Stage Production Notes
The Threepenny Opera premiered in Berlin in 1928. Written and composed by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill, the show was loosely based on John Gay’s Beggar’s Opera, and was an attempt to create a new kind of opera and musical theatre. After a tumultuous rehearsal period, The Threepenny Opera opened to packed houses and became one of the defining musicals of the early 1930s.
The show had a disappointing Broadway premier in 1933. The 1954 Off-Broadway revival directed by Carmen Capalbo was more successful, and ran for seven years. A Broadway revival in 1989, starring Sting as Mack, was also a flop. Another revival starring Alan Cumming and Cyndi Lauper was nominated for Best Musical Revival in 2006.
The Threepenny Opera premiered in London in 1956 in a well-received production directed by Sam Wanamaker. The National Theatre revived the show in 1986 with a critically acclaimed production directed by Peter Wood and starring Tim Curry. A production at the Donmar Warehouse in 1994 directed by Phyllida Lloyd set the show in 2001, rather than the traditional Victorian setting.
The show has been performed widely around the world.
The Threepenny Opera premiered in Berlin in 1928. Written and composed by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill, the show was loosely based on John Gay’s Beggar’s Opera, and was an attempt to create a new kind of opera and musical theatre. After a tumultuous rehearsal period, The Threepenny Opera opened to packed houses and became one of the defining musicals of the early 1930s.
The show had a disappointing Broadway premier in 1933. The 1954 Off-Broadway revival directed by Carmen Capalbo was more successful, and ran for seven years. A Broadway revival in 1989, starring Sting as Mack, was also a flop. Another revival starring Alan Cumming and Cyndi Lauper was nominated for Best Musical Revival in 2006.
The Threepenny Opera premiered in London in 1956 in a well-received production directed by Sam Wanamaker. The National Theatre revived the show in 1986 with a critically acclaimed production directed by Peter Wood and starring Tim Curry. A production at the Donmar Warehouse in 1994 directed by Phyllida Lloyd set the show in 2001, rather than the traditional Victorian setting.
The show has been performed widely around the world.
Filmed Live Production Notes
The National Theatre revival opened on May 26, 2016 and was performed in rep at the Olivier Theatre until October 1, 2016.
The production received mixed reviews. Critics generally found the production to be visually spectacular with strong performances, however overall lacked the bite of a Brecht play. Matt Wolf of the New York Times and Mark Shenton of The Stage gave positive reviews, describing the production as powerful and “beautifully illuminating.”
It was announced in July 2016 that the production would be filmed as part of the National Theatre’s NT Live program and broadcast in cinemas around the world in September of that year.
The few critics who reviewed the filmed live production barely made mention of watching the show on a screen, and reviewed the film as though it were a stage play. The exception was Julian Cash, writing for The Drama Teacher blog, who noted that the film would be excellent for “high school drama and theatre teachers searching for a Bertolt Brecht work on film.”
The National Theatre’s Backstage app provides behind the scenes footage, and a wealth of information about the show. For a small fee, viewers can download an interactive program for various National Theatre offerings.
National Theatre Live broadcast a second musical, the highly acclaimed 2017 production of Follies, in December 2017.
The Threepenny Opera received encore cinema screenings throughout January 2017. It is currently not available to view.
The National Theatre revival opened on May 26, 2016 and was performed in rep at the Olivier Theatre until October 1, 2016.
The production received mixed reviews. Critics generally found the production to be visually spectacular with strong performances, however overall lacked the bite of a Brecht play. Matt Wolf of the New York Times and Mark Shenton of The Stage gave positive reviews, describing the production as powerful and “beautifully illuminating.”
It was announced in July 2016 that the production would be filmed as part of the National Theatre’s NT Live program and broadcast in cinemas around the world in September of that year.
The few critics who reviewed the filmed live production barely made mention of watching the show on a screen, and reviewed the film as though it were a stage play. The exception was Julian Cash, writing for The Drama Teacher blog, who noted that the film would be excellent for “high school drama and theatre teachers searching for a Bertolt Brecht work on film.”
The National Theatre’s Backstage app provides behind the scenes footage, and a wealth of information about the show. For a small fee, viewers can download an interactive program for various National Theatre offerings.
National Theatre Live broadcast a second musical, the highly acclaimed 2017 production of Follies, in December 2017.
The Threepenny Opera received encore cinema screenings throughout January 2017. It is currently not available to view.
The Threepenny Opera Production Credits
Theatre: Olivier Theatre
Producer: NT Live
Book: Bertolt Brecht, in collaboration with Elisabeth Hauptmann
Music: Kurt Weill
Lyrics: Bertolt Brecht
Adaptation: Simon Stephens
Director: Rufus Norris
Musical Director: David Shrubsole
Orchestrations: Kurt Weill
Choreography: Imogen Knight
Fight Choreography: Rachel Bown-Williams, Ruth Cooper-Brown of RC-ANNIE Ltd
Design: Vicki Mortimer
Lighting Design: Paul Constable
Sound Design: Paul Arditti
Stage Manager: Jane Suffling
Cast: George Ikediashi (The Balladeer), Rory Kinnear (Captain Macheath, AKA ‘Mack the Knife), Nick Holder (Jonathan Jeremiah Peachum), Sarah Amankwah (Filch), Haydn Gwynne (Ceclia Peachum), Rosalie Craig (Polly Peachum), Dominic Tighe (Robert, AKA The Iceman), Jamie Beddard (Matthias, AKA The Shadow), Andrew Buckley (Walter, AKA The Scholar), Hammed Animashaun (Jimmy ‘Retail’), George Ikediashi (Pastor Kimball), Peter de Jersey (Chief Inspector ‘Tiger’ Brown), Sharon Small (Jenny Diver), Toyin Ayedun-Alase (Vixen), Rebecca Brewer (Betty), Ricky Butt (Ruby), Matt Cross (Officer Smith), Debbie Kurup (Lucy Brown), Mark Carroll, Conor Neaves, Wendy Somerville (Ensemble)
Theatre: Olivier Theatre
Producer: NT Live
Book: Bertolt Brecht, in collaboration with Elisabeth Hauptmann
Music: Kurt Weill
Lyrics: Bertolt Brecht
Adaptation: Simon Stephens
Director: Rufus Norris
Musical Director: David Shrubsole
Orchestrations: Kurt Weill
Choreography: Imogen Knight
Fight Choreography: Rachel Bown-Williams, Ruth Cooper-Brown of RC-ANNIE Ltd
Design: Vicki Mortimer
Lighting Design: Paul Constable
Sound Design: Paul Arditti
Stage Manager: Jane Suffling
Cast: George Ikediashi (The Balladeer), Rory Kinnear (Captain Macheath, AKA ‘Mack the Knife), Nick Holder (Jonathan Jeremiah Peachum), Sarah Amankwah (Filch), Haydn Gwynne (Ceclia Peachum), Rosalie Craig (Polly Peachum), Dominic Tighe (Robert, AKA The Iceman), Jamie Beddard (Matthias, AKA The Shadow), Andrew Buckley (Walter, AKA The Scholar), Hammed Animashaun (Jimmy ‘Retail’), George Ikediashi (Pastor Kimball), Peter de Jersey (Chief Inspector ‘Tiger’ Brown), Sharon Small (Jenny Diver), Toyin Ayedun-Alase (Vixen), Rebecca Brewer (Betty), Ricky Butt (Ruby), Matt Cross (Officer Smith), Debbie Kurup (Lucy Brown), Mark Carroll, Conor Neaves, Wendy Somerville (Ensemble)
Sources
- Claire Allfree, “The Threepenny Opera, National Theatre, review: 'It chills more than it thrills’,” The Telegraph (May 27, 2016)
- Susannah Clapp, “The Threepenny Opera review – cartoon counterfeit runs out of juice,” The Guardian (June 5, 2016)
- Liza Dezfouli, “The Threepenny Opera,” Screenhub (Nov 7, 2016)
- National Theatre, “The Threepenny Opera” Program (2013)
- Alice Saville, “The Threepenny Opera, National Theatre, review: A snarling, sexy beast of a show,” Independent (May 27, 2016)
- Mark Shenton, “The Threepenny Opera review at the Olivier, National Theatre – ‘beautifully illuminated,’” The Stage (May 26, 2016)
- Mark Shenton, “NT Live to Broadcast National Theatre's Threepenny Opera to Cinemas Around the World.” Playbill (July 11, 2016)
- Angus Tonkin, “Film Review: NT Live: The Threepenny Opera (2016)” Film Blerg, (Nov 11, 2016)
- Matt Trueman, “London Theater Review: ‘The Threepenny Opera’ with Rory Kinnear,” Variety (May 29, 2016)
- Dave Stein, Threepenny Opera, (undated)
- Matt Wolf, “Review: ‘The Threepenny Opera,’ ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and ‘Human Animals.’” NY Times (June 2, 2016)
Written by Luisa Lyons (January, 2017)