Gatsby – Interview with the Director
Our KLP news editor recently posed some questions to Amie Bailey, about her upcoming production of Gatsby
Directing for the KLP for the first time?? Daunting, Fun or Exciting??
Can I say all of the above?! It’s definitely a very nerve-wracking experience, but I’m also having a blast getting stuck into all the different things that being a director entails. Seeing the ideas in my head actually brought to life in front of me is very exciting indeed! And I can’t wait to see how the final product turns out.
Why Gatsby?
The Great Gatsby has been my favourite novel for almost 15 years now. I’ve always found it a compelling story – glamour, history, love, mystery and drama all rolled into one, and F. Scott Fitzgerald’s writing is just gorgeous. I’ve also seen so many great versions of the story in film and theatre – the 1974 and 2013 film versions, the incredible immersive production that was in the West End for many years, and a great outdoor production in Chester last summer. All of those have given me so many ideas for my own fictitious production over the years, so when I was presented with the opportunity to actually make it real, I jumped at the chance! It’s a familiar story to many, but also an intriguing one to those who only have a vague idea of the name, so I’m hoping those two combined will lead to some great audiences.
Who have you chosen for your cast and why?
I had some really tough decisions to make casting Gatsby with a lot of really strong auditions to consider, but I’m happy to have a really talented cast that features both familiar KLP faces and some fresh ones. New to the boards we have James Cullen as our narrator and New York newbie Nick Carraway, and Taylor Ross as the brutish Tom Buchanan. James will be familiar to a lot of members for his backstage roles, but this is his first foray into the on-stage side of things. And Taylor is brand new to KLP, but is in fact a real-life New Yorker – he’s certainly an honorary accent coach as well as a performer! Alongside them I’m chuffed to have Jamie Yates as the eponymous Jay Gatsby, Sophie Dowling as his long-lost lover Daisy Buchanan, Millie Knights as golf champion Jordan Baker, Sean Lovell as the troubled George Wilson, Cat Jenkins as his vivacious wife Myrtle, and Robin Piper as gambler Meyer Wolfsheim (as well as a few others!)
How are the rehearsals going and who is supporting you behind the scenes?
Rehearsals are already going really well – I’m very lucky to have a really enthusiastic cast who are always keen to get stuck in and give it their all, as well as endless support from the rest of the KLP. I’ve got the endlessly helpful Sally-Anne as my Production Manager, who also keeps my instinct to do everything myself in check! Sue is my Stage Manager, Ron is of course on lighting and sound duty, Alex is my Props Coordinator, Julie my prompt, Tony is building set, and Carolyne is lending me a hand with costumes. A crack team, I’m sure you’ll agree.
Are you going for the full Jazz age set and costumes?
It wouldn’t be The Great Gatsby without some sparkle! But in all seriousness, I’m big into historical fashion, so I’m in my element finding things for this production – think slick tailoring, beaded dresses, and (as anyone familiar with the story may remember) a fabulous pink suit for Mr Gatsby. Set wise, I’m keeping things simple. The style I’m going for is very black box, with music, lighting and of course my wonderful cast bringing the story and setting to life!
Finally, why should the audience rush to buy tickets?
Gatsby is a timeless story; it not only takes you back to roaring 20s New York, but also still has resonance today. It’s an absolute classic, well worth reliving if you’ve read or seen it before, and well worth experiencing for the first time if you haven’t. If you like beautiful prose, fabulous Jazz music, tense drama, or just want to see some truly excellent performances, you won’t want to miss this one!
Be quick to secure seats on our cabaret tables!