Theatre 2026: The Great Gatsby @ Ed Mirvish Theatre

The Great Gatsby is a classic, tragic novel written by F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1925 that deals with themes of obsessive love, privilege that comes with great wealth, corruption, moral decay, and disillusionment. Set in the decadent Jazz Age on Long Island, NY, the story is told through first-person narration by writer and bond trader Nick Carraway, describing his interactions with Jay Gatsby, a mysterious millionaire obsessed with reuniting with his former lover, the flighty and selfish Daisy Buchanan (nee Fay), who is Nick’s distant cousin.  Jay and Daisy were in love before he left to fight in World War I. Because he was poor, she chose not to wait for him and married the wealthy, brutish and philandering Tom Buchanan instead. Determined to win her back after the war, Gatsby turned himself into a self-made millionaire through shady dealings including illegal bootlegging. He built a mansion directly across the bay from the Buchanan home, which has a green light on its dock that acts as a beacon of hope for Jay. He throws lavish, uproarious parties to entice Daisy to attend but she never does. When Nick moves into a cottage next to Gatsby’s estate, Jay convinces him to invite Daisy to tea as a ploy to set up the former lovers’ reunion. Gatsby’s obsession with the past and his unrealistic, idealized image of Daisy eventually leads to tragic events that symbolize the loss of the American Dream.

The Great Gatsby has been adapted into movies several times. The most notable movie is a faithful 1974 adaptation starring Robert Redford as the suave, aloof and mysterious Gatsby and Mia Farrow as the ethereal Daisy.  The tone of the movie is muted and melancholy, reflected even in the wardrobe of the characters which are often in white or black hues, while jazz music true to the era is played throughout the scenes. By contrast, the 2013 remake starring Leonardo Dicaprio in the titular role and Carey Mulligan as Daisy leans into the hedonism and debauchery of the times with hyper, fast-paced cinematography, bright colours and controversially, the use of modern hip-hop and pop music intermixed with jazz. Whereas Fitzgerald’s book is a dark, cynical critique of the wealth, greed and excesses of the upper class, the 2013 movie glamorizes and even celebrates it.

The musical version of The Great Gatsby opened on Broadway in 2024 to mixed critical reviews but rave audience reaction, partly propelled by the star power of Tony-nominated actors Jeremy Jordan (Newsies) as Gatsby and Eva Nobelzada (Hadestown) as Daisy.  A roadshow version has come to Toronto but must not have sold very well since the run was cut short by multiple weeks and our tickets were moved to an earlier date to fit the new closing date. Accordingly, we went in with low expectations.

Our first impressions were good since the set design was stunning. Before the show opened, we were treated to the view of the Buchanan home and its blinking green light as seen from Gatsby’s estate. Adding to the ambience were the sounds of crashing waves and the calls of seagulls. The stunning sets continued with glamorous Art Deco designs representing Gatsby’s mansion and the era-appropriate, luscious costumes were equally impressive. We received an early glimpse of some of the wardrobe from displays in the lobby.

The initial songs do a good job of setting the scene and propelling the plot. The opening number “Roaring On” describes the jazz age (“Tonight let’s misbehave … the city’s reignited. The Great War is done”) while also providing Nick’s exposition as he starts to narrate the story. “Absolute Rose” introduces Daisy and her friend Jordan Baker who becomes Nick’s love interest.  “New Money” explains Gatsby’s world of the nouveau-riche and “For Her” allows Gatsby to convey the depth of his obsession with Daisy.

We also liked the choreography, especially in the large group numbers like “Roaring On” where the influence of legendary choreographer Bob Fosse seems quite apparent. The number “Shady”, describing Gatsby’s illicit dealings with his partner Wolfsheim, was also well done with the use of square spotlights and dancers in fedoras and trenchcoats that flap around like capes as they move.

It was interesting to compare some differences in tone and especially in plot between the various sources. The musical tried to redeem the characters to make them less self-indulgent and unlikeable or added plot points to give them more depth. As a result, Daisy no longer cynically chooses money over love when she gives up on Gatsby and marries Tom. Instead, through manipulation from her father, she is led to believe that Gatsby died in the war and marries Tom while in grief. Tom’s mistress Mrytle is pregnant with his child in the musical and is given the fabulous torch song “One-Way Road” where she also debates her choice of love or money before meeting her unfortunate fate.

Our major issue with the show was with the portrayal of Gatsby and it is unclear whether this was a result of the actor’s performance or the way the character is written in the musical’s book. Rather than the mysterious, sophisticated and debonair persona described in the book and as portrayed by Redford and DiCaprio, our Gatsby came across as goofy, insecure and immature. This especially came across in the song “Only Tea” where he is so nervous to meet Daisy that he actually jumps into the bushes to hide when she arrives. As a result, we did not feel much romantic chemistry between the two leads.  Whether this was deliberately played for laughs or not, it undermined the dark nature of the source material. Looking at the images of the cast in the program, I wonder if the actor playing Gatsby was too young for the role.

It did not help that the show played at the Ed Mirvish Theatre and as always, the sound system is problematic.  Usually, it is impossible to hear since the sound is too low. This time, perhaps to compensate, the sound was cranked up so loud that every song sounded like the actors were shouting and that in itself muffled the lyrics for me and took away any tenderness or subtly to the love songs. As a result, although I liked the songs when listening to the soundtrack, I did not enjoy these live singing performances.

This show has promise and I might have appreciated it more had I watched it in a theatre with good sound and a more appropriate cast. Based on what we got, I understand why the show’s run ended early. We might have been in the minority in our assessment of the show since many others in the audience were really into it and there were multiple women walking around dressed like flappers.