I have been to see another play,
this time at the beautiful Leeds Grand Theatre, last night (6th April
2016). Breakfast at Tiffany’s which I actually thought was going to be a
musical, until about five minutes before it started then I realised it was a
play. My companion for the evening was my housemate and very close friend Emma
(Notta); she was aware Breakfast at Tiffany’s was a play and confused as to why
we were going; we are primarily musical fans of course. A great evening apart
from the 40-minute endeavour to find an affordable car park in Leeds; so
expensive, however we found one, £6 for 24 hours, bargain! Following a bottle
of wine while getting the glad rags on we arrive at The Grand only to be faced with
a coughing pandemic and a dog in the seat in front. I think these are personal
jokes between me and Emma and if I explain them it will be a waste of my
fingers typing and your time reading them as I imagine you won’t find them
funny. Basically half of the auditorium were coughing or potentially dying
during the play and the woman in front of me appeared to have a stuffed dog as
a coat and I thought it was hilarious to pretend to stroke it. Now back to what
we are here for a professional and comprehensive review of the touring
production of Breakfast at Tiffany’s (don’t laugh).
The play is obviously based on the 1961
film of the same name which in turn is loosely based on Truman Capote’s novella
of the same name. Breakfast at Tiffany’s follows the accolades of Holly
Golightly, an extroverted young lady in the buzzing place that is New York and gazes
over her relationships with men and her partying lifestyle. I felt that Golightly
is portrayed more of an uncouth young lady then she is in the film (so others’
tell me). The classic film starring Audrey Hepburn has become such an iconic
film for many, myself and Emma not included in this population. Both ashamed of
the fact we have not seen the film I cannot really comment on comparisons and
differences. However we are rectifying this situation and now have the film on
DVD thanks to Emma’s sister. The film won the academy award for Best Score and
Best Original Song for Moon River which features in the play (I think this is
why I was confused it was going to be a musical). Hepburn also received a
nomination for her role as Holly Golightly.
Holly Golightly is played by Pixie
Lott in the current touring production and she sings in the play which is
great. Her voice, rusty and raw, provides a modern yet respectful take of Moon
River and Pixie plays the guitar on stage and we all know how much I love a
musical instrument on the stage. Lott’s voice is great as most of us know from
her number one singles; ‘Mama Do’, ‘Boys and Girls’ and ‘All about Tonight’.
Lott also ain’t such a bad actress, playing Holly as the fun-hungry,
life-loving girl that certainly is Golightly. I love the voice of Golightly
which Hepburn borned and Lott has taken on. The New Yorker posh lisp as I like
to call it is fab and I have tried to copy, darlin’. A further 12 members of
the cast join Lott on stage during the night. Nick-named Fred (George Peppard) is
played by Matt Barber, well-known for his role as Atticus Aldridge in Downton
Abbey. Barber has a great stage presence and played the role of Fred finely,
with his longing for Golightly so real and is inability to say how he really
feels for her frustrating for us in the audience. His monologues portray this
so well. Two fantastic comedic roles are
played by Naomi Cranston as Mag and Andrew Joshi as the famous comedy role of
Yunioshi; both giving great performances. The cast work hard each night to
bring alive Breakfast at Tiffany’s before your eyes and I always wonder whether
they miss any lines or not as there is so much to remember. One final cast
member who deserves a mention is Bob the Cat; playing the cat (obviously) – he is
quite a famous cat too!
I very much enjoyed Breakfast at
Tiffany’s, adapted for the stage by Richard Greenberg, however I would describe
it as a good play with not a lot going on, if that makes any sense at all. I
wonder if the film will also be like this, a great classic everyone has heard
of but not a lot actually happens; I can think of a few films like this which I
absolutely love. I really do feel Breakfast at Tiffany’s could easily be
produced into a musical; with some of the basic song and music already in the
play; a Moon River and its reprise – I can hear it on a soundtrack already. I
would undoubtedly imagine this concept has been thrown around countless times. Nikolai
Foster directs the play and I love Matthew Wright’s set and costume design.
Most men are wearing their suits and ties (fair do) and Holly’s wardrobe is
great, with beautiful maxi dresses and colours galore. What I particularly
enjoyed of Wright’s work was his set design. I absolutely loved how Fred and
Holly’s rooms were portrayed as being on different floors and the American
scaffolding, as I call it, used in the background and then coming into the lime
light as the scene of the bedroom flats disappears into the gods and characters
pondering over their thoughts on this scaffolding. Ben Cracknell’s lighting
design is also well executed; my favourite part being the illusion that it is
raining on stage, which I thought was crafted brilliantly. Many characters talk
directly to the audience through their numerous monologues, although other characters
appear on stage the lighting also allows focus to one character and multiple
characters explaining the same story works really well. Other songs to feature
in the play are ‘Hold up My Dying Day’ and the Rodgers and Hammerstein wonder
that is ‘People Will Say We’re in Love’ from the amazing Oklahoma! (sound
designer Mic Pool).
Breakfast at Tiffany’s continues on
a UK tour until mid-November 2016, where it finishes at Norwich Theatre Royal,
where I will be seeing it again. Pixie Lott tours until 30th June
where she then takes up the role as Holly Golightly at the Theatre Royal Haymarket
where Breakfast at Tiffany’s arrives in the West End. Cities you can see Pixie include Birmingham, Dublin,
Plymouth and Southampton. Emily Atack and Georgia Foote take on the classic
role at remaining cities including Edinburgh, Glasgow, Nottingham, Aberdeen, Sheffield,
Belfast and Cardiff. As I have said Breakfast at Tiffany’s is a grand play but
not a lot happens but still worth a watch. Pixie Lott is definitely worth
seeing in something different to what we usually see and expect of her and I
look forward to seeing Georgia Foote playing the role in Norwich
Thanks everyone and please get in
touch, it would be great to hear from you @AaronBurgess89
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