood and cheered!

 

 

 

Friday evening's cast was the same as Thursday and the performance was again outstanding.  Minju Kang is a very seductive Myrtle with Riku Ito as her lovelorn husband George.  Lorenzo Trossello was quite vicious as Daisy's husband Tom but he was broken by the death of Myrtle.  Sean Bates was very effective as Nick Conway.

 

 

On Saturday afternoon we were very luck to see Lorenzo Trossello and Minju Kang making their debuts as Gatsby and Daisy.  Lorenzo was very intense as Gatsby.  Gavin McCaig was a very macho and vicious Tom and Aerys Merrill made a touching debut as Myrtle with the always outstanding Kevin Poeung as George.  Gosh, yet another wonderful performance!

 

 

Saturday evening was another one of those special evenings that Northern Ballet does so well.  It was an evening sprinkled with magic dust as Ashley Dixon gave his final leading performance before his move onto the ballet staff.  Antoinette Brooks Daw came out of retirement to dance Daisy.  They were just magical together.  Ashley's wife, the beautiful Rachael Gillespie, was fabulous as Myrtle.

 

At the curtain calls David came on stage and made a very moving speech about Ashley.  Ashley has danced with Northern Ballet for 18 years, having started on a temporary 3 month contract!  I have loved watching his performances with his lovely technique (especially his amazing ballon) and fabulous acting since I saw him creating the role of The Shadow in Peter Pan right at the start of his career.  He has so much knowledge of the company's rep and the company is very fortunate that he is continuing his career with them in his new role.

 

 

Thank you Northern Ballet for all these wonderful memories.

[bridiem]

Thank you for these wonderful reports and photos, Janet!

[Sabine0308]

Wonderful report, thanks!!❤️

[Jan McNulty]

I was in Milton Keynes on Saturday for both performances of Gatsby.

 

In the afternoon we saw Lorenzo Trossello's cast and in the evening the cast was led by Joseph Taylor.

 

This ballet really is the party I would love to go to and we saw 2 sparkling performances.

 

I must mention Rachael Gillespie who gave an incandescent performance as the ill-fated Myrtle on the Saturday afternoon.  Because of her young-girl looks I think she has been somewhat type-cast during her career (Clara, Young Cathy etc) but on Saturday afternoon she showed her mature side with a sexy, sensual, love-lorn character.  Brava Rachael.  

 

Also on Saturday afternoon Gavin McCaig gave us a brilliant characterisation of the thuggish Tom.  He is always so happy and charming on and off-stage that his performance proved what a wonderful actor he is becoming.

 

Abby Prudames proved yet again why she is now the leading lady in the company with her glorious performance as Daisy on Saturday evening.

 

The whole company really is on top form and they always look as though they are enjoying the Charleston party in Act 1 way too much!

[DanJL]

I had a wonderful time seeing Great Gatsby in Cardiff last night! Lovely to have Northern Ballet back in Cardiff and I only wish I was free to see more than one cast. Last night the leads were Jonathan Hanks (Nick), Aerys Merrill (Myrtle), Kevin Poeung (George), Alessandra Bramante (Jordan), Minju Kang (Daisy) and Gavin McCaig (Tom). I wasn't familiar with most of them but they all encapsulated their roles brilliantly and fantastic dancing from them and the rest of the cast throughout. 

 

This was my first time seeing the ballet and I thought it was a very clever and successful telling of a quite involved story. Some wonderful, fun group dances really brought across the 20s spirit, especially the extended party section in the first act. And between that some highly emotional dancing between the various characters navigating the different relationships, desires, suspicions etc. I did wonder how the second act was going to climax as the downbeat end to the story felt like it might be in danger of fizzling out a bit (based on my reading of the synopsis and therefore what I was anticipating), but David Nixon's production got round this with a really nice end sequence of Gatsby looking back and dreaming about Daisy. And then a dramatic climax. Hopefully I'll get chance to see this again one day because it is a great ballet! 

[Jan McNulty]

Who was Gatsby?  Lorenzo?

[DanJL]

Ah good question, somehow missed out the man himself 🙈 apologies, yes it was Lorenzo Trossello and very good he was too! 

[FionaM]

Really enjoyed my trip to New Theatre, Cardiff to see this ballet.   Super production, clever use of sets, divine costumes, excellent dancing and storytelling … and a live orchestra.  
 

what more could anyone want!

 

Appreciative audience on opening night.  Though not fully sold out.  Don’t know why …  maybe insufficient marketing.  
 

good to see Federico there too.  

[Jan McNulty]

14 minutes ago, FionaE said:

Really enjoyed my trip to New Theatre, Cardiff to see this ballet.   Super production, clever use of sets, divine costumes, excellent dancing and storytelling … and a live orchestra.  
 

what more could anyone want!

 

Appreciative audience on opening night.  Though not fully sold out.  Don’t know why …  maybe insufficient marketing.  
 

good to see Federico there too.  

Federico has been very visible at all the venues (as was David Nixon).

 

The marketing department has really been working overtime but my impression is that regional audiences are still a bit more wary of returning to the theatre.

 

Which cast did you see Fiona?

[FionaM]

@Jan McNulty

Joe Taylor - Gatsby

Abigail Prudames - Daisy

Lorenzo Trosselo - Daisy’s husband

Sean Bates - Daisy’s cousin

Heather Lehan - Daisy’s friend

Minju Kang - Myrtle Wilson

Riku Ito - Myrtle’s husband

 

They were all very good indeed.  I loved Joe Taylor’s stage presence and fluid movements.  The choreography for Riku was some of the hardest I’ve seen.  He was incredible.  Minju catches my eye in everything, she has a special quality. 

 

I’m really impressed with the level of dancing at Northern Ballet … having now seen Great Gatsby, Casanova (rehearsal) and Merlin in cinema within quick succession.   I would highly recommend seeing them to anyone who hasn’t and I’ll be going to anything near (ish) to me!

 

 

 

[Jan McNulty]

Thanks Fiona.

 

As his IG post says Riku is leaving NB to join BRB:

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CesfpBDo6Zg/

 

Lorenzo is leaving NB to join ENB:

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/Ces6jHvI9f_/

[FionaM]

Thank for the update … it’s that time of year 😉

[DoctorDerry]

I have never seen Northern Ballet on stage but saw the filmed ‘Merlin’ last week and thought it was terrific. Even my husband liked it and that does not happen very often!

[alison]

Oh - was it on general release?

[Jan McNulty]

54 minutes ago, alison said:

Oh - was it on general release?

 

I can't remember which cinema chain it was shown at (Showcase maybe) but the official release date was 24th April and I couldn't go because we were travelling home from Edinburgh.  There were no other showings in the Liverpool area but it looks as though a few cinemas have picked it up beyond that.