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LOS ANGELES, CA - For the
first time in ten years, The Threepenny Opera's return to
Los Angeles and the Open Fist Theatre is both enthusiastic and
bittersweet. Originally written in 1928, this masterpiece from
Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill is a must see for any theater
lover. The history of this show is taught to every aspiring
theater person for its social commentaries and performance
presentation. And for any theater lover in
the Los Angeles area, it is also disappointing and disheartening
to know this is the last production at the Open Fist Theatre, as
the theater space will be demolished to make way for more
condos. Words cannot begin to express the grief as it seems a
lot of ambitious theater companies are losing their spaces. But
let’s put the focus back to this farewell production. 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 |
Maestro Arts and ReviewsCopyright © 2005 The Maestro GroupAll rights reserved.Online Reviews: www.maestro.ws/arts |
