Theatre Review: Breakfast At Tiffany's

Emily Atack as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's. photo by Sean Ebsworth Barnes.

Adapted from Truman Capote’s novella, the stage play offers up affairs, pregnancy, supply cupboard romps, heartbreak, and chlamydia jokes from get go. It’s like an episode of EastEnders but with better outfits… and acting.

I felt little pangs of excitement when the lights went down and we were given our first glimpse of Holly, played by Emily Atack (The Inbetweeners), dressed to the nines. Although that could have been indigestion, I’m not 100% sure.

The cast consisted of a variety of TV personalities; Matt Barber (Downton Abbey) Victor McGuire (Bread) Robert Calvert (Eastenders) all of which pale in comparison to the real star of the show, Bob the cat. He received rapturous ooh's and aah's but let the fame get to his head and didn’t come back on for his final appearance on the night we went.

The play does a brilliant job of transporting you back to the glamour and buzz of forties New York through fast paced set changes, lighting displays, fake cigarette smoking and some classy forties costumes, so much so you forget you’re just down the road from Vic Center.

Emily Atack as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's. photo by Sean Ebsworth Barnes

While Emily’s performance was enjoyable to watch, as a fan of the film and having read the book I found her Holly to be a little bit too ballsy and confident. The Holly Golightly of page and screen came across as a far more venerable, trouble character. Although when it came to the singing she excelled. If this acting thing doesn’t work out for her then there’s always The Voice.

I think whether you are male or female we could all relate to the character of Holly in some way, because let’s face it, we’ve all been stood outside the window of a H&M in the early hours of the morning, chewing on a Gregg’s pastry and feeling a bit rejected.

Overall I think that there’s a bit of something in there for everyone. However, it’s worth noting that it’s very different story to the film, and for me the play failed to shine as much as its namesakes window displays.

Breakfast at Tiffany's runs at the Theatre Royal until Saturday 14 May.

Theatre Royal website