The Great Gatsby now

In 1926, LP Hartley called The Great Gatsby “an absurd story”. Now, it is hard to imagine that F Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel was ever considered less than a masterpiece. And it seems particularly popular in our recessionary times – with the remarkable eight-hour play Gatz having had rave reviews in York, and now about to open in London; and Baz Luhrmann’s film version starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan released later this year. Jan Dalley talks Gatsby mania with Sarah Churchwell, Professor of American Literature at the University of East Anglia; Mark Ball, artistic director of the London International Festival of Theatre; and the critic Matt Trueman. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown

View our accessibility guide.