Jesse Tyler Ferguson revives 'Tru' at Menier Chocolate Factory — SkimNews
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- Jesse Tyler Ferguson stars in the London revival of "Tru," an 85-minute monologue staged at the Menier Chocolate Factory until 14 November, with Charlotte d'Amboise punctuating the show as various women in Capote's life.
- Paul Farnsworth's set design transforms the venue into a recreation of Truman Capote's New York apartment — carpet, wallpaper, ceiling tiles, books and antiques — with the audience seated on dining chairs, armchairs and sofas.
- The reviewer's verdict splits: Ferguson earns five stars for pacing and intonation, while the Jay Presson Allen script from 1989 is rated three stars, with the play described as a "Broadway museum piece that sounds oddly light about addiction and betrayal."
- The production marks a return to the West End for Ferguson, best known for 11 seasons on "Modern Family" on TV and a recent Palladium turn as Herod in "Jesus Christ Superstar."
- The play traces Truman Capote's creative peak between "Breakfast At Tiffany's" (1958) and "In Cold Blood" (1965), and his subsequent two-decade struggle with the unfinished novel "Answered Prayers," whose early chapters led to his ostracisation by socialites.
- "Tru" sits among a slate of Capote dramatizations including the films Capote and Infamous, Bob Kingdom's touring solo show, and the TV series Feud.
- The reviewer wishes Ferguson "a different text," arguing a new play about Capote would need to offer a stronger defence of his "treacherous use of others' lives" than this 1989 piece provides.
Why it matters: The revival hands Jesse Tyler Ferguson, a major American TV star, a rare West End monologue role that lets him showcase vocal range, but the critic's verdict signals that the 1989 script feels dated on questions of betrayal and addiction — issues the reviewer notes are "more current than in [Capote's] own life or this play's." For theatregoers, the 14 November closing date sets a hard window to catch the limited run.
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