Breakfast at Tiffany's *

(Please click on the title to see the complete review.)
For me, the most interesting part of this production takes place before it begins: huge photographs of New York in the 1940's and wartime propaganda posters are projected on the main panel of the set. Even this is muddled though -- instead of projecting them on a plain background where they could be clearly seen, they are superimposed on a projection of the Manhattan skyline with glass towers not built until decades later. I'm afraid it's downhill from there. Richard Greenberg's adaptation hews much more closely to Capote's novella than the sanitized Hollywood film did, but he includes long stretches of narration that quickly become tiresome. The first act moves at a snail's pace. Neither Emilia Clarke as Holly nor Cory Michael Smith as Fred has much charisma, although (gratuitous nudity alert!) they do look nice together in a bathtub. George Wendt is an understated Joe Bell, the bartender, but the rest of the cast perform much too broadly. Things improve in the second act, but by then it's too late to save the day. Derek McLane's scenic design morphs effortlessly from one setting to the next and Colleen Atwood's costumes are appropriate. Sean Mathias's direction seemed muddled. Running time: 2 hours, 25 minutes, including intermission.