When you think Breakfast at Tiffany's, you either think of eating pancakes at a jewelry store - or you think of Audrey Hepburn sweeping across the screen majestically in a gorgeous Givenchy gown, to the sounds of buck toothed and slant eyed Mickey Rooney in novelty Hirohito glasses screaming "Ms Gorightry, I muss plotest!". I'm paraphrasing Douglas Carter Beane, but you get the drift.
Breakfast at Tiffany's though based on a novella by Truman Capote - is forever linked in the American Psyche to the one and only Audrey Hepburn. This is one of the key reasons that the show has never worked anywhere else. The other thing you think of is the academy award winning song MOON RIVER.
The first time Breakfast at Tiffany's was attempted for the stage it was done as a musical and lyrics by Bob Merrill (Funny girl) and book by Edward Albee (Tons of great shit), who replaced the original book by Abe Burrows (tons of other really good shit). The show was a huge flop and closed after only four preview performances, and never officially opened. Mary Tyler Moore played the title role of Breakfast.
There was a London production (non musical) with a script by Samuel Adamson in the fall of 2009. This production was directed by Sean Mathius and closed after four months. Mathius obviously still believed in the project, because he called in Tony award winning playwright Richard Greenberg to re adapt Truman Capote's original novella for a Broadway bow.
This time we are given Emilia Clarke (HBO's Game of Thrones) in the role of Holly Golightly, Broadway newcomer Corey Michael Smith as Fred, and Broadway and TV Veteran George Wendt (Norm!) as Joe Bell. Sean Mathius is again at the helm.
Friends and readers, I'm not exaggerating when I tell you that this was the worst play that I have ever seen in my entire life of going to the theater. Let me just think about a minute to be sure...... nope, the worst. It starts off with a strange framing device that makes no sense, and then goes into the (boring and long winded) story of how they got to that point.
The script by Richard Greenberg would probably be better on the page than it was on the stage. There are some admittedly nice moments in the script, but they are bogged down by Sean Mathius's addled direction and lack of fluidity. The performers are doing their best (mostly), but Ms. Clarke has been miscast.
Emilia Clarke is a lovely girl. She is also not a bad actress. In the hands of a more competent director she probably would have fared much better. Unfortunately, there is no way to NOT compare her to Audrey Hepburn. And Audrey Hepburn she ain't. Even judging the performance on it's own merits she is speaking with a strange accent, and her mannerisms are manic to the point of exasperation.
Corey Michael Smith does a better job of selling shit as shine-ola but even he is weighted down by his numerous breaking of the fourth wall monologues and strange film noir type scene connectors. The rest of the cast has basically just given up and is waiting for the show to be over. Some characters are so unnecessary and confusing you spend a good minute trying to figure out what the hell just happened. And don't even get me started on the bath tub scene in act II.
Derek McLane's set and Colleen Atwoods costumes do their jobs and nothing more. Each piece is functional, if nothing more. The lighting designs by Peter Kaczorowski are a true bright spot, and this shows only real chance of a Tony nomination. The best actor in the show was the cat who played Cat.
Breakfast at Tiffany's closed on Broadway at The Cort Theater on Sunday April 21st, 2013 after 17 previews and 38 regular performances.
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