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'Immersive Gatsby' is invitation to glitzy party

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An immersive theater version of F. Scott Fitzgerald's
An immersive theater version of F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" is currently staged at the Gatsby Mansion, located on the second floor of the Grevin Seoul Museum in downtown Seoul. Courtesy of Mast Entertainment

By Kwon Mee-yoo

"Immersive Gatsby," an immersive theater production based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel "The Great Gatsby," has arrived in Seoul, taking audiences into the extravagant Roaring Twenties.

Created by the Guild of Misrule and directed by Alexander Wright of other immersive theatrical productions such as "The Wolf of Wall Street," "Immersive Gatsby" is the longest running immersive production in the U.K., premiering back in 2015 and joining the Vault Festival in 2017.

Immersive theater is a relatively new twist in a performance, which breaks the fourth wall ― the space that separates actors from the audience in traditional performance art. In immersive theater there are no designated seats and no stage, but audiences can immerse themselves in the performance by interacting with performers.

"Immersive Gatsby" offers an exciting jump into the pages of Fitzgerald's American classic on the American Dream and moral decay in jazz-age America.

There have been a few attempts at immersive theater in Korea and "Immersive Gatsby" takes it a step further by transforming parts of the Grevin Seoul Museum ― a wax figure museum filled with sculptures of K-pop stars and other celebrities ― into the luxurious mansion of mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby.

Jay Gatsby (played by Park Joung-bok), left, and Daisy Buchanan (Lee Seo-young) in a scene from
Jay Gatsby (played by Park Joung-bok), left, and Daisy Buchanan (Lee Seo-young) in a scene from "Immersive Gatsby" / Courtesy of Mast Entertainment

Dress code: 1920s

Mast Entertainment, the producer of the Korean production of "Immersive Gatsby," said the journey to Gatsby's party begins with choosing attire for the show as it encourages audiences to dress up according to 1920s fashion.

Although it is not mandatory, many of the audience members of "Immersive Gatsby," do dress up for the occasion.

Upon receiving a ticket, guests are taken to Gatsby's drugstore. A free drink is included in the ticket and guests are encouraged to relax and loosen up before the party.

At the bar, a woman fully dressed in 1920s flapper style or a man wearing a hunting cap might strike up a conversation, introducing themselves as Lucile or George Wilson. They gossip about Gatsby or promise to introduce audience members to Gatsby later at the party.

As it gets closer to curtain time, Gatsby's business partner Rosy Rosenthal ushers the guests to the party upstairs.

"Immersive Gatsby" officially begins with the show's narrator Nick Carraway describing how he was invited to Jay Gatsby's party, along with other guests. Unlike the original novel written in the first person from Nick's point of view, audiences here can engage with different characters and understand the story from various perspectives.

Performers and audiences dance the Charleston in
Performers and audiences dance the Charleston in "Immersive Gatsby." Courtesy of Mast Entertainment

The main stage is the ballroom, where Gatsby's party is held. Major events in the plot are staged here with the entire audience gathered. Nick talks about his enigmatic neighbor Gatsby and his relationship with Daisy. Later on, Gatsby reveals his passion for now-married Daisy in front of her husband Tom Buchanan. Guests are later taught how to dance the Charleston, a popular dance in the 1920s.

However, there are other rooms on the set, including Gatsby's study where he discusses his clandestine "business" with guests, Daisy's dressing room where she shares her thoughts on her marriage and George Wilson's garage where he confronts his wife Myrtle for having an affair.

In those rooms, there are opportunities for more up close and personal moments. Small groups of the audience are shepherded off into these rooms with specific characters and interact more intimately with them. Some characters share their innermost secrets, while others ask you to do certain tasks.

For instance, Jordan Baker might ask you to be part of her entourage and storm into Gatsby's library together, while Tom might tell you about how he can love two women ― his wife Daisy and mistress Myrtle ― at the same time and request a favor as he tries to cheer up an upset Myrtle.

Hong Ryoon-hee as Jordan Baker in 'Immersive Gatsby' / Courtesy of Mast Entertainment
Hong Ryoon-hee as Jordan Baker in 'Immersive Gatsby' / Courtesy of Mast Entertainment

A night at "Immersive Gatsby" is unique for everyone as each audience member sees, hears and experiences different things.

However, the show's interactive nature and simultaneous scenes in different rooms make "Immersive Gatsby" not the best vehicle to communicate the subtlety of Fitzgerald's modern American classic depicting the best and the worst of the American Dream.

If you spend the whole time in the main ballroom, you might miss some in-depth insight into individual characters. If you are chosen to engage in one-on-one moments with a certain character, you still remain curious as to why people outside are roaring with laughter.

Still, "Immersive Gatsby" gives a glimpse into the exuberance of the 1920s in a way that has never been done in Korean theater. Plunging oneself into Gatsby's swanky party is a unique experience.

The immersive theater production runs through Feb. 28 at the Gatsby Mansion, located on the second floor of the Grevin Seoul Museum in downtown Seoul.


Kwon Mee-yoo meeyoo@koreatimes.co.kr


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