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A Teachers Resource
Pack
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Contents
History and Context
page 3
Scenario
page 5
Characters
page 8
Creative Interpretation and Key Motifs
page 9
Costumes
page 12
Set
page 14
Music
page 16
Glossary
page 18
This resource pack is designed to give teachers an insight into Northern Ballet’s production of The
Great Gatsby, and to provide creative ideas that can be used in the classroom. It is particularly
suitable for teachers working with pupils in dance and drama.
Creative Team
Choreography, Direction, Scenario, Costume Design: David Nixon OBE
Co Direction, Scenario: Patricia Doyle
Set Design: Jerôme Kaplan
Costume Design: David Nixon
Music: Sir Richard Rodney Bennett, CBE
Orchestrations: John Longstaff and Gavin Sutherland
Performed live by Northern Ballet Sinfonia
Music advisor: Anthony Meredith
Lighting Design: Tim Mitchell
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History and Context
Written by F. Scott Fitzgerald and published in 1925, The Great Gatsby is known as the Great
American Novel and a defining literary work of the 1920s. Written in the aftermath of the First
World War, Fitzgerald took a lot of influence from what was happening in society at a time widely
known as the Jazz Age and Roaring Twenties. The book depicts the dramatic change in American
society in the 1920s, when national values like moderation and conservatism were abandoned
and replaced by lavishness, modern jazz music and non-stop partying. For those young people
who had fought in the war, the early 1920s was a time to have fun and enjoy life after the hardship
and suffering of the war.
In 1919 prohibition law was put into place, banning the sale and consumption of alcohol in the
country. However, with the improvement in American economy after the War and society’s change
in attitude towards conservatism and respectable behaviour, there was a mass rebellion against
prohibition. Suddenly bootleggers were becoming millionaires and ‘speakeasies’ (secret illegal
clubs where people could buy alcohol) began to thrive. Many Americans involved themselves in
get rich quick schemes earning money through illegal means. It was the time of the American
Dream, a national ethos which supported the belief that everyone should have wealth and
freedom.
It was this American Dream that interested Northern
Ballet’s Artistic Director, David Nixon. He wanted to
create a ballet that embodied the fun, indulgent and
exuberant lifestyles of the 1920s but he was aware
that the non-stop partying of the era didn’t last
forever. ‘The Twenties were a time when men and
women were spared temporarily from the horrors of
war, when they grabbed at freedom and liberation
believing the American Dream was within their grasp.
Act 1: Myrtle, Nick, Tom and Daisy
It was a time for New York with sky scrapers and the
dawn of the modern world. But they didn’t have the slightest idea that the peace was unravelling
in the shadows beneath their dancing feet and that the dream would remain forever elusive.’ The
Roaring Twenties did not last long with America falling into the Great Depression in the early
1930s. American society fell back into suffering and poverty and the illusion of the American
Dream was shattered.
There are many parallels in the novel The Great Gatsby to Fitzgerald’s own life and relationships.
Like the character Jay Gatsby, Fitzgerald served during the war and fell in love with a beautiful rich
socialite, Zelda Sayre, who would not marry him until he proved himself a success as a writer.
Just as Gatsby is by Daisy Buchanan, Fitzgerald was driven by his love for a woman who
symbolized everything he wanted in wealth and beauty even as she led him toward everything he
despised in alcoholism, infidelity and resentment.
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Like his characters Nick Carraway and Gatsby, Fitzgerald embraced his life of wealth and
decadence in an era where unrestrained materialism set the tone of society. However like Nick,
Fitzgerald saw through the glitter of the Jazz Age to the moral emptiness and corruption in society
and for many of the characters in The Great Gatsby money never truly brings greatness or
happiness. Gatsby has enormous wealth but is never truly happy - he gains money and social
standing in the search for an unrealistic ideal and in the end loses the woman he loves and then
his life in the pursuit of his dream. Fitzgerald turned to alcoholism and died at the age of 45 and
his wife Zelda suffered a nervous breakdown. In many ways, The Great Gatsby represents
Fitzgerald’s attempt to confront his conflicting feelings about the Jazz Age and its obsession with
money and indulgence.
Act 1: The first party at Gatsby’s house
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Scenario
Act One
Prologue
Nick Carraway follows directions to his rented cottage in West Egg on Long Island.
Jimmy Gatz, now Jay Gatsby, remembers his own early love for Daisy Fay. He won and lost her love
when he was a young Officer going off to the Great War.
Criminal activities suggest Gatsby’s financial gains are through corruption.
Gatsby looks at a flashing green light over the bay willing Daisy, who now lives in East Egg with
her husband Tom Buchanan, to come over the water to his beautiful mansion, and back to him.
The Cottage, West Egg
Nick is settling in at the cottage next door to Gatsby’s palatial mansion. He waves goodbye to his
housekeeper and leaves for his new job as a bondsman in New York.
Tom and Daisy Buchanan’s home
Nick has been invited to dinner by Daisy, his cousin, at her home across the bay in East Egg. He
meets Daisy’s friend, Golf champion Jordan Baker, and Tom and Daisy’s little daughter. As Tom is
called to the telephone, Nick senses the tension between the husband and wife. All is not as it
should be with their marriage.
George Wilson’s garage in the Valley of Ashes between West Egg and New York
Myrtle Wilson prepares to go out as her husband George works in his garage. The telephone rings
and Myrtle takes the call from her secret lover, Tom Buchanan. She makes herself ready and runs
for the train to nearby New York, leaving her husband lonely and unsuspecting.
The streets of New York
Tom, with Nick, waits for Myrtle to arrive for their assignation. She leaps into Tom’s arms and they
set off to the New York apartment Tom has taken for their secret affair.
The New York apartment
Myrtle welcomes her neighbours for a party. Tom increasingly wants to get Myrtle to himself but
her evasions and teasing eventually anger him so much that he hits her. The shocked little party
disintegrates. Tom is ashamed and contrite but Myrtle is loving and forgiving as they passionately
end their quarrel.
The grounds of Gatsby’s mansion, West Egg
One of Gatsby’s huge parties is in motion, attended by celebrities, film stars, directors, actors,
boxers, senators, flappers, businessmen - and anyone who cares to come along and have fun.
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Nick finds Jordan and they dance with everyone else as the party grows ever more wild. As it draws
to a close Nick and Jordan join Gatsby on the dock and he tells them of his past love and its loss.
The Cottage
Gatsby, aware that Daisy has been invited for tea with Nick, has flowers delivered to the cottage
and he sends over a beautiful silver tea service. Daisy arrives and is welcomed by Nick. Gatsby
appears and he and Daisy delight in seeing each other again. Gatsby invites them to his mansion
to impress Daisy with his gracious home.
Act Two
Gatsby’s mansion and the room of mirrors
Another big party is underway to which Gatsby has especially invited Daisy and Tom. Unseen by
her husband Daisy and Gatsby relive their love with shadows of their past selves. Eventually Tom
takes his wife from the party which he has clearly not enjoyed.
The Wilson’s bedroom at the Garage
Myrtle is pining for Tom as George surprises her in the bedroom. He has discovered a valuable
bracelet and now suspects his wife of having an affair. He tries to regain her affections but in vain.
He insists that she pack a suitcase – he has decided to close the garage and take his wife away.
Tom and Daisy Buchanan’s home
Nick and Gatsby have been invited to Tom and Daisy’s home for lunch during the intense heat of a
New York summer. Tom is secretly investigating Gatsby’s wealth and background. With growing
tensions they decide to go into the city for the rest of the hot afternoon. Gatsby and Tom switch
car keys and set off, Daisy and Gatsby in Tom’s blue coupé, and Nick, Jordan and Tom in Gatsby’s
yellow car.
The Wilson’s Garage
George is packing up their belongings and Myrtle is upstairs in their bedroom. Tom, driving
Gatsby’s yellow car, pulls up for petrol. He shakes George out of his lethargy and sees the cases
and boxes being packed for departure. There is no sign of Myrtle and as he forces George to fill up
the car Tom realises that he is losing her. He also has suspicions now about his own wife’s
relationship with Gatsby. Myrtle comes down from the bedroom in time to see Tom, Jordan and
Nick as they drive off to New York. She desperately tries to get Tom’s attention but is too late.
Park Plaza Hotel, New York
The cars arrive in New York and they all take a suite at the Park Plaza Hotel. They try to relax in the
cool room but the tensions between them all from earlier in the day are rising. Eventually Gatsby
tells Tom that his wife has never loved him and that she is coming away with him. Daisy is
confused and unsure of her feelings for the two men. Tom now takes his chance to expose
Gatsby’s corrupt past. Gatsby denies it all and Daisy asks her husband to take her home. Tom
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gives his wife the keys to Gatsby’s car and she runs out followed by Gatsby who throws Tom’s own
keys to him. Gatsby and Daisy leave for East Egg in the yellow car as a storm breaks.
The Wilson’s Garage
Myrtle, carrying her suitcase, manages to break open the now locked garage door. She sees the
yellow car and runs towards it. She is struck by the speeding car and killed. Neighbours carry her
inside and as her husband returns to the garage he sees the body of his wife. Tom is driving back
to East Egg with Nick and Jordan and they stop at the accident. He sees that it is Myrtle who has
been killed. They leave the garage and the desolate George, with Tom displaying his own grief and
convinced that Gatsby has killed his mistress.
Outside Tom and Daisy’s home
Gatsby and Daisy arrive in East Egg and Daisy is devastated about the accident. She throws the
keys of the car to the ground – she was driving. Gatsby picks up the keys and they part. Gatsby
hides in the trees as Tom comes back with Nick and Jordan. Tom is clearly very upset but he invites
them in for something to eat. Jordan tries to persuade Nick to come into the house but he refuses.
He believes that his friend Jay Gatsby has killed Myrtle and driven on. Gatsby comes out from the
trees and Nick accuses him of murder. Gatsby tells him that he wasn’t driving the car. Nick leaves
him behind in Daisy’s garden.
Final images
George Wilson takes a gun and sets off in search of the driver of the yellow car.
Tom comforts Daisy and they are a family once again.
George Wilson approaches Tom with his gun. Tom points him towards Gatsby’s home.
Gatsby tells Nick the story of how he got his wealth and made himself into a new person with the
dream that his prize would be Daisy. Nick understands his friend now and they have a last
farewell.
Gatsby sits on the dock.
Jay Gatsby’s dream of Daisy is at last realised in his mind.
George Wilson appears.
A gunshot.
End.
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Characters
Nick Carraway - Daisy Buchanan’s cousin and narrator of the story. Nick is an honest and tolerant
young man and often serves as a confidant for those with secrets. He befriends his mysterious
next door neighbour Jay Gatsby and is happy to help reunite childhood sweethearts Gatsby and
Daisy. He is excited and intrigued by the lavish lifestyle of the other characters but ultimately is
repelled by their self-indulgence and moral corruption and comes to realise that the pursuit of
happiness does not always lead to a happy ending.
Jay Gatsby - The protagonist of the story, Gatsby is a mysterious, wealthy man who is famous for
the lavish parties he throws every week. As a young soldier Gatsby fell in love with Daisy but lost
her to another man. Willing to do anything to gain the social position necessary to win her back,
he turned to a life of unscrupulous dealing. His generosity and single-minded approach are
fuelled by his ever-present dream of when he and Daisy were together.
Daisy Buchanan - Nick’s cousin, Tom’s wife and the woman Gatsby loves. Daisy fell in love with
Gatsby at a young age but he was sent to war and whilst they were separated, she married Tom
Buchanan to meet social expectations. Daisy is a beautiful socialite who behaves superficially to
mask the pain of her husband’s affair and would rather socialise than spend time with her
daughter. Easily swayed, she is torn between whether she truly loves Tom or Gatsby and having
accidentally killed Myrtle, opts for the convenient choice of starting afresh with Tom.
Tom Buchanan - Daisy’s wealthy husband. An arrogant and bullish man, he comes from a
reputable family. Tom is having an affair with Myrtle Wilson, and in contrast to his and Daisy’s
temperamental marriage, their relationship is full of passion. When Tom begins to suspect Daisy
and Gatsby of having an affair, he becomes angry and jealous, forcing a heated confrontation.
Myrtle Wilson - Wife to George Wilson and Tom’s lover. Myrtle was tricked into marrying lowly
garage owner George and is desperate to find a way to improve her social situation. Myrtle has a
flat with Tom in New York where she is the mistress and likes to be the centre of attention. Loud
and confident, her tempestuous relationship with Tom shows her desperate love of him and the
life that he gives her.
Jordan Baker - Daisy’s close friend and a competitive golfer, Jordan represents one of the ‘new
women’ of the 1920s. She is a strong, self-assured individual who is comfortable in the world of
men. She enjoys the lavish lifestyle that she leads with Tom and Daisy but, understanding Daisy’s
history with Gatsby, helps to reunite the former lovers.
George Wilson - Myrtle’s husband and owner of a run-down garage. George is a simple, kind man
and idealises Myrtle but cannot stand the realisation that she is having an affair. Overcome with
grief when Myrtle is killed, George must take revenge on the person responsible for her death.
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Creative Interpretation and Key Motifs
There have been many different interpretations of The Great Gatsby on stage and screen, the most
well-known, the 1974 film starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow, and most recently Baz
Luhrmann’s forthcoming film starring Leonardo DiCaprio. In researching the story, it was
apparent to Nixon that the society in the novel was similar to that of modern day British society.
As life in 1920s America was all about the accumulation and power of wealth which was followed
by a financial crash and great depression, so too in Britain the high life of early 21st century society
preceded a banking crisis and recession, exposing banking scandals and corrupt politicians.
David Nixon chose to create a ballet of The Great Gatsby because of its obvious popularity and the
beautiful, descriptive imagery of the book that he believed would translate well into dance. While
the novel focuses on the main characters of Gatsby and Daisy, Nixon felt that through the ballet
there was the opportunity to bring to life the seven characters in the novel and explore their
relationships as they intertwine throughout the story.
After reading the novel Nixon fell in love with the character of Jay
Gatsby and his desire to re-establish his past love with Daisy. It
was this passionate dream and longing that appealed to Nixon;
‘He remains blind to reality and sees the possibility of recapturing
the past through whatever means available to him. Beyond the
obstacles of class and even marriage he lives to hold his Daisy in
his arms once more.’ The novel doesn’t really explore the past
relationship of Daisy and Gatsby as young lovers but Nixon saw
the potential to get into the mind of Gatsby and wanted this to be a
key focus in the ballet. As Nixon states; ‘A lot of the story we’re
telling never appears in the book. We’re telling the behind the
scenes story of The Great Gatsby if you like.’
Act 1: Daisy and Gatsby reunite
Nixon uses flash backs and the
introduction of the Young Daisy and Young
Gatsby to tell the story of their past
romance and emphasise Gatsby’s constant
dream of their reunion. Throughout the
production we see through Gatsby’s eyes,
his past memories of himself and Daisy as
a young couple. The movements of Young
Gatsby and Young Daisy mirror those of
current-day Gatsby and Daisy and both
couples dance in unison at moments
Act 1: Gatsby and Daisy
throughout the story as a constant
reminder that these memories are always on Gatsby’s mind.
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When Gatsby and Daisy dance together for the first time, their
tender and affectionate movements remind us of the love they
Act 1:had
Pas de
Gatsby and
once
fordeux
onewith
another
andDaisy
the affection that still exists
between them. At the end of Act 1 the pas de deux at Gatsby’s
house sees the couple face each other, Gatsby raises Daisy’s arm
and puts it on his shoulder then lifts her in his arms very slowly
and gently, attentively gazing into her eyes. These movements
highlight how Gatsby has placed Daisy on a pedestal, how he
idiolises her and sees her as the pinnacle of his dream, and they
are repeated throughout the ballet by both the current-day and
younger versions of the couple.
Act 2: Daisy and Gatsby
While Gatsby and Daisy’s movements are intimate and reflect their loving feelings towards each
other, the anguished relationship between George and Myrtle is portrayed through movements
which are violent and aggressive. As Myrtle tries to distance herself from her husband and
George tries to keep hold of her, their movements become angular and abrupt, with
counterbalances highlighting how Myrtle is trying to pull away from the relationship.
The way in which George moves is very
different to that of the other characters in the
production and Nixon wanted to use this
contrast in dance styles to emphasise George’s
lower social status.
However Nixon also
wanted to bring an appeal and power to the
character of George and capture his yearning
for affection from his wife. His movements are
contemporary is style, incorporating lots of
rolls and use of the floor, creating powerful
Act 2: Myrtle & George’s bedroom
movements with erratic and animalistic
qualities. The creative process for George’s movement was influenced by improvisation with a
prop, with the dancer who plays him experimenting with how he could move through, round, over
and with a car tyre. This connection with the tyre grounds George’s movement, making it heavy
and laborious and giving him a more honest and everyday appearance compared to that of the
lofty and pretentious nature of the other characters in the production.
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In the novel The Great Gatsby there are three party scenes which Nixon felt were important to
include in the ballet to capture the essence of the 1920s through the lavish and wild parties that
were commonplace at the time. Nixon wanted to incorporate popular dance styles of the 1920s
such as the Charleston and Tango which feature in the big party scenes at Gatsby’s house, but he
didn’t want to simply replicate these dances as they would have been at odds with the style of the
rest of the production. So he took the hand movements, style and signature motifs from the
dances and incorporated them with classical ballet, keeping the dancers en pointe while blending
both styles together.
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partment
The three parties all have a different feel that reflect
the mood of the characters and atmosphere at that
point in the story. For example the party at Myrtle’s
apartment in Act 1, when life is fun and
uncomplicated, is lively and wild, with bright
costumes and upbeat music while the third party at
Gatsby’s house, as Tom’s suspicions of Gatsby and
Daisy’s relationship grow, is darker, with the slower
music and dancing of the tango, slinky costumes and
subdued lighting. To ensure that the party scenes
didn’t feel superficial, during the rehearsal process
Co-Director Patricia Doyle worked with the dancers
to build a unique history for their characters to help
bring them to life and influence their movements on
stage. Each dancer had a name, occupation and
personality for their character and they were asked
to read and walk though the sequence of events for
the scenes exactly as they happened in the novel.
Using this dialogue helped the dancers to draw out
movement from the conversations and capture the
essence of what was happening during the scene.
Act 2: Tango at Gatsby’s party
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Act 1: the party at Myrtle’s apartment
Act 1: Charleston at Gatsby’s party
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Costumes
The costumes for The Great Gatsby were designed by David Nixon. Being involved in costume
design was important for Nixon because the look and aesthetics of the costumes can influence
set, character and choreography in the early stages of the creative process. With wealth and
lavishness at the heart of the novel it was important for this to be reflected in the costumes and to
capture the glamour and flare of the 1920s as well as the changing role of women in society.
After World War I, America’s economy improved and there were big changes in society, especially
for women as they were now entering the workforce and had earned the right to vote. These
dramatic changes were reflected in the fashion trends which became more masculine, with short
bobbed hair styles and shorter length dresses.
The New Woman of the 1920s was rebelling against the constraints of the tight waist and long
trailing skirt of the Edwardian era, pushing the boundaries of gender identity, representing sexual
and economic freedom. One of the first
women to wear trousers and cut her hair into
the radical short bob of the 1920s was Coco
Chanel and she did much to further the
emancipation and freedom of women's
fashion. In The Great Gatsby Jordan Baker is
the only female character to wear trousers
and like Chanel, she symbolises the new
woman of the 1920s, emphasising her
confidence to exist equally amongst the men
Act 1: Jordan Baker at Daisy and Tom’s house
of the time.
The dresses worn by the female dancers in The Great Gatsby are
in the style of the era, called Flapper dresses. These were
designed to be straight and low-waisted and to sit on the hips
with shorter skirts so women could kick up their heels and
dance. Women cast out the old-style restrictive corsets that
slenderized the waist and accentuated hips and bust in favour
of softer corsets that allowed greater freedom of movement and
gave the woman’s frame a straighter, more boyish shape. The
low waists on the dresses caused problems for our dancers as
they restrict the movement of the hips and legs that is needed
for ballet, so our wardrobe team made the skirts in sections of
fabric to allow the skirt to fall around the leg when lifted high.
The flapper style dress
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Nixon was inspired by the beautiful yet simple designs of Coco Chanel’s dresses, with stripped
down lines, and frills and lace to add texture, making her clothes sleek and uncluttered. With
Daisy’s costumes Nixon wanted her to look butterfly-like and unworldly, and so her dresses are
delicate and pretty, emphasising her feminine quality and allowing her to float around the stage.
In contrast to Daisy, Myrtle’s attention-seeking character is reflected in striking and bold coloured
dresses. Myrtle is desperate to be noticed and improve her social situation therefore she wears
gaudy clothes to be the centre of attention and create the illusion of wealth and social standing.
Whilst hosting a party in her apartment in New York the purple shawl she wears makes her look
and act like a movie star.
Act 1: Daisy with Gatsby
Act 1: Myrtle
The style at the time for men was quite formal with men commonly wearing suits, shirts, ties and
slacks and so lightweight suits had to be tailor-made for the dancers to allow flexibility to dance
in them. The jackets were designed with extra material under the arm so they didn’t rise up when
lifting the ladies, and the trousers were made from material
containing lycra for extra stretch so they didn’t split whilst doing
jumps. The male dancers’ shirts were attached to their underwear so
they couldn’t un-tuck whilst dancing and discreet poppers were
placed behind faux buttons to allow quick costume changes.
Gatsby has many different suits and tuxedos throughout the
production, demonstrating to the audience a sense of his wealth,
flare and need to look good. A number of Gatsby’s outfits match the
colour of Daisy’s dresses as a way symbolising their love for each
other and of highlighting that the actions and wealth of Gatsby are all
intended for Daisy.
Act 2: Gatsby
The costumes of Young Daisy and Young Gatsby are very different to
the other costume designs in the production, with Young Gatsby
wearing a soldier’s uniform and Daisy in an Edwardian style dress
Act2: Gatsby
with long sleeves and skirt. Their costumes reflect the style of the
early 1900s, reminding the audience of the time that has passed
since Gatsby and Daisy were first together.
Act1: Young Daisy
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Set
The set for The Great Gatsby was designed by Jerôme Kaplan, who also designed David Nixon’s
Ondine and A Sleeping Beauty Tale. Nixon wanted to keep the set simple yet beautiful as it would
play a crucial part in the production, recreating the glamour of New York in the 1920s. By keeping
the set simple and plain it allowed more space to dance in, which is especially useful for the
elaborate party scenes, and gave a simple background from which the bright colours and
extravagance of the costumes could stand out.
The novel of The Great Gatsby tells a linear story, sometimes jumping forward and back in time,
which is difficult to portray through the ballet and so Nixon and Kaplan worked together to design
a set that would allow the audience to see a sequence of impressions, and flashes of scenes that
become more like vignettes. In order for the story to move quickly and fluidly between scenes and
locations, Kaplan designed large moveable flats that the dancers could move to create easy
transition between places. These flats create a number of different spaces, either intimate rooms
or large open spaces, and the sense of the
location is created using props and lighting.
For example, Myrtle’s apartment is created
with a sofa and chairs, small table and a shelf
with ornaments and the New York hotel room
is made simply with three chairs, a table and
a tray of drinks. In the opening scene, Nixon
wanted to introduce the multiple characters
from the story and so he used the sliding flats
to reveal quick snap shots of the individuals
Act 1: Tom and Myrtle
and their key relationships.
Kaplan’s designs were influenced by famous American realist painter Edward Hopper. Hopper is
most famous for his paintings of both rural and urban scenes of modern American life and the
garage scene in The Great Gatsby was inspired by Hopper’s famous painting Gas. With brightly
coloured gas pumps and fluorescent lights, the set captures the life of a working class American
like George Wilson.
Edward Hopper’s ‘Gas’ painting.
Image
coutesy of edwardhopper.net
Edwards Hopper’s GasK=`ourtesy of edwardhopper.net
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Gas pumps
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As can be seen in many of Hoppers paintings, the use of light and
shadows particularly from windows helps to create atmosphere in the
scene. Kaplan makes great use of light, not only to signify places and
locations but to create different moods and build dramatic tension.
For example, orange and red lights are used to symbolise a hot
summer day in the New York hotel room in Act 2, highlighting the
obvious tension and irritable behaviour of the characters in the scene.
To create the busy Streets of New York, the large flats are brought in to
create a tight and compact space, with squares of lights used on the
floor to represent the spaces between the buildings and simple street
Act 2: The New York Hotel
signs hanging from the flats. In this close space a small number of
dancers can dash between the panels in different directions, creating the impression of a sea of
people in the hustle and bustle of busy New York streets.
The inspiration for Tom and Daisy’s house was
that of a woman floating in clouds, which
Kaplan created with fine white drapes that
hang from the ceiling and billow in the breeze.
Although the drapes and furniture suggest
wealth and finery, the bare, stark white stage
furnished with a simple chaise longue imply
an underlying sense of emptiness, reflecting
Tom and Daisy’s hollow relationship and the
shallowness of the society of the time.
Act 1: Tom and Daisy’s house
In order to explore the relationship between Gatsby and Daisy,
Nixon wanted to create a Heavenly Space where the couple could
reunite and Gatsby’s longed-for dream is momentarily achieved.
A large mirrored wall is used to portray Gatsby’s wealth and
grandeur and allows Gatsby to see the reflection of Daisy in his
arms - the perfect image for Gatsby, who feels complete as he
finally captures what he has dreamed of for so long. But in Act 2
as Gatsby and Daisy dance together, under pressure that Tom is
looking for them, the mirrors reveal three couples of Young Daisy
and Young Gatsby, poignantly highlighting that Gatsby doesn’t
see Daisy as she is now but always sees her as she was when
they were 18 and is clasping at a dream from the past.
Act 2: The Heavenly Space
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Music
Due to the time restrictions of the creative process David Nixon chose to use existing music rather
than commission a new score for The Great Gatsby as he wanted to gauge the feeling and mood of
the ballet before deciding what music to use. After beginning rehearsals, Nixon felt it was the
‘melancholy themes of unrequited love and unattainable dreams’ that Gatsby holds on to that was
the key theme he wanted to portray through the movement and so went in search of music to
reflect this.
When the music of Sir Richard Rodney Bennett, best known for his music in the films Murder on
the Orient Express and Four Weddings and a Funeral, was suggested due to the jazz influences in
his work, Nixon struggled to see how the music would match the feel of the ballet as it was too
upbeat and nice. With the help of Anthony Meredith, writer of Bennett’s biography, Nixon was
able to find the more unknown pieces from Bennett’s collection of symphonic work, film music,
jazz and popular song that gave the essence of scenes from the ballet. Nixon also chose to
include earlier works from the 1920s era like the Charleston by James P Johnson, famous jazz
pianist of the time, alongside Bennett’s music to ensure the energy and revelry of the 1920s was
captured in the production.
Much of the chosen music, even pieces that appear outwardly cheerful and upbeat, have a
melancholy undertone which matches Gatsby’s inner longing and sadness. At the end of Act 1,
when Gatsby and Daisy are reunited and re-explore their feelings for each other, Nixon chose to
use the soft and slow lullaby from Bennett’s Partita. Traditionally in ballet, at the end of Act 1 the
orchestra would play a loud, dramatic piece creating a climax to the Act, however this piece
maintains a steady rhythm with violins and the harp reflecting the perfect moment when Gatsby
finally feels his dream has been achieved.
While most of the music Nixon chose to use in The Great Gatsby is lyrical and melodic, for the
scene in the New York Hotel in Act 2, when tensions rise and Tom confronts Daisy about her
relationship with Gatsby, he chose a contrasting piece which features predominantly percussion
instruments. The piece, Bennett’s Concerto for percussion: 4th movement, is erratic and disjointed
with the use of temple blocks giving a staccato feel to the music which builds an atmosphere of
heightened anxiety and tension. Nixon uses this, alongside choreography whereby the dancers
move between freezes of different positions, to express the passing of time and the unravelling of
the relationships as the heat rises and tempers start to fray
At the end of Act 2, we hear the 1st movement from Bennett’s Third Symphony which, like the
music at the end of Act 1, is full of anguish and drama. Bennett composed the piece whilst he was
dealing with the break-up of his marriage and it is believed the piece is inspired by composer
Harold Arlen’s song, I Had Myself A True Love, whose lyrics summed up for Bennett his feelings
about his own relationship problems. There is a poignant connection between Bennett’s feelings
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about the collapse of his own love affair and those of Gatsby’s when he realises that the dream he
was chasing will never be achieved.
In the final scene we hear a recording of Bennett singing I Never Went Away, whose sad lyrics
reflect the love that can never be between Gatsby and Daisy. Nixon’s initial desire to portray
‘unrequited love and unattainable dreams’ is prominent in Gatsby’s final solo as his desolate
sadness is echoed in this slow lament, leaving the audiences with a feeling of empathy for the
heartbroken Gatsby.
Act 2: Gatsby
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Glossary
Pas de deux - a dance for two.
Unison – altogether.
Vignette – a short description of the typical features of something.
En pointe – on the very tips of the toes.
Flats - large pieces of scenery, usually made from a wooden frame and covered in canvas, which is
painted and used to create areas on stage.
Chaise longue – a couch with a single armrest.
Lyrical – song-like.
Melodic – tuneful.
Staccato – short, separate and abrupt.
Temple blocks – a set of typically five hollow wooden blocks of different sizes with a slit through
the middle. Struck with a stick, they sound higher or lower depending on their size.
Act 1: Nick, Gatsby and Daisy
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