Under the direction of R.
Charles Otte and musical direction of Dean Mora, The Threepenny
Opera tells the story of love, betrayal and capitalism among the
lower class of beggars and thieves centering on the infamous criminal
Macheath a.k.a. Mac the Knife, played by Bjorn Johnson. The role of
Macheath demands an actor who can play both charming and threatening
at the drop of a hat. Mr. Johnson is definitely charming, but lacked
the bite to be a convincing villain in certain scenes interacting with
his gang. However, he definitely can sing.
The ensemble as a whole is
very strong and endearing. Josie Gundy, who plays the youthful Polly
Peachum, delights the audiences as one of the many loves of Macheath.
She is particularly engaging in performing ‘Pirate Jenny’ and
‘Barbara Song’. David Castellani and Pam Heffler play the scheming
parents of Polly with devilish wit. Rebecca Metz comedic portrayal as
the ‘impregnated’ doll collecting Lucy Brown is a hoot to watch.
And as rest of the ensemble playing Macheath’s gang, the whores, and
beggars galore? Simply entertaining!
On the technical side, the
orchestra planted on stage, playing Kurt Weill’s classic score, is
flawless. The choreography by Kitty McNamee is on par with not going
to far over the top. The set design by Bill Eigenbrodt and Meghan
Rogers is inventive.
What more can be said? Oh
yes… Go see The Threepenny Opera!! Highly recommended!
Produced by the Open Fist
Theatre Company, The Threepenny Opera performs at the Open
Fist, located at 1625 North La Brea in Hollywood, CA. Running through
June 12th, 2005, performances are Thursday through Saturday at 8pm and
Sundays at 7pm. Admission is $ 20.00. - Adrian Rennie
Printable View
For reservations, please
call (323) 822-6912.
Websites to explore
http://www.openfist.org
http://www.kwf.org
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