The Threepenny Opera - NT (Filthy Language/Immoral Behavior)

Oh, but a Surabaya Johnny felt a bit unnecessary

I really
Don't think so

Have you seen the reviews

Hardly raves

Funny isn't it, I thought Rosalie Craig was by far the weakest of the leads. She does have a lovely voice and sings the songs very well but she's just a bit bland. I found this in 'As You Like It' and 'City of Angels' too, when she's part of a strong ensemble she doesn't stand out at all for me. Nick Holder, Haydn Gwynne and Debbie Kurup stole this show for me.

Also seeing this Friday (up close from front row) so will see how they all rate!

This was a strange experience tonight. In places I was bored, in others hugely entertained. It didn't feel like Rory Kinnear was entirely convincing all the time, but when he was, my goodness he was brilliant...

Perhaps the Kinnear thing is down to the fact we see Mack mainly through others' eyes, rarely his own. I understand the reasons for that, of course, but maybe that's why I felt a bit alienated from the character at times.

I know a few people weren't impressed by Sharon Small but I thought she brought real heart to her role and her singing sounded fine to me (Rosalie Craig's voice blew pretty much everyone out of the water, of course).

Such a prestigious cast

I mean

SO talented

It's the director

Anything he touches turns to sh*t

Well, I enjoyed this

It felt as Brechtian as one expects it to be. No illusion but a minimalist set of flats that are moved around, whilst the comings and goings on backstage are clear for all to see.

The music too was disconcertingly fantastic to listen to. I actually went to a talk beforehand about the collaboration between Brecht and Kurt Will held by Matthew Scott and Dr Tom Kuhn. It was fascinating to hear music from this and other works like The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny, and notice how the harmony, tone, and lyrics clash with each other, as if the music too is observing the action with a critical eye.

And man was Brecht a handful to work with

Rory Kinnear gave an impressive performance, though I do agree that the production could have build up the legend of Macheath more. Nick Holder and Haydn Gwynne were a delight to watch as the Peachums and its nice to see Peter de Jersey perform again.

I'm afraid I fall under the 'bland Rosalie Craig' camp. Beautiful vocals, but it's noticeable when everyone else was playing up the satire of their characters.

Loved some of the visuals, such as the maze of walls and staircases that is Macheath's residence. A place of deceit to get lost in. The end of the first act alone is worth seeing.

Personally I thought the pacing would stop and start at points. And the Threepenny Opera's messages can get overshadowed by the spectacle. It was a similar problem I had with the Fiona Shaw production of Mother Courage, which felt like a rock concert than a Brechtian play by the end. This isn't as bad as that, but I do wonder whether Brecht's style of drama doesn't work in a large scale production

Fun fact by the way: we know we like to complain about the extortionate prices people pay for brochures full of adverts, or there tat at the souvenir counter. Well Threepenny Opera was one of the first productions to sell souvenirs. Or shall I say the 150 German productions held in the 12 months following the premiere, since the opera was so popular that everyone wanted to join the bandwagon. Recordings were sold alongside stuff like Threepenny Opera postcards and wallpaper

Are there two or three acts? (If two, what's the first act finale?)

We went to the matinee last Saturday and really enjoyed it. What made us laugh though was that our fifteen year old daughter proclaimed at the interval that 'my school should do a production of this'! Her dad pointed out that they might have to cut rather a lot of references! A couple of days later when we were listening to a recording in the car (an old Ute Lemper version on cassette) she decided that any problems with profanity could be got round by the school (a state school not a million miles from Canning Town) presenting it in German!

Loved the Otto Dix styling of Hadyn Gwynne's Mrs Peachum. Had been on an NT costume tour in the morning and seen at first hand how much work goes in to creating that hair - and the joy of Polly's boots. Man who made those had also made footwear for Rosalie Craig for the Light Princess.

The theatre looked just as full after the interval as it did before, the night I went, but I presume then there must be nights where Kinnear's direct address to the audience after the interval (something along the lines of 'Jesus, you came back??!') is more pertinent...

A few years ago I was tangentially involved in a production by a posh Catholic girls school. #justsayin'