In The Great Gatsby, the green light that Gatsby sees across the water from his mansion is that on the end of Daisy’s dock and symbolises the passion that he feels for her.
It also means money, and reminds Gatsby that even though he has attained great wealth, the American class system does not accept him and his yearning for Daisy becomes an obsession.
So Gatsby throws himself into staging ever increasingly elaborate parties in the hope that he will attract Daisy’s attention.
GATSBY at The Green Light opens on such a scene, in his bar, with a retinue of waiters and bartenders catering to the guests, serving delicious looking drinks and canapés.
Suddenly a glass breaks, and right on the beat to the intro to Duke Ellington’s If It Ain’t Got The Swing we are in for an energetic and dazzling 75 minutes of non-stop action, with the spectre of Gatsby (Spencer Craig) overlooking but not participating.
The Studio at the Sydney Opera House has been transformed, with a bar thrusting out into the audience, the back wall of bottles attractively backlit and stairs and a mezzanine providing a perfect observation point for Gatsby.
The set is surrounded by VIP tables and chairs putting about a third of the audience right amongst the action, which they all get into wholeheartedly even before the first notes are heard.
And the rest of the audience are right there with them.
An international cast of classic cabaret performers are about to transport us with their skills and personalities. The Head Barman (Florian Brooks) and Glassy (Thomas J Egan) put new spins on balancing acts and tap dancing respectively as the music from Kim Moyes (The Presets) drives the action with its unrelenting energy.
The events are overseen by hostess Bettie Bombshell, who can do some mean moves bumping and grinding, and fire breathing, while Odette (Georgia Sallybanks) belts out live vocals which put a new spin on numbers including Money (That’s What I Want).
As The Seductress, in a Dita von Teese moment, Miranda Menzies cleans herself up in the wine glass when not doing graceful hair hanging acts.
The Gentleman, Oscar Kaufmann, uses a coat stand to perform a daring and inventive strip tease many metres above the stage, while Jacob McPherson and Mariia Borysiak perform a double act and are an engaging Young Gatsby and Daisy.
As the older Daisy, Caitlin Tomson-Moylan astounds with her poetic silk rope act as she exudes the allure that has captivated Gatsby.
This is a much more assured production than what we saw in 2023 and along with the talent, soundtrack by Moyes, credit must also go to director Craig Ilott in driving this show forward, designer Stuart Couzens, set designer Renier Jansen van Vuuren and choreographer Lucas Newland.
The service ensemble seldom get a mention, and as they are a non-stop dancing machine of the highest order, they deserve it, so here goes. Thanks to Clayton Church, Jaime Nirvana, Maddi Xuereb, Michelle Leung, Thomas Young, Tana Vassallo and Willa Bell Klemm.
There have been cabarets in Sydney this year where some of the acts are more refined, but for a show that engages from before it starts to the when Moloko’s Sing It Back announces that the magic is over, GATSBY at The Green Light is hard to beat.
GATSBY at The Green Light
Studio – Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney
Performance: Wednesday 17 December 2025
Season continues to 28 March 2026
Information and Bookings: www.sydneyoperahouse.com
Images: Spencer Craig as Gatsby – photo by Daniel Boud | Oscar Kaufmann – photo by Daniel Boud | Odette – photo by Daniel Boud | Jacob McPherson and Mariia Borysiak – photo by Daniel Boud
Review: John Moyle