Flappers and a party of note. The Gatsby Extravaganza has it all. Picture Supplied
It was an era of flappers, partying to excess, and a love for everything lavish. The roaring 20s, the time of the Great Gatsby, inspired a new show at Cresta’s CiRK Theatre.
The performance is based on themed soirees that celebrate F. Scott Fitzgerald’s tale of, at times, reckless indulgence.
Performer Claudia Moruzzi stars in the show which also marks her return to the stage after spending a chunk of her career as an artist’s agent and caring for her ill husband. “It’s my midlife crisis, getting back into performing,” she said. “I knew I had to find myself again, so I joined the circus, so to speak.”
And she said she has. Being back on stage, she said, has invigorated her and there’s just no going back. “I will keep doing this until my body stops allowing me to,” she said. “This is my place, to be up there on the silks, up in the air.”
Moruzzi’s performance is physically demanding but satisfying. “There is just something magical about being raised into the air, about your body being free to move as it wishes, and that magic translates to the audience’s experience too. To see what the human body is capable of is incredible,” she said.
The Gatsby Extravaganza, she said, delivers that and more to audiences. The show is an ode to an era that brings to life the hedonism, glamour, and gritty undercurrents of the Jazz Age without a strict narrative. The show has been in the works for some time. “We’ve been talking about it forever,” Claudia said. “The director had this vision, and it finally came together.”
“It’s loosely inspired by Gatsby,” said Moruzzi. “It’s about the energy of the time, the wild parties, the jazz, the broken hearts.” The show is a “feast for the eyes,” on all fronts and an invitation to escape and leave reality behind. “You don’t have to think, all you have to do is just sit back and be wowed,” she said.
The CiRK Theatre is intimate, and the action happens right up close to the audience. “We are so close that sometimes, while on stage, we hear people whisper to one another,” she said. Comments like ‘Oh I can do that’ or ‘Look at that outfit’ and ‘I want to take this up as a hobby after’ are common gossip. “People forget we’re live. I think we are so used to television and streaming these days that they forget we’re right here, in front of them. They don’t realise we can hear them, and it’s hilarious,” she said.
You also need a sense of humour to survive backstage, before, during and after the show said Moruzzi. “We are all in overdrive. It’s chaos,” she said. “People are helping zip up dresses, passing headpieces. There’s a real camaraderie. You see everyone working together to make it happen. It’s like we’re all part of a mad, beautiful dance that only we know.”
The Gatsby Extravaganza runs until 15 December on Fridays, Saturdays at 7pm, and Sunday matinees. Tickets range between R 180 and R 300 and are available at thecirk.co.
The Gatsby Extravaganza, she said, delivers that and more to audiences. The show is an ode to an era that brings to life the hedonism, glamour, and gritty undercurrents of the Jazz Age without a strict narrative. The show has been in the works for some time. “We’ve been talking about it forever,” Claudia said. “The director had this vision, and it finally came together.”
“It’s loosely inspired by Gatsby,” said Moruzzi. “It’s about the energy of the time, the wild parties, the jazz, the broken hearts.” The show is a “feast for the eyes,” on all fronts and an invitation to escape and leave reality behind. “You don’t have to think, all you have to do is just sit back and be wowed,” she said.
The CiRK Theatre is intimate, and the action happens right up close to the audience. “We are so close that sometimes, while on stage, we hear people whisper to one another,” she said. Comments like ‘Oh I can do that’ or ‘Look at that outfit’ and ‘I want to take this up as a hobby after’ are common gossip. “People forget we’re live. I think we are so used to television and streaming these days that they forget we’re right here, in front of them. They don’t realise we can hear them, and it’s hilarious,” she said.
You also need a sense of humour to survive backstage, before, during and after the show said Moruzzi. “We are all in overdrive. It’s chaos,” she said. “People are helping zip up dresses, passing headpieces. There’s a real camaraderie. You see everyone working together to make it happen. It’s like we’re all part of a mad, beautiful dance that only we know.”
The Gatsby Extravaganza runs until 15 December on Fridays, Saturdays at 7pm, and Sunday matinees. Tickets range between R 180 and R 300 and are available here.
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