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Writing for Us
A CurtainUp Review
The Threepenny Opera
by Les
Gutman
| As we live by the Muses, it is but a Gratitude in us to encourage Poetical Merit wherever we find it. The Muses, contrary to all other Ladies, pay no Distinction to Dress, and never partially mistake the Pertness of Embroidery for Wit, nor the Modesty of Want for Dulness. Be the Author who he will, we push his Play as far as it will go.
---Introduction to John Gay's The Beggar's Opera, the source of The Threepenny Opera |
C. Suitts and A. Williams
(Photo: Gerry Goodstein) |
Director David Fuller seizes on the piece's intended nature and thereby exploits the inherent limitations of the Bouwerie Lane Theatre to great advantage. As the production opens, the audience sees the exterior of an even smaller theater, the façade of which splits to reveal the multi-level set on which the play will be performed. (Fuller also uses the aisles and exits extensively, and at appropriate times the audience finds itself brought into the show as Peachum's beggars panhandle those well-connected enough to be sitting on the aisle.)
That Fuller is able to fit the action on the stage is due in no small measure to Roman Tatorwicz's set, which manages to squeeze a remarkable number of nooks and crannies into a very small space and give it precisely the grimy look it ought to have. At times, it nonetheless seems too cluttered with set pieces; a little more simplicity and a little less verisimilitude would have made for a better balance. Giles Hogya's often shadowy lighting suits the show well.
How well one is satisfied with this production will depend largely on one's willingness to accede to its unlofty aspirations. Weill's superb score is rendered entirely on a piano. (Even the herald's trumpet calls announcing the pendant coronation is a keyboard flourish here.) The singing voices of the repertory company members are a mixed bag: none inadequate but only a few rising above average. If you can manage your expectations appropriately, as I did, this production will reward you well.
The cast for this production relies heavily on relative newcomers to the company. Of the Cocteau long-term veterans, only Elise Stone has a major role (as Jenny). Her performance is robust, though singing is clearly not her strong suit. (In particular, her "Song of Solomon" is disappointing.) The brightest lights in this show are three young actors making their Cocteau debut: Amy Lee Williams, who plays and sings both edges of Polly well; Natalie Ballesteros, who gives us a fine Lucy Brown; and Chad Suitts as the dashing, handsome rogue Macheath. The older generation is well-represented by Angus Hepburn and Marlene May as the Peachum parents, and Abe Goldfarb as Tiger Brown.
There are few shows that open with a song as infectious as "The Ballad of Mack the Knife". Go and let it draw you in. You'll be comforted, as you watch other more elaborate takes on the show, that you're informed of the genuine article.
LINKS
Threepenny Opera in the Berkshires
|
The Threepenny Opera Book and lyrics by Bertholt Brecht Music by Kurt Weill English Adaptation by Marc Blitzstein Directed by David Fuller with Natalie Ballesteros, Harris Berlinsky, Danny Dempsey, Eileen Glenn, Abe Goldfarb, Angus Hepburn, Kate Holland, Brian Lee Huynh, Marlene May, Sara Mayer, Timothy McDonough, Joey Piscopo, Elise Stone, Chad A. Suitts and Amy Lee Williams Set Design: Roman Tatorwicz Costume Design: Joanne Haas Lighting Design: Giles Hogya Musical Director: Charles Berigan Running time: 2 hours, 30 minutes with 1 intermission Bouwerie Lane Theatre, 330 Bowery (@Bond) A production of Jean Cocteau Repertory Telephone: (212) 677-0060 WED @ 7, THURS - SAT @8; SUN @3, in repertory with Lysistrata beginning October 24; $40-50 (with discounts as low as $15 for student, senior and rush tickets), consult website for schedule and pricing details Opening September 7, 2003, closing November 23, 2003 Reviewed by Les Gutman based on 9/5/03 performance |
Mendes at the Donmar
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At This Theater
Leonard Maltin's 2003 Movie and Video Guide
Ridiculous!The Theatrical Life & Times of Charles Ludlam
Somewhere For Me, a Biography of Richard Rodgers
The New York Times Book of Broadway: On the Aisle for the Unforgettable Plays of the Last Century
6, 500 Comparative Phrases including 800 Shakespearean Metaphors by CurtainUp's editor.
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