Theatre
Five reasons to see Breakfast at Tiffany’s in the West End before it closes
Time is running out if you want to catch Breakfast at Tiffany’s at Theatre Royal Haymarket. This stage adaptation by Richard Greenberg is currently touring the UK but wraps up its London run with pop princess Pixie Lott as Holly Golightly on 17 September.
Originally a novella by Truman Capote, the movie version of Breakfast at Tiffany’s became a romantic sensation when it hit the big screen in 1961, making a star out of Audrey Hepburn. But this stage production is more nuanced than the lighthearted Hollywood version, echoing the harsher undertones of Capote’s prose. That being said, whether you’re a fan of the movie or a first-timer, you’re sure to enjoy the vivacious characters, stylish production values and chance to journey back to 1940s-era NYC.
Plus, Lott has stepped into Hepburn’s pumps, sunglasses, gloves and pearls with aplomb, making the iconic role all her own. Along with her free spirit, Lott deftly adds a naïveté and forlornness to her performance that makes us genuinely sympathise with a difficult character.
And it’s not just the brilliant acting that’s won us over; here are five more things we utterly adored about Breakfast at Tiffany’s:
1. The Cat
Bob the Cat stole our hearts. There’s usually an audible gasp of delight from the audience when he first appears onstage. Bob comes from an animal rescue in Surrey, but he isn’t a “poor slob without a name” like the role he plays on stage. Bob’s a professional actor with a long list of commercial, TV and film credits under his paws, including parts in EastEnders, Children of Men and The Secret Life of Cats. Whether being carried, leaping out of Holly’s window or just running across the stage, Bob performs to purr-fection.
2. The costumes
As an aspiring socialite, Holly Golightly has to have fabulous clothes and accessories. Of course, Hepburn became a style icon playing this character, and Lott’s wardrobe doesn’t disappoint. She dons an array of glamorous vintage outfits throughout the evening that we wish were ours! From the black dress in the opening scene to a variety of elegant party gowns, tailored coats, jewels and peep-toe pumps, Lott’s Golightly looks like a a true fashion maven.
3. The clever staging
Set in New York City, Fred moves into an apartment located upstairs from Holly. The way the scenes switch between the two main characters’ interiors is ingenious – especially when she climbs the fire escape and slips into his window. It’s also impressive to see Bell’s elegant wood-panelled bar slide onstage and to watch Fred and Holly stroll onto the Brooklyn Bridge with the city skyline in the background.
4. The speech about semicolons
OK, we’ll admit it… we’re fans of this scene because we have editors’ brains that never switch off. When Fred’s no-nonsense editor sits him down to discuss one of his stories, she demands to know, “What is your hostility toward the semicolon?”; she then goes on to scold him further about grammar. As you can see, we bear no hostility to the winking punctuation mark; we’ve just used it twice!
5. The singing
When Lott sings Henry Mancini’s classic song Moon River, she gives a plaintive performance that will break your heart. Another musical highlight occurs when she strums a guitar on the fire escape while warbling I Am a Travelling Creature. Breakfast at Tiffany’s contains several period songs along with original music by Grant Odling, and Lott has just the pipes to nail every note.
Oh, and here’s one more bonus reason to see this production – you can save up £15 on tickets to the remaining performances!
Breakfast at Tiffany’s is playing at London’s Theatre Royal Haymarket through Saturday 17 September. Take advantage of our special offer by getting your tickets here.
