Ana Sofia de la Parra • Nov 14, 2023
Silhouettes in front of a red theatre curtain (Kyle Head/UNSPLASH).
The University of Ottawa Theatre Club premiered their rendition of The Great Gatsby last week on Nov. 8, 2023. It was at the Gladstone Theatre right in Little Italy, and it had a great atmosphere, ambiance, and audience. The theatre was full of students, families and guests who were all riled up by the theatre magic that is born when something is created out of passion and respect for the craft, which is exactly what this play was.
The Great Gatsby traditionally follows the story of Jay Gatsby, played by Corgand Svendsen and his love for Daisy Buchanan, portrayed by Breanna Sirois. The play is narrated by Gatsby’s neighbour, Nick Carraway, played by Andrew Lemieux, who’s later revealed as Gatsby’s only true friend. We also see an outstanding rendition of Tom Buchanan by Zachary Sieber, who embodied the toxic masculinity of this character perfectly and made the audience laugh as well as gasp with his performance.
After speaking with Mariana Gomez, the actress who played Myrtle Wilson, she said the experience was incredible and the people who were part of it made it special. She said the group was very particular as many of the people who aren’t theatre majors got an audition and apart, making it more special because everyone came from different places. Still, it evolved into a community and a bit of a family. Gomez also wanted to give a shout out to the stage manager, Kenzie Barrera, as she was “the puzzle piece bringing everyone together,” the actress states. She followed up by saying that Barrera made sure everything flowed and that everyone had a great time while bringing this story to life.
It was also noticed that the actors had liberty with their characters, how they wanted to portray them and what part of their story they wanted to show. Making this story and this rendition not only remarkable for the cast but also notable for the audience as we saw a twist of the great Gatsby we hadn’t seen before, which is focused on Daisy, her story and her complexity as a woman, a mother, and a person figuring out her life in front of us.
The University of Ottawa Theatre Club showcases what is possible to create when everyone brings their best and has passion for what they are doing. I encourage everyone to see their future projects, such as Heather, the musical which will be shown in December, and enjoy a night of fun, talent and a bit of magic.