This new production of Breakfast at Tiffany’s skilfully adapted by Richard Greenwood and directed by the irrepressible Nikolai Foster features Pixie Lott in the role of Holly Golightly immortalised in the film version by Audrey Hepburn. Much of the narrative of the film has been altered schematically with the action told by the writer Fred (Matt Barber) who we first meet in a bar scene. Here the bartender insists he may have found out the whereabouts of the missing social waif Holly Golightly.
This enables Fred to go through how he first met Holly and the misadventures they have together. The show very much focuses on the mindset of the two main characters – Fred and Holly- with the latter at one moment a poor stranded isolated orphan, the next a voluptuous decadent party animal in a social whirl. One of her adventures includes visiting a mobster Singh Singh prison and delivering ‘the weather report’, that is news of his drugs cartel. It is this that is her eventual downfall but not before a flurry of affairs (mostly teasing).
The more serious of these is with the wealthy Brazilian politician Jose (Charlie De Melo) but he proves to be a fickle fraud. Fred meanwhile is faithful to the end but they are destined never to be lovers. He even makes sure her cat (in a scintillating performance by Bob the Cat!) is safe and sound when she has left the country.
Pixie Lott’s performance is impeccable, she gives out just enough sexual allure without being sleazy and displays her mood swings and complex emotions with aplomb. But it is Matt Barber’s Fred that really carries the show with his first-person narrative full of exasperation if not desperation.
Matthew Wright’s cityscape designs are to die for, especially the raining scenes and the depiction of Holly and Fred’s apartments. The scenery literally drops from above to provide seamless links between the different locations, and we are never uncertain exactly where we are and why. The anthem of the play is ‘Moon River’ which is given a very laconic melancholy rendition.
Holly’s costume changes are especially remarkable, almost seeming impossible in such rapid succession. As well as many light comic moments this is a drama with deeply moving emotions, going beneath the surface of social mores to reveal loneliness, isolation and existential ennui. A must-see.
Reviewed by Rich Jevons on 5th April 2016 at Leeds Grand Theatre where it runs until 9th April and touring, see http://breakfastattiffanys.co.uk/
This is a woeful production and nothing like the rubbish written above. Best you look on TripAdvisor and read the comments of the folk who sat through 2 1/2 hours of this cretinous production. Most give it 1 star, and they are being generous. Its a boring 2 1/2 hours of amateur american language screeched out as if by a stung pig!
Its a criminal production of rubbish.
Did you watch the show? Some errors.. she visited Sally Tomato in Singh Singh prison, and the Brazilian politician was Jose not Rusty Trawler. The sets were good, I think the cast tried hard, and at least Pixie has a great singing voice but that’s where it ends. I love the film and the novello.. this was more true to the novello but it was poorly produced, and the accents were diabolical. A real shame.