The Great Gatsby roars into town
Headington Rye’s stage adaptation of ‘The Great Gatsby’ brought F Scott Fitzgerald’s iconic novel to life with a dazzling mix of drama, romance and tragedy through four sold out performances.
There were over 70 pupils involved in cast and crew, with over 50 of those being in the cast.
Set in the Roaring Twenties, the production immersed the audience in the opulence and decadence of an era defined by jazz, flapper fashion and unbridled ambition.
The story was marvellously told through the eyes of Nick Carraway, played by both Octavia (Year 11) and Evie (Year 12). They played the reserved observer entangled in the world of their enigmatic neighbour, Jay Gatsby, extremely well.
Lydia’s (Year 12) performance of Gatsby portrayed him perfectly as both a dreamer and a tragic figure who had fabulous on-stage chemistry with Daisy, played by Georgie (L6), who showed both charm and carelessness. Penny as Tom, Aev as Jordan and Aurora as Myrtle also played their main characters with charisma and the utmost professionalism.
Julia (Year 13) choreographed dances for the lead dances and Maya (Year 13), Seraya (Year 12) and Domino (Year 11) produced the live music.
Maia and Lexi, both Year 12, worked alongside Director of Drama Mrs Jannicke Stevens as assistant directors.
The set featured a fantastic stage and balcony design which were magically but subtly lit by our Theatre technicians, Mr John Welton and Mr Nick Hardwick.
Mrs Jannicke Stevens said: “Show week was incredible! From behind the scenes in costume and make-up to the amazing performances from the cast, I have been blown away by the commitment and hard work from all the students involved. I said to so many parents and staff that it felt like I was working with professionals.
“During show week the performances just got better and better and the last night was just incredible.
“Thank you so much to all of you that came to watch and support. Having a full theatre every night created such a wonderful atmosphere. I will never forget my first show at Headington Rye and I can’t wait for the shows to come.
“Thank you so much to the cast and crew for making this such a wonderful experience for me.”
