Review: BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S, Theatre Royal Haymarket, 26 July 2016

F ollowing a six-month tour, Richard Greenberg's version of Breakfast at Tiffany's marks the second time an adaptation of Truman Capote's novella has been shown at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in seven years. Anna Friel starred in the 2009 adaptation by Samuel Adamson, but in 2016 it's pop star Pixie Lott's turn to play the role of Holly Golightly.

Golightly is a young woman living in New York City who captures the attention, and hearts, of all the men she encounters, including that of her neighbour 'Fred' (Matt Barber), the story's narrator. She surrounds herself with rich and successful men and her new life couldn't be further from her hillbilly roots, which she successfully manages to hide from the world.

Barber is fantastic as aspiring writer 'Fred', desperate to get his break in a cutthroat industry. This marks Lott's theatrical debut and the 25-year-old singer turned actress works hard in the production, with her beautiful husky voice taking on the classic "Moon River", but not even this is enough to prevent the time from dragging. One of the highlights for a large number of audience members appears in the form of Bob, a rescue cat who plays the role of Holly's furry companion.

The set, designed by Matthew Wright, provides a realistic setting of New York, with metal fire escapes and the picturesque view of downtown Manhattan from the Brooklyn Bridge, as well as Fred and Holly's apartments in the Brownstone building they live in.

Unfortunately Barber and Bob the cat are not enough to save this production. Lott lacks Audrey Hepburn's charm and class and it's surprising that a long tour and weeks of previews at the Haymarket haven't been enough to turn this production into a well-oiled machine. As much as I was looking forward to this revival of a classic, director Nikolai Foster's production is dull and disappointing, and not even sterling performances from Barber, Victor McGuire as bartender Joe or Robert Calvert as kind-hearted Doc can redeem it.

Picture Credit: Sean Ebsworth Barnes