Richard Greenberg’s adaptation of Truman Capote’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s was met with a lukewarm response at Leeds Grand Theatre on 5th April. If you’re not already familiar, the classic story portrays writer, Fred (Matt Baker) as he becomes fascinated with Holly Golightly; the type of girl who every woman wants to be and every man wants to be with. Yet, there is more than meets the eye as Fred soon discovers throughout the course of the story. While the production was very pleasing to watch, in particular its authentic sets and props, there was a sense of slight disappointment among the audience, confirmed – or perhaps illustrated – when their biggest reaction of the night was to cast member, Bob the Cat. As the cast took to the stage for the final bow, there was an air of awkwardness and relief, which can only be compared to finishing a hellish day at work. It would appear that my fears surrounding celebrity casting have, sadly, finally been realised with Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

But perhaps I’m being too harsh: there were elements of the production that excelled, and it must be commended for its aesthetically-pleasing technical elements. Flawless scene changes transformed the set within a matter of seconds thanks to director Nikolai Foster’s uniquely deft touch and movement director, Melanie Knott. The overall presentation felt authentic and the picturesque 1950’s set catapulted the audience into the story. Unfortunately, the set was the most engaging thing about this particular performance. Once the visual pleasures faded, the first act felt somewhat flat. During one awkward incident, a scene between Fred and Jose (Charlie De Melo) fell stagnant, to the point where I could only suggest that there may have been a case of forgotten lines.

It is difficult to fill the shoes of an iconic role, where both newcomers and long-time lovers of a well-known story are equally familiar. For her first role, Pixie gave it a good go yet for me there was a Lott more to be given. Obligatory puns aside, Lott had a good air as a femme fatale, yet ironically it was her vocals that let her down, sometimes feeling unfinished at the end of her dialogue. Where the accent was fairly convincing, the lack of intonation and modulation left me irritated throughout the evening. There were opportunities for Lott’s musical abilities to shine, but renditions of iconic songs such as ‘Moon River’ added to the overall awkwardness of the performance.

Richard Greenberg’s adaptation of Breakfast at Tiffany’s has a few more venues to visit before it transfers to the West End. It seems to have the set, props and overall technical elements secured. However, more care is needed to ensure audiences leave the auditorium feeling entertained by an ensemble, rather than just Bob the Cat. Adaptations of well-known texts should be able to speak to newcomers as well as its fans and it would appear that this particular production hasn’t quite grasped that, instead marketing the play with a well-known pop-star. But, who knows – perhaps, with a few more tweaks, the show could go on to better things.

Mark McDougall

Image courtesy of Sean Ebsworth Barnes