‘The Great Gatsby’ Parties with Panache at The National

At the National Theatre, The Great Gatsby musical has arrived with plenty of panache, pouring champagne sparkle over Fitzgerald’s familiar tale of money, misery, and missed chances.

Directed with brisk polish by Marc Bruni, this touring production leans hard into the decadence of the Jazz Age. Expect dazzling deco sets, glittering gowns, and choreography from Dominique Kelley that keeps the stage in near-constant motion.

The production’s greatest strength is its sheer momentum. The jazz-and-pop score by Jason Howland and Nathan Tysen gives Gatsby’s world a contemporary pulse.

Adapted by Kait Kerrigan, the book occasionally rushes through the novel’s sharper social satire in favor of spectacle, but there’s no denying the show’s crowd-pleasing confidence. The longing at the story’s core, that is — Gatsby grasping for a dream already slipping away — still cuts through the confetti and cocktail shimmer.

Costumes were extraordinary; dancers drenched in shimmering beadwork, crisp tuxedos, and glamorous 1920s silhouettes.

Audiences may be surprised, however, if they imagined Daisy as an ethereal and quietly magnetic beauty. This performance offers a more grounded and assertive leading lady, which changes the dynamic of the character in an interesting way — certainly less fragile than F. Scott’s version.

This Gatsby may favor glitz over grit, but it’s 1000% a stylish, spirited night out. So grab your seats for a champagne-soaked spectacle with heart.

THE GREAT GATSBY will play Broadway at the National through May 24 only. Performances run approximately 2.5 hours with one 15-minute intermission.