Reviewed - Breakfast at Tiffany's

Published on 28 September 2009 by Kelly Pentland

Having never read Truman Capote's classic novella Breakfast at Tiffany's or seen the film starring Audrey Hepburn, I had very little idea of what to expect from Samuel Adamson's West End adaption of the story.

I was also a newbie to the Theatre Royal Haymarket and so, looking forward to a night of firsts, I headed down to London.

My first impression of Theatre Royal Haymarket was its size. Small compared to the other theatres I have visited, the atmosphere was far more intimate.

As the play commenced, it was clear the performance was well-suited to a smaller venue. The characters' body language and facial expressions would have been missed by most in a larger theatre as would the fast-paced dialogue.

Props and set design were kept very simple. Flitting mainly between Holly Golightly's residency (represented by a staircase) and the local drinking establishment (a bar with a table and chair) there was not much to shout about visually. Nevertheless, the small cast of talented actors managed to tell the tale centring around good-time girl Holly, with passion and conviction.

Leading lady Friel gave a very impressive performance as Golightly. Bringing the glamorous style of the carefree and charming good-time girl to the stage, Friel looked fabulous. Adding a raunchy edge to the show, confident Friel even appeared naked. Her sweet solos and guitar playing were charming and it was clear to see why men could not help but fall at her feet.

Joseph Cross who played William 'Fred' Parsons was a personal favourite of mine during the performance. Keeping the audience in the know with his side narration, Cross gave a convincing performance of the lovesick writer. Also appearing naked onstage, Cross delivered emotional and heartfelt scenes.

Thin Blue Line and Gimme Gimme Gimme star James Dreyfus played OJ Berman, the Hollywood agent of Golightly. Shouting at people down the phone and mingling with the in-crowd at parties, even he could not control Mrs Golightly. Appearing onstage less than I had hoped, Dreyfus added a welcome comic element during the short time he appeared.

Breakfast at Tiffany's is a West End production worth seeing for the talented actors. Don't expect a grand set or impressive props as you will be disappointed, but the raw acting ability on display is unmissable.

Ticket and hotel packages for Breakfast At Tiffany's starring Anna Friel are available from Show and Stay