Right, let’s start this off with two facts about me…
- The Great Gatsby** is one of those books I always felt like I should have read but never really got round to. So, a couple of years ago I spotted it was on offer on my Kindle and thought I’d pick it up. Come to think of it, it was probably to tie in with the release of the film with Leonardo Di Caprio** in, wasn’t it? That would make sense. Anyway, it took a while but I finally got around to reading it and I really enjoyed it. I think I had finished it in an afternoon. (I also think it’s part of my Rory Gilmore Reading List.)
- I hate fancy dress. I’m just not very good at it. I’m not one of those people that has a magic wardrobe with all these weird and wonderful things in that mean I can throw a costume together at a moments notice (I’m looking at you, Ms Rivet!) My wardrobe is mostly full and black and grey, jeans and t-shirts. There’s the occasional pop of colour and odd dress. But nothing useful when it comes to fancy dress… unless you’re going as an emo kid.
Now, with this in mind let me show you something…
Yep, that there is me in 1920s style dress. I won’t be making a habit of it. And I’m definitely not built for 20s styling. But, there was a good reason for it, I promise you. I’d been invited to one of Gatsby’s famous parties* and I didn’t want to turn up underdressed now, did I?
The Guild of Misrule present a world of jazz, bootleg liquor and scandal and you can’t help but become fully immersed from the minute you step through the door to Gatsby’s Drugstore.
With it being a fully immersive show, even if you went back a few times you wouldn’t have the same experience. There are, obviously, a number of key scenes that the entire audience need to see in order to keep the story on track. However, sections of the audience are moved around into other rooms to see different scenes and get an idea of the story from the point of view of other characters. In these “side scenes”, I’m not sure what else to call them, I had a Charleston lesson, was whisked through the bedrooms and witnessed a touching yet heartbreaking moment between Jay Gatsby and Nick Carraway, just to name a few. I’m not even sure that I know how to put into words just how great this is.
The cast are incredible and I couldn’t fault a single one of them. They put on an incredible show and played their parts superbly.
As it was my first proper foray into immersive theatre, I didn’t really know what to expect. Any expectations I did have were beyond exceeded.
The run of The Great Gatsby has been extended to September and tickets are £39 plus booking fee. I promise you, it will be one of the best £40 you’ve ever spent.
*I was invited to The Great Gatsby for review purposes along with Love Pop Ups London. All thoughts and words are my own.
** Affiliate links, you don’t pay any more by using these links but I do get a tiny amount for pointing you in their direction.
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