Tag Archives: Jamie Muscato

“The Great Gatsby” at the London Coliseum

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel, which celebrates its centenary this year, has been turned into a big Broadway musical by Jason Howland and Nathan Tysen, with the help of onstage cars and plenty of fireworks. Still running in New York, the Coliseum is a suitably splendid London home for a production that proves value for money, even if it lacks surprises.

This show is a tough one not to damn with faint praise: it’s competent, easy, and enjoyable. Kait Kerrigan’s book is a case in point; as an adaptation it is efficient, clear and comprehensive… but also simplistic. Kerrigan doesn’t assume we all know what is going on with the nouveau riche Jay Gatsby and his former, now married, sweetheart Daisy. The affair, alongside Daisy’s husband’s adultery and a romance for her cousin Nick and friend Jordan, makes for a plot that’s interesting enough, but a little like a soap opera.

The show isn’t sure how funny it wants to be; can we laugh at these old-fashioned views, or do we just condemn them? And Gatsby becomes a bit of a joke himself – rather than a mystery – which is a shame for the audience and Jamie Muscato who takes the lead role. The idea of showing Gatsby’s pretensions with a vaguely British twang jars (Muscato can do a better American accent than this). Frances Mayli McCann, who stars as Daisy, also suffers, with a big effort to make her character sympathetic. Their love isn’t questioned in the way Fitzgerald wanted. Both leads have the poorest songs; their fine voices – and they both sound great – cannot disguise this. 

Howland’s score is powerful, if predictable, with period references that are suggestive (including Gilda Grey is a lovely touch). The romantic numbers soar, just as you might expect. And the party theme is suitably catchy. Tysen’s lyrics are less accomplished, but they are clear, and I didn’t cringe. Both benefit from Marc Bruni’s direction and several numbers are elevated by Dominique Kelley’s choreography. An Act Two highlight, Made to Last, with all the main characters, is the only number complex enough to really impress.

John-Owen-Jones-The-Great-Gatsby-credit-Johan-Persson
John Owen-Jones

It’s with supplementary characters that The Great Gatsby does best. Corbin Bleu manages to make sure narrator Nick leads the show despite Kerrigan’s lack of interest in the character. There’s a plumped-up role for Jordan (now Nick’s lover) that Amber Davies makes the most of. And we get more of Meyer Wolfsheim, with the shady businessman’s connection to Gatsby made explicit, leading to a rousing number for John Owen-Jones.

Corbin-Bleu-Rachel-Tucker-and-Jon-Robyns-in-The-Great-Gatsby-credit-Johan-Persson
Corbin Bleu, Rachel Tucker and Jon Robyns

Tom and his lover Myrtle are the big surprise, two strong roles for Jon Robyns (who makes a great villain) and Rachel Tucker, who is excellent as always. It’s a pity Myrtle’s long-suffering husband George isn’t elaborated more (not least for Joel Montague who does well in the role) but all together the show feels hefty enough, and the characters contribute to a general air of satisfaction.

Daisy gets a clumsy finale, almost the last word, lamenting the fate of women and coming close to claiming victim status. It’s not that she’s wrong, just that neither the character nor Fitzgerald would say it. While it isn’t a bad thing to break away from source material, that this is the boldest move only highlights that the show needs more inspired touches. There’s nothing embarrassing here and a lot is done well, it just fails to excite.

Until 7 September 2025

www.london.gatsby.com

Photos by Johan Persson

“Big Fish” at The Other Palace

For this musical version of Daniel Wallace’s novel, John August has adapted his own screenplay from Tim Burton’s film and produced a satisfyingly theatrical show. Big Fish fits into a genre of Americana started by Thornton Wilder’s This Town that celebrates everyday life with a magical touch. At times it is captivating.

Edward Bloom is the not-so-average Joe who is our hero and, as he approaches death, he recounts some wild and wonderful tales about his life. These stories have – somewhat inexplicably – alienated his fact-driven reporter son, Will. Their reconciliation makes the show a family drama of low stakes – and the journey the latter has to take to embrace his father’s optimism is too gentle to be compelling.

Kelsey Grammer takes the lead, ably abetted by Jamie Muscato who appears as Joe’s younger self, and delivers the star factor: he sells the character of a travelling salesman superbly and is a strong enough comedian to make a bad joke go a long way. Matthew Seadon-Young plays son Will, giving a dedicated performance with a strong voice, but his character doesn’t convince. It’s a problem shared by the roles of wives to both men – capably performed by Frances McNamee and Clare Burt – who are sketched with depressing brevity.

The music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa fail to excite – a collection of try-hard numbers that feel forced and end up forgettable. Yet as a chamber piece Big Fish has charm. It’s when we see an ambition to be big that the cracks show; there isn’t the power to deliver a big West End feel here. Tom Rogers’ design is a case in point – clever, even charming, but inventive rather than impressive.

With too much sentimentality – fathers and sons skimming stones on a river is always a bad sign – the death bed reconciliation ends up uncomfortably long. I had plenty of time to check, in case I was just cold and heartless, and there was barely a wet eye in the house. “Part epic tale, part fire sale” is a description of Bloom’s life that could have been a warning – mixing the show’s simplicity with attempts at grandeur fails too many times, and director Nigel Harman struggles to accommodate the piece’s inconsistencies.

Until 31 December 2018

www.theotherpalace.co.uk

Photo by Tristram Kenton

“The House Of Mirrors And Hearts” at the Arcola Theatre

This new ‘chamber’ musical, a project from Eamonn O’Dwyer, is a brave and exciting examination of a damaged family. The music, performed by a quartet, is haunting and stimulating, the lyrics competent and clear, while the strong story of a mother and two daughters dealing with bereavement and a love affair, gives the show its considerable momentum.

The singing in the piece might be stronger, but the acting is superb. Gillian Kirkpatrick plays the matriarch Anna with an uncanny ability to change from a caring mother to an older alcoholic, as the play’s chronology moves around. A jerky Sondheim-style number, ‘Something For The Pain’, is superbly delivered, capturing the precarious bonhomie of the drunk. Anna’s daughters show two extreme reactions to grief: Grace Rowe’s Laura is painfully withdrawn, while Molly McGuire makes Lily a convincingly dangerous extravert. An academic who finds himself lodging with this traumatised trio (and starts a romance with one of them) isn’t as well studied: not only is his treatment of the manuscripts he is working on shocking, he’s too easily dominated. The production is lucky to have Jamie Muscato in the role – he sounds great and stakes out a space for the character.

Minor misgivings pale given the play’s strong plot. The book, worked on by Rob Gilbert with O’Dwyer, is neat and novel – a mix of gripping mystery and a spooky supernatural angle well grafted onto an intricate family drama. It reminded me a little of a Barbara Vine book, with an unsettling nostalgic feel that draws you in. There’s a level of detail that director Ryan McBryde handles well and gives the show stand out from a lot of other musicals. Be intrigued and go see.

Until 1 August 2015

www.arcolatheatre.com

Photo by Darren Bell

“Dogfight” at the Southwark Playhouse

Southwark Playhouse staged the European premiere of Dogfight this week. The musical was a hit off Broadway just a couple of years ago, garnering awards and acclaim. Smoothly directed by Matt Ryan, this exciting work is a must for fans of shows, yet also has huge mainstream potential. Do go and see it.

The scene is San Francisco, the night before a group of marines embark for Vietnam. It’s the Corps tradition to host a revolting bet – to see who can bring the ugliest girl to a party. Thankfully, Peter Duchan’s book, tightly constructed throughout, uses this unedifying competition to provide a strong female lead and a fresh-feeling love affair.

It’s easy to see why composers and lyricists Benj Pasek and Justin Paul are hot property. The music and words are assured, the influences are sound (several numbers are sure to please Sondheim devotees) yet the score is complex enough to avoid pastiche. Dogfight isn’t perfect. The songs for the marines are much weaker than those for our heroine, Rose. And scenes of war feel too briefly dealt with, despite an impassioned performance here from the male lead Jamie Muscato.

Dogfight 1 Jamie Muscato (Eddie Birdlace) Photo Darren Bell
Jamie Muscato

There are problems with the production as well. Not all the singing is as clear as you could wish for, Lucie Pankhurst’s choreography seems a little ambitious for the cast and, despite Ryan’s experience, the production seems too small for the show. I suspect this goes back to the material; regular fringe goers know the biggest shows can be happy in small venues, but here the military machismo needs a larger cast and bigger sound to convince.

So with all these reservations, why the strong recommendation? Quite simply Laura Jane Matthewson, who grabs the role of Rose, a great part with strong songs, with both hands. Newcomer Matthewson is a wonderful actress, who makes you believe her character’s innocence, convinces in her defiance and is adorably sweet in the central romantic scene. Most importantly, she sounds great, with a confidently understated style that produces a powerful authenticity. Both the piece and the production may have some faults, but Matthewson’s  performance will make you forget them.

Until 13 September 2014

www.southwarkplayhouse.co.uk

Photos by Darren Bell

Written 14 August 2014 for The London Magazine