Few novels fascinate Americans on the scale of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby,” a decadent 1925 story of conspicuous consumption laced with passion and betrayal. And to the delight of those who seek to exploit its popularity, “The Great Gatsby” entered the public domain in the United States as of Jan. 1, 2021.
That explains why there are so many “Gatsby” takes that it is hard to keep them straight. In the last few years, I’ve reviewed an immersive version of “Gatsby” in New York and the mainstream Broadway musical version, and there are more takes still to roll out in the coming months.
The touring version of director Marc Bruni’s production, now at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, is that traditional musical, still playing in New York, where it survived very mixed critical notices by offering audiences lush music, grand sets, sensuous performances and a big Broadway night out where one could unabashedly dress up for the occasion. On Broadway, the audience was every bit as entertaining as the show.
Even though I caught the “Gatsby” tour at a Sunday matinee, plenty of Chicagoans certainly had embraced the glamor of the occasion and the seats were full. “Gatsby” still works its magic, a tribute to the storytelling, of course, but also to the vicarious pleasures of this particular narrative, which allows you to imagine yourself at the center of a glamorous Long Island world but also watch its hedonists get their comeuppance. It’s really a sad story, of course, but that is not what people remember. And, of course, the Gatsby-esque remains alive and well.
I can’t, in all honesty, say that this cut-down tour, notwithstanding an excellent ensemble of actors, comes close to re-creating the huge production values of its New York origins. We are alas past the days when producers like Cameron Mackintosh would pride themselves on exact touring replications of London and Gotham spectacles. But it suffices. Just. Those around me certainly had a good time with Jake David Smith’s brooding Jay and Senzel Ahmady’s rather invulnerable Daisy, not that I saw many sparks of passion between the two of them. I saw more in the row in front. Good for them.
The touring performances I most enjoyed were actually from the young and excellent Joshua Grosso’s Nick Carraway, our erstwhile narrator, here afforded an exceptional voice, and Leanne Robinson’s delightfully cynical Jordan Baker. There’s also some intense, Chicago-worthy acting on offer here from Tally Sessions as the story’s other victim, George Wilson. So there are three names to watch.
As for the whole show? You get some cool choreography (still well executed), a solid score from Jason Howland (speaking of big talents) and Nathan Tysen, one great, Frank Wildhorn-esque song, “For Her,” which Smith sings very nicely and plenty of adroit lines taken from the novel to spice up Kait Kerrigan’s mostly efficient adaptation, including one about crime in Chicago that got an uneasy laugh from the audience, some newly aware of our city’s long-lived role in this particular all-American morality tale.
Chris Jones is a Tribune critic
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Review: “The Great Gatsby” (2.5 stars)
When: Through May 3
Where: Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph St.
Running time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Tickets: $49-$165 at 312-977-1700 and broadwayinchicago.com