Jazz, burlesque and aerial acrobatics combine in Gatsby at The Green Light, playing at the Sydney Opera House following strong demand for its return.

The Sydney Opera House Studio has been styled as a 1920s jazz bar, with the immersive setting heightening the thrill of the show. Bar staff double as the entertainment, delivering high-energy dance numbers interspersed with nine featured acts of international calibre.  Performers boast credits ranging from entertaining Monaco’s royalty and Singapore’s elite to Las Vegas high rollers, with experience spanning Cirque du Soleil and Tap Dogs.

This sense of lavish excess is no accident. From the creators of the acclaimed L’Hotel and directed by Craig Ilott of Spiegeltent and Sydney Festival’s multi-award-winning Smoke & Mirrors, the show delivers one audacious act after another.

A feat of legerdemain in the world of juggling, head barman Florian Brooks launches the evening, juggling champagne flutes and deftly balancing and twirling glasses as the audience erupts into applause. Tap-dancing extraordinaire Thomas J Egan follows, dancing atop the bar, balancing on his tiptoes before effortlessly side-stepping his way down the stairs.

Oscar Kaufmann is every bit his character, The Gentleman. Dressed in a pinstripe suit, he captivates with a circus act balancing on a coat rack, teasing the audience and turning the temperature up as he strips down. Hostess Bettie Bombshell unleashes a fire-fuelled dance sequence, living up to her reputation as Miss Burlesque Australia and the country’s most influential burlesque performer (2023 & 2024). 

Among the many highlights, Miranda Menzies, The Seductress, leaves the strongest impression spinning like a devil in the ancient art of hair suspension. Breaking up the circus acts, ARIA-Award nominated crooner Odette provides soulful renditions of pop songs. Sultry acrobatic performances by Mariia Borysiak, Jacob McPherson and Caitlin Tomson-Moylan, feature flips, splits and backflips through the air as bodies intertwine.

For all its visual excess, the production is light on narrative, drawing inspiration from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s iconic parties rather than retelling the story. This suits the cabaret format and ensures audiences need not be familiar with The Great Gatsby. In fact, Spencer Craig (Jay Gatsby) plays a largely observational role, watching from the balcony before taking flight in a late-show aerial sequence with Tomson-Moylan.

There are a range of seating options, from VIP table dining to single concert row seats on the ground level, or a bird’s-eye view from the balcony level. Table seating suits those wishing to dine or rest a martini glass, while other patrons can access drinks from the in-house bar or front-of-house bars.

There isn’t a bad seat in the house, particularly given many performers dance on the bar or descend from the ceiling, drawing the audience’s gaze upward. Decadent and spectacular, this cabaret experience is undeniably thrilling.

4 stars. 

Gatsby at The Green Light is playing at Sydney Opera House until 28 March 2026.

75 minutes (no interval)

Presented by Caper & Crow

For tickets visit: Sydney Opera House