A STRIKING production of a theatrical classic comes to Exeter's Northcott Theatre this month. Bertolt Brecht's exuberant play with music The Threepenny Opera is presented by the Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds.
First performed in 1928, The Threepenny Opera launched Brecht's reputation as one of the most influential voices of twentieth century drama.
The play follows the exploits of the notorious villain Macheath and the attempts of others to bring him to justice, along the way launching a pointed attack on the excesses of capitalism.
The Threepenny Opera is fast moving and very witty, packs a powerful message and has lost none of its resonance today.
The Theatre Royal's production uses a modern-day setting and a vivid, up-to-date translation.
Talking about his decision to transpose the action from Victorian London to the time of the coronation of King William, director Colin Blumenau said: 'It seems to me that everything that Brecht and Kurt Weill, who wrote the music, were saying in the 1920s can be put to good use in a modern context.'
Although not an opera in the usual sense, The Threepenny Opera contains a strong musical element.
The production's cast of 14 actors are all accomplished musicians, and will be playing Kurt Weill's jazz-based music live on stage, including the classic Mac the Knife.
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